Willmar tribune., 1909-09-08
uh|MPRESS|OhABLE I
HARRINGTON,
4 Scheme That Did Not Turn Out
as Was Planned.
BY RICHARD BARKER SHELTON.
Copyright. 1909. by Associated Literary
ProSa

BY RICHARD BARKER SHELTON.
Copyright. 1903. by Associated Literary
Press.l
'YOu must be very nice to her, Ted" ,"
said Mrs. Wainwright thoughtfully.
"1ndeed, you must monopolize her
while she's here"
Ted Darlington blew out cloud of
smoke and smiled lazily.
Must l. now. Annette? he said.
'Whyfore and wherefore?"
'She's dangerous" said Mrs. VAIN
wright, with the air of one imparting
select and exclusive condolences.
''She's disturbing element. rely
on you to keep the peace Of the house
while she's here. Fact is. Teddy, dear,
she's most incorrigible and heartless
dirt The last time she was here she
left in her train a cohort Of heartsick
swains that was positively appalling.
It's perfectly dreadful to have jolly
little house party disrupted as that one
was"
Darlington squinted his eye thought
fully as be looked away to the great
blue bulk Of the hills rising in the dis
tance against perfect sky.
"And so. Annette, am to be the sac
ritice. as it were. am I?' he chuckled
good naturedly. Wont somebody else
do? I'm lazy. I'm having the time Of
my life here just being lazy"
Il have come to you." said she with
deep conviction. because you are one
Of the few men I know whom believe
can remain heart whole under all cir
cumstances. Oh. don't look so conceit-
ed about it. The ghastly truth of the
matter is that you are much too in.
do]ent and self satisfied to fall in love.
Therefore make this appeal
"Oh, if you put it that way now,"
said he In mock protest.
IL do" said she. you must, as
say. monopolize her while she's here.
Make her think she has made a con-
quest. Take her sailing and motoring
and. riding. understand? Make her
think your case is very, very des-
perate."
"Oh, you woMen-you scheming, far
sighted women"' he complained. "Set
your f1uttering heart at rest, Annette.
For old sake's sake I'll do my best.
When is she cOming?'
"This afternoon. Hubbard has gone
down in the trap to meet her."
A rumble of wheels sounded in the
roadway. A trap drawn by a smart
cob turned into the drive. Mrs. VAIN
wright nodded meaningly toward it
and withdrew, and harrington, turn
Ing his lazy eyes toward the drive,
saw in the approaching trap vision
Of wavy hair and pink cheeks and
flowing veil that was not at all unat-
tractive.
"Well. WE'LL" said the unimpression-
able harrington, 'it's not such an aw-
full thing to be the appointed sacrifice,
after all
An hour later Mrs. Wainwright was
presenting him to the girl, and some
thing in the older woman's eyes warn
ed harrington that his duties were to
begin at once. Therefore he stepped
nObly into the breach.
"Oh. say. Miss Gray" said he, "are
you fond of motoring? You are?
Good! Wainwright has a little peach
Of car in the garage Suppose l get
it out and show you how it can take
the hills round here"
''Oh. jolly!' she declared.
They motored until dinner time, and
at the after dinner bridge Miss Gray
was Barrington's partner. And the
following days he followed out Mrs.
Wainwright's injunctions to the letter.
Tied. you are perfectly Splendid
she declared one evening as he sat
smoking on the veranda.
always glad to oblige, Annette" he
drawled.
You do it so well l almost think
sometimes you're not at all. averse to
the role I've assigned you," she said
musingly.
"I'm much too indolent to fall in
love. I'm safe." he said in the same
queer voice.
Mrs. Wainwright leaned anxiously
toward him. lied, do be CAREFUL ~
she warned him. II didn't think for
a minute
"You are quite on the wrong tack.
Annette" he said composedly. "Your
suspicious are utterly without founda-
tion. Where on earth did you ever get
such childish ideas?"
Yet Mrs. Wainwright. once in her
own room, sat looking out thoughtful
". And at last. more perturbed than
she cared to admit, she tapped on her
husbands door.
'Tom." she confessed uneasily as
her big husband, swathed in a gor.
geous bath wrap. opened the door, Il
believe I've made mess Of things"
"Well," he said cheerfully. you're
not without precedent in the matter.
Annette. How have you done It? Tn.
burden yourself"
Its Ted and Francesca Gray. l.
r.
"You mean you're afraid he's lost his
head?" Tom Wainwright asked. Mon
sense-nothing Of the kind; not a
symptom of it. Go to sleep, Annette.
He'll take care Of himself"
Mrs. Wainwright felt decidedly
heartened, but when. two days later.
she found Ted harrington all alone by
the old sundial in the gardens behind
the house. his hands clinched and his
face hard. quick fear and an equal
10 Suift cOntritiOn Ovinno6 hor hoor&