The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1912-08-08
Playing the
Came

The man was going to set married.
he had sown his Wild oats. and new
10 meant to settle down. Well 81,
good looking flryt-rate sportsman, =
!avorite with men and women allle,
The Fates apanntnS busily AAd sn1Do1
lpon him at birth and had woven only
gold threads In the woof Of his HE.
For years he had lived the NE q
the smart young man about town. h
had done the same thing In tie uspa9
way, he had been neither very gooA
nor bad; in his own words, the favor
lite words Of British youth, he had al
ways tried to play the game"
1t was because he felt 1t Incumbent
upon him to play the game that he
decided to tell the woman he was go
Ing to marry Of certain newly closed
episode In his life. The consideration
that perhaps 1t would be as well for
her to hear the tale from him flfst-
hand, instead of embroidered with Hes
On foundation of truth, as she might
hear 1t from some one else. may have
counted for something, too.
But the reason he gave himself a.
he knotted his tie carefully before the
mirror on the fateful morning of con-
fession was that he must play the
game"
Il hardly know how to tell you.
DEAR" he began awkwardly, standing
tall and perfectly groomed on the
aearthrug that afternoon. It's 30 din
cult to speak to women-pure w0m-.
en-, like you-about certain things. but
the fact Of the matter is, I've been an
awful rotter, Evelyn, and feel It's up
to me to own it. You're not marrying
saint, you know"
The fair-haired womsn in the big
big armchair looked up at him sweet
Iy out Of innocent blue eyes, Dear,
do know" she said gently.
He moved uncomfortably. But It's
Just what you don't know" he told
her, that I'm worrying about. I'm
not thinking of cards and racing, and
things like that. It's about women
want to speak to you. Especially
| one woman" He paused, and bit his
| lip nervously.
"Ah!" said the woman softly, look
Ing down.
"She was a nice little thing" went
on the man. mot quite lady, you
know, but very pretty and all that.
| Her father drank. She ran
away from home. Hadn't a friend in
the world when picked her up. Only
the streets in front of her. A good
woman like you, Evelyn, can't realize
what the horror Of that means.
I took fiat for her."
"Ah!" said the woman softly, look
Ing down.
II lived with her more or less for
three years. went on the man, gather
Ing courage from her passiveness.
She was very grateful for all had
lone for her; she was really. quite a.
nice little thing. But, of course, that's
all over and done with now. / set
| lied up finally with her today. shall
never see her again. There was no
reason for you ever to know, Evelyn,
only that l felt it wouldn't be quite
playing the game not to tell you
What has becoroe of the girl?"
asked the woman, still softly and still
looking away.
The man shrugged his shoulders.
Still in the fiat, presume" he said
carelessly. "The rent is paid up till
December" His voice became persua-
sive. He bent down so that his face
was very near the coils of fair hair
wound smoothly round her head.
Don't let's talk about her any more"
he urged. TITS all finished and done
with. Now, don't frown, but just kiss
me, and say you forgive me-
You're a very naughty boy, Jack"
said the woman reprovingly, but she
let him wind her smooth white arms
round his neck, as he kne!t beside her
On the floor Then if you promise,
never, never to do it again, I'll forgive
you" she said prettily.
He caught her. flushed and smiling
to him fercely. my saint" he breath
ed upon her mouth, ,-
In daintily furnished room Of lit
tie fiat in Queens Club Gardens, a
woman lay dead upon the bed with an
empty phial in her hand. There were
traces of tears upon her white, cold
cheeLs; her closed eyelids were swoll
en-. Her lover had failed her, There
nothing before her but the streets.
So she, too, had played the game"
God will decide who played it best.