The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-06-26
THEIR COLLABORATION
BY CAMPBELL 3. cAsAD.

BY CAMPBELL q. cAsAD.
After an absence Of four weeks I
was again at Betty's side. For a mo-
ment stood In her cosy little sitting
room, admiring her.
by Jove! Betty" cried, l was
thinking that We might collaborate on
. play. A regular romantic drama"
whats the first act to bef'' she
demanded.
Let mo So. oh, yes. tho scene u
at tho seashore. say Atlantic CITY,"
Betty looked suspiciously 1t ma.
"How very peculiar!" she muir.
INJURED, that u where We first met
But 90 on"
"The heroine Of our play" I began.
- II reading from . written dsscrip-
ton. III . beautiful. young girl with
hair Of spun gold. eyes Of asurs blue.
and teeth Of pearly whiteness."
"she must b peach" Quoth Betty.
Il should like to see her"
"Then kindly step this way" I an
nounced in formal tones - took her
arm and gravely led her before large
plateSlass mirror a. one end Of the
room. There I stopped and cersmon-
iously cried:
Madam. behold the divinity Of our
play"
M. wintoa. you ars I silly gooss.*
she assured me. Now for the hero"
Wen, lets SO: the hero meets her
on the beach. gains an introduction
through . mutual friend and every
thing seems smooth sailing. But. alas!
he finds out on better acquaintance
that she u . heartless coquetts-"
"Sir!" This time Betty ID vexed.
In the play" l calmly continue.
"Oh!"
"The climax Of tho act comes when
she leaves for New York in IN auto
mobile accompanied By the hsro's
rival"
Nov. Harry. l protest-he was not
the hero's rival" the adorable protests
with spirit.
But this u In the play" again
assure her.
well. don't like It. even In the
play"
"All right, I'll let you try your hand
on the next act" concede.
where does 1t take placer she
asks.
In the auto that has broken down
half way to New York"
Really. Harry, on second thought
I believe Aat you had bettsd write
this act. You have such Z vivid i'm
asination. you know"
DO you think so!'' l ask. We'll.
then, how's this! Al the machine u
hopelessly out Of order. TO avoid .
: scandal he suggests that they hunt up
q minister and get married."
4 Which suggestion she emphatically
declines to agree to-" Betty breaks In.
WHY" I query with assumed limo.
cence.
! "The reason Is made known In the
last act" she replies with irritating
evasiveness, but to continue. While
they are plunged in despair . life-sav'
ing countryman, seated In a rickety
farm wagon makes his appearance
and takes them in tow. In this man
ner they reach the city and the act
closes. The last act is the strong
one.
"The action takes place In the he
roine's home and the setting Is iden
tical with these rooms. The hero at
ter a months absence has called or
her for the first time. He Is very
moody and as the conversation Is fal
from animated, suggests that the!
write play"
At this moment the doorbell ring
and the maid enters She announces
Mr.. and Mrs Philip Armstrong"
At this announcement, start in SUI
prise, then angrily cry:
what, that chap calling on you
And he married. too. The nerve o
him"
why. yes. he was even marrie'
when we took our automobile ride to
gether." Betty laughs; that was on
reason that we couldn't marry ate
the accident"
"One reason? Then, what. pray
was the cther?"
| HE was already my brother-ir
law"
i Gee whiz, what a chump am"
humbly acknowledge.
! Il think 20. too" the unfeeling gil
tells me.
Can you ever forgive , silly-nill
like me?'
! III you coax hard enough. maybe,
Betty relents.
Then suppose you let ne into hi
: family affair" suggest
what do you me&nr'
= Suppose you give me the right
j. call him brother-in.law - we'll Z
yourself"
j. DO you think that you deserve nj