The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-02-04

The Siege
OF the
Seven Suitors
By
MEREDITH NICHOLSON
Copyright, 1910. by Meredith Nicholson


AAONOHAAA @AdNCAt AO0AO0 ACE Q1GGLy
head
! "And while you were engaged in this
sisterly- labor, Cecilia has been afraid
| that you were seriously Interested in
| h1m!''
s'That is like Cecilia. She's fine, and
| wouldn't cause me trouble for any
thing;'' and there was no doubt of
Hezekiah's sincerity.
''But now that see the light and I'M
derstand all this, how can we make
sure that Wiggy Will be on the spot at
the right moment? While we sit here
he may be the sixth man! I might
take care Of Wiggy by asking Cecilia
| to marry me, being careful to have him
appear Johnny on the spot when-I had
been duly declined
sfUm! L shou1dn't take any chances if
I were you," she replied, .feigning to
look at an imaginary bird in tree top
''1or If you had counted wrong and
were really the seventh man she would
have to accept you'll"
rHezekiah!,
"Oh, I really didn't mean what you
thought meant. We don't need to
discuss it any more. That's the ordeal
I've arranged for you," she answered,
and set her lips sternly.
"But, my dear Hezekiah, by what
means can this be effected? I don't
dare tell him the combination he's
playing against or sit on him until his
hour strikes
Certainly not; you mustn't tell him
or anybody else. You know the plan;
but you're not supposed to, and no.
body must know I've meddIed. Mean
while Cecilia must expose herself to
proposals at all times. Aunt Octavia's
heart would be broken If she thought
Providence had been tempered with.
She likes Wiggy well enough, except
that his ancestors were all Tories, and
he can't be Son of the Revolution
She rose and pointed to her coat.
drop 1t into the boat for me, Chin
neys. We meet in funny places, don't
we? Papa expects me for luncheon.
and must row back and get my BIZ
cycle. You? No, you can't go along;
you've got lot OF thinking to do, and
you'd better be doing it,
A few minutes later, as I swung
along the highway toward the Pres
colt Arms, saw Cecilia HOLSTER rid
ing toward me at lively galIop.
She crossed the bridge without check
ing her horse. and then, with a hurried
glance over. her shoulder, she pointed
with her crop to byway-
hurried after her and found her
waiting for me. in quiet lane. She had
dismounted and seemed greatly dis
turbed as addressed her.
81 hadn't expected to meet you. I
thought you rode of with your aunt to-
Ward Mount Kisco."
eve did, but on our way home Aunt
Octavia stopped to call on friend, and
as didn't feel In mood fer visits this
morning, I rode on alone. ] was walk
ing my horse in the road beyond Bed
ford, just after left Aunt Octayia,
when who should ride up beside me but
Mr.. Virgins. He had evidently been
following me.'' =
She expected me to express surprise,
and with the information that Heze-
once, when nisread the jack Of
spades for the Jack OF clubs, a shud.
der passed over me. They were down
to the last card, and Ormsby's hand
was on it.
Then looked at the floor to steady
myself, and hope leaped within me,
for there, by Ormsby's foot-a large
and heavy one-Iay an upturned card,
the jack of clubs, whose lone symbol
magnifed itself enormously in my
amazed eyes.
At this moment I became conscious
L1aL SOn@Ln1lR Hdd OCGuTEG0 TO us
tract the attention of the other men,
who were staring at some one who
had entered noiselessly
Gentlemen, you seem immensely in
terested in the turn of those cards. 1
am glad to have arrived at the critical
moment. Mr.. Ormsby, will you kindly
lift the remaining card from the
tabIe?"
Miss Octavia stood beside me. She
was dressed in a dark brown riding
habit-the feather in her fedora hat
emphasized her usual brisk air.
Ormsby turned up the card. 1t was
the ten of diamonds.
Gentlemen cried, pointing to the
card, what trick is this? Can it be
possible that you have been trifing
with me in a fashion for which men
have died the world over by sword and
pistolr'
NKindIy. explain, Arnold. the nature
of this difficulty Miss Octavia com
manded
s'Simp1y this, Miss Hollister, If L
must answer. I had offered to fight
these three gentlemen in order. It was
agreed that the man who drew the
jack of clubs from the pack with
which they had been playing should
be my first victim. They have shuf1ed
their own cards and have drawn the
whole pack and there is no jack of
clubs in the pack! The only possible
explanation is one to which / hesitate
- apply the obvious plain Saxon
terms
at dropped out. that's all! You
don't dare, pretend that we threw out
the jack to avoid drawing itv' protest
eH Ormsby, though I saw from lie
slances the trio exchanged that they