The Marshall republican., 1912-03-08
Picked Out For
Each Other
An Attempt at Matchmaking
That Met With a
Setback
BY EDGAR MlNTURN
Copyright by American Press Asso-
By EDGAR MINTURN
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

'oAh VI
inviting me to their country place In
the New Hampshire bills. we are {,
entertain a house party" said Mrs
Duncan. (which will be incomplete
without you. Charlie and | are =.
happy that we wish T. confer a rg,
happiness on you. A girl will be :
member OF your party whom we has,
picked out for you. We are not poii,
to tell you which one Of our guests
she Is, nor are we going TO tell hes
who IL the man we have picked ou'
Tor her. though we have told her tlls
such n mnn IL TO be present. We nr
going TO leave you TO find each other
wei, now" | said to myself, ~
Ike that. Heaven protect me from
those girls whom I am told I am eI.
pected to marryI But In this case
there Is an element Of uncertainty. !.
am left free TO choose. and the lad,
Is as free as l. There's something o
the game OF hide and seek In II
III attend the house party"
Charlie inherited n large fortune aud
owns n OF those big tracts Of lnnd
on which u rich Americans are get
ting up their country places. The
house would easily accommodate or.
guests. On my arrival I found near
~ that number assembled. three-qunr.
tiers OF them being young unmarried
persons. | have no faith In womnn's
d OF Justice or fairness and Thought
II more than likely that Eileen Dun
eau would give the girl for whom sl,e
had picked me out an advantage over
meat least a hint as 10 when Si,
was WARE or when she was cold.
n the children do In their hid ny
ganes-but Charlie said on his wore
or honor we should neither Of us re
ceive the slightest assistance in the
matter.
] looked the women over, feeling
sure that In my hosts had struck the
right one for me ! would know her a
once. Whether or no I struck the cir
they had decided upon, I certainly mo-
uced one whose general makeup pleas
ed me very much. She was n Nil,
Hester Adams. one OF the guests
iohn Crowell, was attentive To her. so
that ] did not nt once get much op
portunlty TO devote myself 20 her.
ANA here was u point IN this little
game wherein !. n man. had an adyau
tase. ] could seek out the glrl WI,
bad been hosen for me. while IA.
must remain passive. On the oihct
hand. she might remain hidden within
herself. u corps OF observation. watch
Ing the enenys movements.
within n week ! found myself rival
irg John Crowell aud several othe.
men for the favor OF Hester Adams
she was by no means the most promi
neilt Young Indy In the party. hut eu,
n with discernment could detect 4,
her n 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 or M standing
about even. although | can remember
looking back TO that fur period. that J.
was not left without an occasional
morsel OF comfort.
But n afternoon a terrible gull
came up between Hester Adams and
myself. We men were all roomed Oh
the third floor. while the women were
on the second. Going up TO dress for
dinner. l was Obliged to pass Crowell's
room His door stood ajar. and. hok.
Ing In. I sawia lady standing before
the dresser. She took up q jeweled
scarfpin aud examined Il. Her back
was toward me. but I nav her face
re0ected In the mirror yer 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 zee me. went on
my room. t.nas ,0,L ~
OF all the positions In which I have
found myself this was surely Oh
most singular, the nos unpleasant.
hsd seen u guest. one In whom I was |
beginning . DO Interested. In the
mems quarters steal jewelry. wheth. I
% she knew II ~ not ! could not tell
bot the man from whom she was Dill |
'erins Yves 'reweii. who was devoted
10 hef.
An hour later We assembled ut din
ner. Naturally looked ut Misa Ad
I failed to catch her eye, but I
raw 10 Il a troubled expression. Dur !
|ng b dinner size seemed To be Think I
lng az something else than what W I
to her. Fearing TO show q differ, ]
IN my treatment OF her, ! did not I
her while we were dining nor !
luripg the evening. q
NY secret weighed upon me. What !
'urprised me was q certain dlsappolnt q
nent felt IN Hester Adams, II canfy
rtnced me that the little god had
rounded me. though I had not knowrf'
&C ] ebrooded over the theft Z hrd .
'oen. Was It en- efrect Of kleptor,a ,
liaf Surely the GIRL had no oecass,n y
o steai. had noticed = frightened :
ook on her face which indicated thst 2
he rvns c0gnixsnt. Of what shs w:s !
wondered n che knew thus
no WA In (srowefl'a s0nnn. = ! b., d