The Press., 1912-12-11

tually prisoner Now thai she really intended getting away she regretted having put her mother on Her guard
 Does her mother know that she de sires to marry this Mir Courtney?" Certainly"
 "Then it will be dificuIt for him to act directly in the matter He will need an assistant %.~~s- .
 Now l took no interest whatever in l Arthur Courtney or Miss Demp- 1 ster hut was delighted with the third party to the affair. who was for the moment my companion.
 Do please lay q plan. '>she said. "l have no inventive power whatever"
 Let me see How would it do for me to secure an introduction to Miss Dempster and show her some atten tiOn thus throwing her mother off her guard?'
 Better take care Maud Is very fascinating"
 smiled. This was just like girl. but there was the least bit of give away to 1t. which pleased me.
 "I assure you."' l said. "l am. or have been. fancy free"
 "What do you mean by have been P"
 'l would rather not explain" l
 How easy it is to say one thing and look another: She understood perfect Iy that the change which had. come over me dated from the moment | en- tered her box. Nevertheless she imi, tated me by saying what she did not mean: '-.- ...
 Pardon me 1 do not desire to tres pass upon your private affairs"
 '.What do you think of my plansT" .s:'FThe very thing" :>~-- .
 There was flourish of trnmpetS and a rattle. of drums on the part of the orchestra. and we listened to; an act of the opera before resuming the matter on which we were supposed to be mutually interested. It was not till the end of the performance that we were enabled to resume the dis cussions of our conspiracy. and then there was no opportunity. since the opera having been finished the house was closed for every other purpose.
 ''1 may see you homer l asked. :.
 4. My maid is waiting" :*~,
 "But you will grant me the favorT'
 "Oh. certainlyr'
 Well. ] called the next evening. and while we gave some time to laying a plan by which the elopement might be effected we reached no definite conclu sion l went away with a desire to plan my own elopement with Gwen When l parted with her she said she would see Maud the next day. have a. conference with her and notify, me of the result Two days later received a note asking me to call: did so and learned that both Maud and the real Courtney were much pleased with the plan of using me to get the young lady out of her mothers clutches, but nOth-' ing decisive was reached. One would suppose that this being the case there was no use sending for me. Since there was nothing to do in the matter. we devoted ourselves to our own af- fairs rather than those of Maud and Arthur. ~ l made number of visits for the purpose of laying plan by which two lovers might he made happy. but some how or other the plan didn't get per ;. fected. or. rather. we found we couldn't bring the eIopers to anything definite At one time Arthur would be ready and Maud would shrink from. action Then Maud would nerve herself to flight, and Arthur would find that something stood in his way. month passed during which Gwen and held more than a dozen consultations upon the matter in question. neither admttft, ting to. the other that we were moHe interested in each other than in Maud and Arthur ;2z4;
 A second month of consultation fol. lowed the first during which there was less said about our friends qf fairs and more about our. sown+ Occa- sionaIly l would ask Gwen if there was any ne concerning the proposed elopement. and she, would reply that the parties were waiting for some thing -..--.. ...-.,,. .-..t ..-.-- .-. ~: One e"-ening. when called on Gwen 1 found that she had something on her mind. .-.. .-a-- :. .-: ? "I expect you'N blame me awfully." she said e y .s.& ..-,.3:..,. -s-s-. ,,,. sWhat for?''. ,a@ >--: @.> @. .5. .::
 Not telling you something"
 %"What?'"' sc " -'>,s " 4..>..3 ,s' v "why. Maud and Arthur have elOped e. ''~' N :-. =.
 "Eloped? WhenT'
 why. three weeks ago.''
 "You don't mean it!'
 There was a pause during which Gwen looked very guilty. caught her in my arms and that was the end of the proposed elOpement for Us.