The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-05-03
An
Introduction
Bv ESTHER VANDEVEER

Overaker, why don't you marry"
"WhOm would l marry?"
"Well, know some one who 1 think
would make you an excellent wife"
you mean that you know some wom-
an in whom you take an interest who
needs husband and you would like to
provide her with one."
"You are wrong The lady have in
view for you is well off. attractive and
in every way desirable. There is only
one thing about her that may be con-
sidered Objectionable. She is a grass
widow"
Il am at your disposal. Mrs. Over
aker. l confess am rather interested
In grass widows. There is something
about them different from all other
women. They are usually excellent
fighters. What's the lady's name?"
Miss Iddings."
81 thought you said she had been
married."
"A woman may resume her maiden
NAME may she not?"
Certainly. When and where shall I
meet Miss Iddings?"
"Let me see. If she knew intended
an Introduction between you and her
with view to marriage she would de-
cline. Her experience in marriage was
not happy"
"Her husband was a brute, sup
pose"
mo. think It was q case Of mutual
misunderstanding. AS to this meeting
I will invite her and my friend Chel-
tenham for a game of bridge, you to
play with Miss Iddings, Cheltenham
with me. How would that suit you?"
ut would please me better to have
you for partner"
Thank you very much. You will
play with Miss Iddings."
When on the evening appointed Mr..
Bradish appeared he found the others
Of the party already assembled and the
whist table ready. with the cards. He
had met Mr.. Cheltenham before. but
bowed very low to Miss Iddings. Miss
1ddings also bowed low, with her fan
before the lower part of her face Aft
took seats as had been arranged by the
hostess. Mr.. Cheltenham won the deal.
and Mrs. Overaker asked Mr.. Bradish
If he would mind keeping score. He
took the score card she handed him,
turned 1t wrong side up. reversed 1t,
wrote names on it where they we're
not required, endeavored to rub them
out and made a smudge. Miss Iddings
attempted to reply to some civil re-
marks made by Mr.. Cheltenham and
got very badly mixed.
MAY play" asked Miss Iddings.
IF you please" replied Mr.. Bradish.
with an excess Of politeness.
The game went on for an hour. dur
ing which Miss Iddings trumped Mr..
Bradish's aces. revoked several times
and when she played dummy usually
threw the lead into the wrong hand.
Mr.. Bradish did not make these mis-
takes. but it was evident that he was
thinking Of something else than the
game. At last Mrs. Overaker called q
halt. The score stood 900 for her and
her partner to 76 for their opponents.
tuCCluS ueF arm through tudC Oh MT.
Cheltenham, she walked him into an
other room. The other two being left
t alone. both made a hasty survey of the
exits. as if meditating an escape from
each other. The lady gave her fan a
few short whisks, then seemed to re-
sign herself to an adverse fate.
"Are you resident of the city. Miss
Iddings?" asked the gentleman, using
a hackneyed conventional phrase by
way of opening a conversation.
NO. l am not. l am here Temporal
rily."
81 was not aware that Iddings was
your maiden name," icily.
ut is not. as you know very we'll"
"Why did Mrs. Overaker introduce
you as Miss Iddings? With your con-
sent?"
II didn't know what she was intend
ing to do till l saw you. Now l see
1t all. She had no business to-
''She deceived n