Evening journal., 1910-11-17
DISPUTED
POSSESSION
BY EDITH V. ROSS
Copyright. 1910 by American Press
Association.

Il am sorry, MISS Marundale. said
John Rogers, real estate agent. that
you didn't close with me yesterday.
Mr.. Robert Eldridge has just signed a
lease Of the property"
u understood that you gave me a
refusal"
''You we're mistaken
Miss Martindale had suddenly discov-
cred that she wanted the fiat in ques-
ton very much She was disappointed.
Tn going to have It anyway" she
said
II would like TO know howr' asked
Mr.. Rogers.
Il know who this man Eldridge is;
he's Bob Eldrige of the Atheneum club.
a bachelor. He doesn't need the fat
and ] do. He has no family. while
have my mother snd little brother"
\ "Will you kindly inform me what
that has 70 do with property for which
a written lease has been givenT
NO. but 7 viii show you"
Miss Martindale lived across the
street from the apartment house in
question. and when she saw Bob FL
bridge enter it she went over and up
! 70 the fat Opening the door, she
went in and. seeing the gentleman
there. looked surprised
'If you are looking at this fat" she
said, with view TO taking It you are
/ too late have just notified the agent
/ that ! would take II"
Pardon me. madam" with an apollo
I getic smile. 1T is you who are mistak-
en-. / have my lease here in my pock-
et."
He took It out and showed Il to her.
She waved It aside. That's moth
/ ing" she said. Everybody knows
+ that a verbal lease IS good. Mine is
verbal / have had the refusal OF
these rooms for a week.
"You mus be mistaken Mr.. Rog-
ers said nothing about having given
any one a refusal"
II am not accountable for Mr.. Rog-
ers' blunders. ] must ask you to re
tire. am desirous Of having the
rooms cleaned before moving in and
wish TO see what's to be done"
did Mr.. Rogers give you the key p
I No Mt nAin AnaA aNA 1tAh AaANh AhN
key"
'He gave it TO me will retire
You can easily get out from within"
Now. Mr.. Eldridge was gallant man
and would doubtless have scOrned to
push his claims. however just against
a woman. But in this case the lady
was under the disadvantage OF being
very attractive. say disadvantage
because her attractivcness prompted
Mr.. Eldridge to enter upon contest
with her that he might thus bring
about an acquaintance. He bowed
himself out very politely. hat in hand,
and departed with the key.
Miss Martindale noticed this feature
OF the case and felt that she had re-
ceived a check. she knew that the
key is nine points in the law govern
Ing the occupancy OF houses and con-
sidered herself temporarily defeated.
She had no key from which TO have a
duplicate made She mieNt get n
locksmith to come and az n key, but
that would require time. and mean
while Mr.. Eldridge might rove in. In
any event he had key to the prem
Uses and could get In when he liked
Miss Martindale concluded 10 change
her tactics she wrote a note TO Mr.
Eldridge. which she sent through Mr..
Rogers. stating that since 1t seemed
that there had been n mistake made
by the agent In renting the premises
TO two different persons she thought
the one least needing them should
give way 10 the other: that she repre-
scented a family Of three and II Mr.
Eldridge stood for more than that she
would give way to him. II not she
thought he should give way TO her
Mr. Eldrldge replied that he had
rented the fiat intending TO turn It over
for a meeting place and supply depot
for a ladies' charitable society: there
fore he thought that Miss Martindale
should give way TO this society.
Miss Martindale knew that this was
a subterfuge, but she didn't see how
should could take that ground with
! Nr. Eldridge, Again she felt that she