Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1909-06-18
Amateur
Strategy
BY TEMPLE BAILEY.
Copyrighted. IgE. by Associated
Literary Press
BY TEMPLE BAILEY

enough. however. though otherwise
rnmplete. il lacked one of the essen
tials-indecd. vital esSential-of n
Students coon decorations. There
were no photographs.
The other fellows had pictures Of
girls In evening gowns, girls In street
costume. girls In golf gnrb. girls on
horseback, girls afoot-always girls
But moi n girls picture adorned Perez
vaIs den except one lonely small nm
iature. and that stood far withdrawn,
hidden on the back uf his desk.
Randolph Chase hauled IL out on one
occasion before Perceval could reach
him with OBTAINING hand.
What a queer little girI?' Randolph
said.
PUT II back" Perceval said shortly.
| his face aflame.
But the, other fellows crowded be-
hind Randolph and looked at the pic
ture over his shoulder.
"Such mop of hair and such lit
tie facew said one of them.
PUT il back Percevars tone rasp-
cd with irritation. Put II back, Ran
dolphw
Randolph. after one glance at the
| Younger mans countenance, set the
miniature back on the desk hastily.
ooh, If you feel that way about it," he
apoIoEi2ed. .
But the next night when he was
alone with Perceval he said: 81 don't
want to he inquisitive, but was aw-
fully interested in that girls face.
Who is shc?'
perceval was standing at the WIN
dow. looking out upon the elm Dor
dered street. where the big electric
lights cast great shadows.
That" he said without looking
around-"that girl as you call her, is
Mrs. Pcrceval Moore"
WHAT Randolph's tone expressed
extreme incredulity. You surely don't
mean
Perceval whirled around. THAT |
am married? Yes"
Randolph whistled. well, of all
thingsw he said And after that there
was silence.
Then Perceval came over and flung
himself into chair opposite Ran
doph. 1--WE simply got to tell some
body, Chase" he said. I'm In an aw-
full fix, and she's the dearest and truest
and best little thing in the world"
Randolph reached over and picked
up the miniature again. "She truly
aooks It," he said after ne had studied
it for long time.
Perceval choked little before he
answered. She's an angel, Ran
aulph."
Then what's the matterT Ran
dolph questioned.
perceval leaned forward.
rive deceived her. She doesn't know
that | am in college. She thinks | an
earning a good salary in business"
"Well, son." said Randolph Chase
ait seems to me that sort of deception
is a kind that n girl can forgive easily
enough. | guess she won't be wildly
indignant when she finds that mex
year-it is next year that you come OF
age. isn't it?-youll have a big pile OF
money coming to you. Any girl would
be tickled to death to find that"
Perceval shook his head Not An
mabel" he declared. Isn't her name
dear and old fashioned, Chase"
Yes" Randolph agreed. But VIII!
will she object to million. Perceval?'
Because she will say that lied t,
her" perceval said slowly, land An
mabel can forgive anything but lie"
"Out with it, Randolph probed
Tell me the whole story, 1t must b
a queer one, and If you don't mint
my saying so, old man, she must be
queer girl"
That's just what she is" said Perez
val. 81 met her last year at the beach
She was such quaint, queer littl
thing that she attracted me. She a
ways wore whitey and | would fin,
her sitting on the sand singing litt
songs to herself There was an oil,
sea captain to whom she talked goo,
deal, and got him to introduce us.
We'll, she had read a lot of book
on social equality, and she just simp
didn't have any use for the glide
youth with money. What Annab6
wanted was man who worked, pre-
erably with his hands, but. failn
that, one who lived in the thick O
the fight for existence. And she mean
1t too. And that is where | fell.
81 was head over heels in love wit
her." continued Perceval forlornl,
"and~-1 simply wouldn't let her g
] So | let her believe that | was worl
ing my way up in business. The frs
lie was simple enough and looked Ill,
D one of those things that could |
r squared easily enough afterward. Blu
S oh, Chase! i had to back that lie u
with details on details until had lie
4 to her at least ten lies to the hou
e Well, we were married before | e
e in the fall. wasn't of age, and ST
: wasn't, and she wouldn't leave hon
+ until | could support her without han
] pering my business career.
81 knew had to come back TO CO
lege or get dad down on me, so tol
her to stay" groaned Perceval "Bl
| made her marry me for fear som
e thing might come between us, and
J. couldn't stand that, Randolph. b.
think how III appear to her. for "
# lied in every letter, telling her no
o business was, and all that"
The young fellows voice brol,
S Randolph held out sympathet