El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-07-11
CBy E. BurrOws.)

{ q
the biggest popular weekly jour
~ nails, looked about him in despair.
Never had he experienced such diff
Guilty in getting the right stuff to fill
his extra large weekly number, due to
be published at the end of August, and
he was bordering the matter with an
irritable frowI on his face when the
door swung open and Hartley, the best
journalist on his staff, came in.
They were old comrades, these two
school fellows and college mates as
well, and now both were cutting their
way up the difficult ladder of success
in Fleet street.
has this tOrrid heat soaked them out
Pretty well. old chap. What's wor-
rying you?"
"A couple of columns to fill up with
something new, something to attract
the Jaded appetite OF the holiday read
ers. wish-I say, Hartley, I've got it.
Look herei'
Silvestre turned over a pile of daily
papers at his elbow, extracted one
sheet, and thrust IL over to the jour
nallst, his finger on paragraph in the
society news column.
Read that"
Hartley read:
Miss Anas. alta 3. Simpkins has ar
rived at Claridge's hotel from Cowes.
Well what about herr" asked Hart
ley. And who the dickens is Miss
Anastatia B. Simpkins when she's at
home.
She's the daughter of some johnny
VINO made a corner in something or
other-briu-4s or mortar, or some use
fuI thing like that and, as 1 need
scarcely tell you, she is an American.
Now you know what a rage there has
been lately in the papers for articles
=
Dollar Princesses% and so on?"
Yes Ones pretty well fed up with
them"
Exactly. But I propose an article
on altogether novel lines. What do
you say to An Article by a Peer Who
Proposed to an American Dollar Prin-
cess?"
He'd be rather cad to write it, I
imagine" Silvestre laughed.
You're chock full of ideals still, old
fellow; but yoU1l have to swallow all
that because you're going to write the
articIe?"
q? But I'm not, thank the powers,
a peer"
You can be one for the moment. as
it were: Did I dream it, or did 1 hear
you tell someone once that Basing-
stokes a cousin of yours?"
He is. Not a relative to be proud
Of"
7 suppose not. but he's a peer all
the same. Where is he?"
Hartley laughed.
At the Antipodes. I believe the
family pay him something to stop
there The titles likely TO die out with
him"
What about yourself? You're a
cousin"
Yes, but on the distaff side, thank
heavenr'
I see. Well, I'd like you for the
time being to pose as lord Basing-
stoke, get TO know this charming and
possibly beautiful, Miss Anastatia B.
Sympkins, and there you are. I leave
the rest to you and the article, and
luck go with you"
Hartley stared at the editor. then
burst into roar of laughter.
You're not serious. Silvestre?"
"On the contrary, 1 am"
But how the dickens am I to set
about 1t? And how do you know that
Miss What-lyou-call- has any spec
ial prediction for the peerage?
Because she's an American dollar
lady, my boy. And besides, look herer'
He extricated from his desk an
American newspaper. opened it and
spread it out before Hartley. The gIar-
ing headlines struck him in the eye as
1t were:
"ANASTATIA ARMED FOR CONQUEST
WILL SHE GAIN THE STRAWBERRY
LEAVES2
DEPARTURE OF MISS SIAIPKINS
FOR EUROPE"
Hartley uttered a disguised exclama-
ton.
What taste,'' he said with shrug
OF his shoulders. 4 suppose money
has to pay-like everything else-for
its privileges. Ten to one she's as
plain as a pikestaff, though the papers
do. 1 see, laud her to the skies, and
call her the beautiful heiress. When
were heiresSes ever anything else.
Where and how do 1 begin, SilVestre?"
That 1 leave to you, also the ways
and means All I want is a good in
terview, something out of the common,
mind you-SOod stuff-and you shan't
regret doing it."
There were not many preparations
TO make for his campaign few Wis
iting cards, a neat but distinguished
looking suit, and taxi that one sunny
afternoon deposited him at the door
Of the hotel where Miss Anastatia B.
Sympkins was staying.
81 guess peers don't grow on hedges
like brambleberries," murmured Anas-
tatia to herself as she passed through
the hall, casting a quick glance over
the few peOple-ordinary looking folk
gathered there, and letting her eyes
rest for the Erection of a second on a
decidedly gOOd-lOoling young man who
was standing reading a paper. She
liked the look of his well-fittinE gray
suit, and the blush mauve tie that
seemed to match his eyes. She saw
them when he raj them for an in
slant and looked straight at her
Anastatia felt the color rise to her
face. She hurried forward, as she did
so the chain of the long purse she
wore slung around her neck caught on
door handle. 1t quickly tangled as
she caught impetuously at it. and
would probably have broken had not
someone come to the rescue with
murmured:
Allow me?''
looking at her, as with deft fingers the
young man disentangled her chain.
Thank you" said Anastatia hur-
riedly. I am very much obligedi'
She paused for moment
4 taxi came purring to the door, and