Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-12-21
ITO BE Continued
ANNE'S
INFATUATION
By EMMELINE B. WEIGH
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

When my friend Agnes Hughes died
she left her daughter Anne in my care.
Agnes, though we had been intimate
friends, was older than l, and she vas
still young at her demise. This brought
me midway between her and her
daughter. When l assumed the care of
Anne she was sixteen years old and l
was twenty-six. 1t was very pleasant
for both of us that we could be COM
%panionable.
Anne was a good girl, and I had no
trouble with her whatever for two
years; then, she being of a marriage
able age, l began to worry. A gentle
man, Frederick Darlington, nearly dou-
BILE her age--he was thirty-two-began
to pay her attention. After all, thirty
two is still young for a man. and Car
rington was young for his age. On this
account I opposed him for Anne, be-
some dignitied MAI of prominence
either in business, in profession or in
politics.
1 didn't know whether Anne liked
Darlington we'll enough to marry him
or not. She usually contided all her af-
fairs to me. but this one she kept to
herself. 1t was this reticence in the
matter that led me to believe she had
given him her heart. The only way l
could hope to circumvent the man vas
to keep him away from Anne, and 1
must effect this without seeming to do
so, for if the two got it into their heads
that l was opposing them their attrac-
ton for each other would be enhanced
by my opposition.
During the winter I resolved to give
a house party at my country place. 1
invited Wilbur Crawford, a young man
of whom l approved for Anne, and left
out Fred Darlington. of whom l did not
approve for her. When Anne looked
over the list Of guests she asked:
Whom are you going to invite for
yourself, auntie?"
"My dear" 1 replied, "old maids don't
need to invite any II for themselves"
1 didn't know whether Anne had
anything to do with it or not, but
while my guests were assembling
who should drive up from the station
and with two trunks-but Fred Car
rington. I confess I was astonished
and must have shown my astonish-
ment in my expression.
"Anything wrong about my invita-
tion?" he asked, coloring.
"Wrong! Why do you ask?"
Because it was written in a hand
| mt O11 J0,,r1 IN r,o,,~ ~ =,
"You are quite welcome" I said, sin
whoever's hand your invitation was
written
What else could 1 say?
1t didn't take me long to discover
that Anne knew more about who had
written the invitation than she cared
to tell, for it was evident that she
and Darlington had a secret between
them. Their plot seemed rather plain
to me, for Anne, who OWNED that l
had invited Crawford especially on
her account, undertook to throw dust
in my eyes by accepting considerable
attention from him. While the mink
vas trying to blind me in this way
Darlington helped her on by pretend
ing to devote himself to me. 1 didn't
mind his devotion, for he was a very
agreeable fellow, but I laughed in
my sleeve at the attempt to outwit
me.
They kept this up during the whole
period of my house party. Toward
the end Wilbur and Anne seemed to
be getting on so well I had a faint
hope that Darlington would be beat
en- at his own game; that, having
consented to Anne's attempting to
hoodwink me, he had consented to her
accepting the attention Of a rival, and
a rival who would supplant him. A
few days before we broke up Caring
ton began to say sweet things to me.
I listened to them for awhile, then
said:
eff you think you can impose upon
me you are mistaken. I know perfect
ly we'll your design and that you have
been encouraged and assisted by
Anne.
II admit that Anne has assisted me.
You intended to leave me out from
your house party. Anne sent me a bid
on her own account, but in your
name"
81 do not doubt it. 1 confess that l
intend Anne for another admirer."
Happily she and you coincide on the
man, Wilbur Crawford"
wilbur Crawford"
eyes, / think he and Anne will be
engaged before we break up"
well, upon my word! And what are
you going to dot"
II have a hope that l shall be en-.
gagged too"
ITO Anne? She can't marry you
both"