Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1912-08-06
Playing the
Game

The man was going to get married.
He had sown his wild oats, and now
he meant to settle down. Well off,
good looking, f1rst-rate sportsman, a
favorite with men and women alike,
the Fates spinning busily had smiled
upon him at birth and had woven only
gold threads in the wool Of his life.
For years he had lived the life of
the smart young man about town. He
had done the same thing in the usual
way, he Mad been neither very good
nor bad; in his own words, the favor
tie words of British youth, he had al
ways "tried to play the game"
It 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 a certain newly closed
episode in his life. The consideration
that perhaps it would be as well for
her to hear the tale from him first
hand, instead of embroidered with lies
on foundation Of truth, az she might
hear 1t from some one else, may have
counted for something, too.
But the reason he gave himself as
he knotted his tie carefully before the
mirror on the fateful morning Of con-
fession was that he must play the
game"
II hardly know how to tell you.
DEAR" he began awkwardly, standing
tall and perfectly groomed on the
hearthrug that afternoon. It's SO diff
cult to speak to women-pure wom-
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 fairhaired woman in the big
big armchair looked up at him sweet
ly out Of innocent blue eyes: Dear,
l 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 nice little thing went
on the man. Not 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
Che streets in front OF her. A good
woman like you, Evelyn, can't realize
what the horror OF that means.
I took a fat 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
done for her; she was really quite a
nice little thing But, of course, that's
all over and done with now. / set
tied up finally with her today. Ishall
never see her again. There was no
reason for you ever to know, Evelyn.
only that felt it wouldn't be quite
playing the game not to tell you"
What has become 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. "It's all finished and done
with. Now, don't frown, but just kiss
me, and say you forgive me-
You're very naughty boy, jack"
said the woman reprovingly, but she
let him wind her smooth white arms
round his neck. as he knelt beside her
on the floor. Then II you promise
never, never to do 1t 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 fat in Queens Club Gardens, q
woman lay dead upon the bed with an
empty phial in her hand. There We're
traces of tears upon her white, cold
cheeks; 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.