Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-01-16
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A CONSPIRACY.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
toriginal

MRS. Mnrtlndale, have request
TO make of YOU"
snake It,"
1T Is that you Will enter upon con-
spiracy with me to marry my father"
The color came to her cheeks, and
she bent her head.
III you are not joking, II you really
make this request. you are paying me
the highest compliment have ever re-
| celved."
81 am In earnest. l assure you, first,
because esteem You very highly and
ain sure you would make my father
happy second. because that fortune
hunter, Anabel Green, Is scheming for
him, nnd unless | cun turn him into
another channel she Will get him"
What do you wish me to do?"
Nothing except what ut an oppor.
tune moment may ask you to do"
Dear old man! | would gladly make
him happy If l could, but never would
entrnp him into what he might re-
greet"
do you think he would not regret
marrying this Green woman? Come;
don't be squeamish. am not likely
to turn my own father from the frying
pan into the fire. We shall all DO ut
Mrs. Kings fancy dress ball tonight.
know father kas been seeking an Cd.
| portunity to speak to the Green for
some time and Will doubtless find II
and speak Mt the ball tonight. Remain
mere TIL call for you, and when
| call be ready 10 80 with me ut once"
My father was Il gentleman of the
old school and had never got over the
youthful hnlluclnatlon that all that Is
human female Is lovely. My mother
knew better, and before she died she
left ME two injunctlons-nr first, to ,ro
tect my father from the designing ores:
second. to lie careful In the choice of a
vile Tor myself. My father was al.
ways most indulgcnt with Inc. | do
not remember ever 10 have been Sc.
verely reprlinandcd by him but once,
| when lie heard me make II cutting re.
mark TO girl who had been endcay-
oring TO prejudice Inc against one who
was supposed TO he her bosom friend.
Shes Hcnd,"s | said by way OF
excuse.
shes woman" replied my father
severely.
My sister Edith was In theconsplracy.
We had determined, since we could not
prevent our dear father from taking a
second wife and, besides, would be glad
TO have him marry Mrs. MartIndnle. TO
bring him into II position where lie
COULD mot honorably marry the Green
weihan-1 cannot bring myself to speak
/ or her more rcspectfully-and could not
honornbly refuse to marry Mrs. Mar
tlndale.
Edith" said when reached
home, have you seen the Green2"
Il have. and she told me the costume
she would wear = Marie Antoinettc.
Have You seen Mrs. Martlndnle"
Yes. She makes no promises. I
lave not asked any. think she viii
help us. Now, mind. don't let father
get out Of your sight Il moment from
our entrance into the ballroom. have
II plan. but 1t may be baked. may,
ut moments notice, choose another"
| went to the ball alone In n coach
OF my own. In which had n bundle
containing Il Marie Antoinettc costume.
When entered the. ballroom there WINS
Ed!th-a Queen Elizabeth hanging on
to the arm of fathei,-It King Henry VIII
looked eagerly for IL Marie Antolnette
and espied one standing alone Mt the
other end OF the room. Joined her
ana asked her TO dance. She complied
by nod-she would not speak to nc
and 1t was an hour before discovered
that she WAS not the Green"
! l was horror stricken. Our enemy
must have suspected Edlth-she knew
we were watching hcr-and purposely
misled her. Doubtless she had sue
cecded in some other costume IN Sc
curing father. l hurried OFF to find him
and felt reassurcd when | saw him,
Edith clinging TO his arm like ship
wrecked sailor to IN overturned hulk.
| "l1as any one tried to get him."
whispered.
Yes; woman in simple yellow
domino. She made several attempts.
but told fnther felt flint and beg.
ged him not to leave me- She is our
enemy. l heard her say something to
him, but could not tell what II was.
He simply asscntcd, and as she went
away he held up HIS two forefingers."
| Good! She's going to take him homo
Mt II o'clock. Stand TO your guns.
Edith, and ut five minutes before IL
take him into the conservatory and
hide him IL you can. You'll not see me
again till then"
intended to so to my costumer for
n yellow domino, but as went out in
came my Cousin Frank Englehart with
the very article l wanted. was
obliged to tell him the whole story to
get 1t, but once having 1t in my posses
sion took my carriage and was drlv-
eli to Mrs, Martindale's. | had time to
get back with her to the hall and ten
minutes to spare. which we spent in