Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-09-13
The Argus Daily Short Story
Picked Out for Each other.-By Edgar Minturn.
Copyrighted Literary

In the autumn Of 10 I received a
note from Eileen Duncan, who had
married my chum, Charlie Duncan,
inviting me to their country place in
the New Hampshire hills. I'VE are TO
entertain house party" said Mrs.
Duncan, (which will be incomplete
without you. Charlie and 1 are so
happy that we wish to confer a like
happiness on you. A girl will be a
member of your party whom we have
picked out for you. We are not going
to tell you which one Of our guests
she is, nor are we going to tell her
who is the man we have picked out
for her, though we have told her that
such a man is to be present. We are
going to leave you to find each other
We'll, now l said to myself. "I
like that. Heaven protect me from
those girls whom 1 am told I am ex-
pected to marryi But in this case
there is an element Of uncertainty. I
am left free to choose, and the lady
is as free as 1. There's something Of
the game Of hide and seek in it.
I'll attend the house party
Charlie inherited a large fortune and
owns one Of those big tracts Of land
on which our rich Americans are set
ting up their country places. The
house would easily accommodate fifty
guests. On my arrival 1 found near
ly that number assembled, three-quar-
tiers OF them being young unmarried
persons | have no faith in wOman's
idea of justice or fairness and thought
1t more than likely that Eileen Dun
can would give the girl for whom she
had picked me out an advantage over
meat least a hint as TO when she
was warm or when she was cold,
as the children do in their hiding
games-but Charlie said on his word
Of honor we should neither of US re-
ceive the slightest assistance in the
matter.
I looked the women over, feeling
sure that If my hosts had struck the
right one for me L would know her at
once. Whether or no l struck the girl
they had decided upon. certainly no
ticed one whose general makeup pleas
ed me very much. She was Miss
Hester Adams. One of the guests,
John Crowell, was attentive to her, so
that I did not at once get much OPP
portunity TO devote myself to her.
And here was a point IN this little
game wherein /, a man, had an advan-
tage. 1 could seek out the girl who
had been chosen for me, while she
must remain passive. On the other
hand, she might remain hidden within
herself, corps of observation, watch
ing the enemy's movements.
Within a week ! found myself rival
ing John CrowelI and several other
men for the favor Of Hester Adams.
She was by no means the most prOmi-
nent young lady in the party, but any
one with discernment could detect in
her a certain worth which, after all,
other things being equal, determines
the real standing of both men and wO-
men. Crowell seemed to have the in
side track, the rest of US standing
about even, although / can remember,
looking back to that far period, that /
was not left without an occasional
morsel Of comfort.
But one afternoon a terrible gulf
came up between Hester Adams and
myself. We men were all roomed on
the third floor, while the women were
on the second. Going up TO dress for
dinner. was obliged to pass CroweH's
room His door stood ajar, and, look
ing in. / saw lady standing before
the dresser. She took up a teweled
scarfpin and examined il. Her back
was toward me, but I saw her face
reflected in the mirror over the dresser
She was Hester Adams. Sticking
the pin in her corsage where it would
be hidden, she was turning when /,
not wishing her to see me, went on to
my room
OF all the positions in which have
ever found myself this was surely the