The Carlisle independent., 1909-05-27
A LUCKY STRATAGEM
By Florence Kingston Hoffman
Copyright, 1sos by J. B. Lippincott co@

proclaimed the residence of John V. Robinson, D. D. S., but this, alas! was the only luminous thing in Robinson's prospect-introspective or otherwise.
 He was clever young fellow, and had graduated from the College of Dentistry with honors, but there it had ended. In a word, he hadn't got on, and the fact that it was really in no wise his fault didn't make the reality any easier to bear. He had left Hillcrest for New York feeling sure that big place was likely to produce bigger results than a small one. Then there was Carriei Carrie MarstoH and he had already been engaged for three long years. Altogether, he felt desperate, and as he gazed mood fly forth his attention was suddenly arrested by the sight of a portly old gentleman who came leaping up the street as though he were sprinting on the track
 'Humph!" calculated Robinson. Well, he can't keep up that gait long, for apoplexy will put stop to his little game, whatever it may be" and then he almost lost his breath as the old gentleman bolted up his own doorstep, rang the bell furiously and with an anxious look behind entered the yestibule, closing the door with bang that shook the house.
 Recollecting how long it usually took his landlady's maid of all work to answer the bell, and feeling sure that the emergency must be serious, Robinson ran to open the door, and the old gentleman, still panting from his recent exertions, bounded in with such haste that he narrowly escaped overturning Robinson into the um- brella stand
 My dear sir-my dear doctor-let me see, what is the name?" apolo- gized the visitor.
 Robinson" mildly supplemented the dentist, as he righted his equi- librium
 "Ohl indeed, to be sure, Dr. Rob- inson. Will you-that is to say, could you-examine my teeth without de- lay? The fact is I'm in something of a hurry"
 So I had noticed" Robinson was beginning. when remembering profes- sional dignity he went on: Yes, sir, l think I can manage it, if you will kindly lay aside your coat and take the chair"
 With a sigh of relief the old gen. tleman divested himself of his outer garments, and sank into the depths of the dental chair as though it repre- sented to him bed of ease rather than the throne of torture.
 My dear Dr. Robinson" the latter finally managed to articulate, q feel I owe you an explanation, and I will endeavor to be as brief as possible"
 T am, I would have you to under stand, man of most exemplary hah- it's, generally speaking, but we all ahi have our moments of relaxation, and so I-oh, confound it, perhaps you know how it is yourself?' Rob- inson bowed, and his patient resumed: Last night I dined with some friends, and may perhaps have been O llttiC III lll0 OI wine I drank. After dinner we went to the theater, where my friends pro cured box; and later they prevailed upon me to go behind the curtains and make Miss Zaza Flashlights acauaint- ance. All this, you will readily under stand, was harmless in the extreme, but it was perhaps a trifle unwise of me to ask Miss Flashlight and several of her company to be my guests at supper after the play We had a merry time. sir. a very merry time, though my recollections of the affair, beyond the fact that we all ate con- siderable and drank rather more, are, I may say, exceedingly hazy. I spent the night at a hotel, and awoke this morning with terrible headache and the impression of having passed through a prolonged nightmare. Ar irving at my office, I found among my letters his-ah-bombshel produc- ing note which he offered to Robin son, who read aloud as follows:
 Amos Whitehouse, Esq, no Broadway. New York City.-My Beloved: After a AShl OA ACNSiioii uiii Sbr--AOA llpW COulu I sleep with such happiness in view?-I awoke to remember I had promised you an answer by ten o'clock this morning Yes, dearest, I will be your owney doney wife, and almost before you read this I will be at your office to arrange about dates, etc. Till then, your lovey dovey.
 'Zaza'
 As Robinson read the last words the old gentleman resumed in great agi- tation:
 When I tell you, my dear sir, that it was then 10:15, and that even as I looked from my second-foor office window I saw approaching a figure that I instantly recognized as Miss Flashlights, you may imagine my feel ings. I grabbed my hat and top-coat, and allowing her enough time to in- quire her way to my office and take the elevator, I boarded the down-car and fled from the building just after the up-car started on its journey. I tore madly up the street" (Robinson smiled, remembering but just be- fore reached your door I glanced be- hind and saw her in hot pursuit She was more than block away. but even at that distance Miss Flashlight might