Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-09-28
B|LL|ARDS--AND
SOMETHING ELSE,
The Chance That Came With a
Lesson In the Game.
BY M. J. PHILLIPS.

BY M. J. PHILLIPS.
copyright. 1909. by Associated Literary
Press.
The trouble was that, while Carrick
admitted his offense and was anxious
to present his excuse, Miss Welland
by her manner ignored the existence
Of an offense and so made excuse i'm
possible. At first blush that sounds
all right, but 1t wasn't.
For how could fellow secure free
dom from his grievous dungeon when
the pardon board publicly and official
ly pretended to believe that he was
enjoying the sweet atmosphere Of lib
erty? That was the question which
bothered Carrick.
He felt that five minutes talk with
Miss Welland would set everything
right. But she was graciously and
firmly napproachable. She insisted
on treating him just the same as ever,
only more so. And Carrick ratified his
dungeon chains, while Miss Welland
smiled sweetly on Purves Bland.
Carrick wasn't really to blame. They
had been going to the theater Wednes-
day evening after having waited three
weeks to get tickets because every
body else seemed to want to go too.
And that very Wednesday afternoon
the manager had sent for Carrick.
"Be here at 8 o'clock tonight" he
directed. There will be special
meeting Of the board for the purpose
of discussing your carbon improve
mont plan. If we take 1t up His
pompous smile was rich with promise
For a young NAN whom opportunity
had seized by the nape Of the neck and
was thrusting headlong into prosper.
ity Carrick was singularly unapprecia'
tive. He knew how Miss Welland was
anticipating seeing what Woman
Would Do" and the impossibility of Sc.
curing other tickets during the re-
mainder of the run. Miss Welland's
slightest wish was more important just
then than q good many other things,
so he mentioned another engage
ment."
"Then you must break 1t. Mr.. Car
rick" said the manager quite decided
ly. "Mr. Kern, who is our president
and heaviest stockholder. will be here
from the west tonight on his way to
New York. He can stay only two
hours. We can do nothing without his
approval So you see how necessary
it is that you attend the meeting"
There seemed no way out Of It. Car
rick wrote q note to Miss Welland ex
planning the circumstances. sealed 1t
and rang for messenger. When a
diminutive representative Of the A. D.
Il. arrived Carrick was smitten with a
brilliant idea. Why not send the tick.
cts so she could 60 anyway? So he
wrote another note. inclosed the tickets
with 1t and handed both envelopes to
the messenger. And the one contain
Ing the tickets was never delivered.
All unconscious of this fact. Carrick
went back to the Office at 8 o'clock.
Fifteen minutes later word came that
Mr.. Kern was delayed by wreck and
that the board meeting would be held
next morning.
On the chance that he might yet be
in time to escort Miss Welland to the
theater he rushed of to find her. only
to be informed by the maid that she
had gone out. He went on home then,
where he was promptly pressed into
service by his sister Beatrice, who
wanted company as far as Gladys Bur
toms. And at the Burton door they
had encountered Miss Welland.
That young lady had smilingly cut
short his explanations before they
were begun. Later, when he heard OF
the nondelivery of the tickets, he tried
again. But Purves Bland was now In
the play, and explanations were impos
sible. He never saw Miss Welland
unless the hint-impervious Mr.. Bland
was at her elbow. He haunted balls
and recitals and tea fights in an en-
deavor to tell her Of the meeting that
didn't come off. but in vain.
Weeks of plotting and planning and
waiting for opportunities that nevei
came left him worried and hungry
looking. Why rejoice that his carbon
improvement scheme was a 60 when
the only girl In the world-it had
reached that stage-wouldn't look al
him or, worse still, looked at him pre-
cisely as she looked at everybody elsei
But his persistence won finally. BY
the assistance of Dick Sargent, en-
gagged and consequently sympathetic.
he was assured Of a monopoly Of Miss
Welland and the billiard room during
a dance at Burton's one night. Dick
promised fifteen minutes II he had tc
tie Purves Bland with the portieres.
"Miss Welland," he began breathless.
ly when Bland had been lured away
by Dick and the future Mrs. Sargent
"you know the night Of What Wom'
an Would Do'"-
"But you were to teach me to play
billiards, you know" remarked Miss
Welland.
"But I want to explain" he urged.
"I got your note," Miss Welland re-
minded him. "And Beatrice has told
me about the loss Of the tickets. So
that's all over and forgotten"
Being equipped only with the slow
going mental processes Of mere man,
Carrick was somewhat dazed by this
Information. For weeks he had been
preparing himself to take the enemy's
Notifications by storm. To find that
there was to be no war was surprising,
to say the least.
"You know all about itT he queried
stupidity.
Eyes"
"And it's all forgottenr
Eyes"
Forgiven too?"
81 suppose so"
"Then," said Currick. with radiant
smile and a CLINT Of determination In
his eye. 1--WE shall take up the billiard
lesson.-and something else" Miss
Welland chose to ignore the remark.
"First we will send the balls to the
lower cushi.n to see who gets the first
shot. That Is bank"
"What funny name"
"Yes," said Carrick. "The word Is
usually applied to the edges Of river;
also," with sidewise glance, Ito la.
stitutions where young men who are
contemplating matrimony hoard up
their money"
"Hadn,t we hettar inin the others p