Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-05-22

"YoU have several times addressed
me, Mr.. Ames. in a spirit of contumely
which l have hesitated t. punish by
the chastisement you deserve. but 1
am willing to let bygones be bygones.
l a intended to offer myself to Miss
HOLSTER this afternoon, with every
hope of success. but | yield to you.
My only request is that you inform me
at once when you have learned her
decision"
He clapped IN his cap and folded his
arms, clearly satisfied with the ex-
pressions of surprise to which my feel
ings betrayed me. Could it be possible
thai he had guessed the truth. perhaps
by deductive processes of which | was
ignorant? Whether he had reasoned
from. some remark thrown out by Miss
Octavia as to the influence of seven
in the affairs Of life and her applica-
ton of that Hateful principle to the
choice of a husband for Cecilia. | could
not guess. but assuming that he had
caught that clew. he might readily
enough have managed the rest. I must
not allow him to see what / suspected.
"My dear professor, there's an an
Gent warning against the Greeks bear
ing gifts. You must give me time to
inspect the horse"
Are you questioning my good faith?"
B it far from me! I'm Il good deal
tickled. though. by your genial as
sumption that if 1 offered myself to
this lady I should be declined with
thanks
He was again belligerent. 1t may
have occurred to him that l might
know as much as he, but at any rate
he grinned. 1t was a saturnine grin I
did not like.
I'm starving to death at the door Of
an inn, and you must excuse me. Have
you seen Hartley Virgins lately?'
81 have indeed. He's taken to lonely
horseback rides. He's off somewhere
now. He hasn't the stamina for a con-
test like this. One by one the autumn
leaves are falling" he added, with spe-
cial intention, land I have given you
your chance
Thanks. light bringing Socrates
from the lands of the Ogalallas. For
so much courtesy 1 shall take pleasure
in reading all your posthumous works.
Let us cease being absurd"
With this | left him and entered the
low raftered Office. 1t was really a
pleasant lounging room, unspoiled by
he usual hotel Office paraphernalia.
Dick had followed close behind, and as
l paused, hearing voices raised angrily
In the dining room beyond, l turned to
him for an explanation. AS the suitors
had been the only guests Of the inn
since their advent, I attributed the COM
motion to strife in their own ranks.
you'd better take a look at those
fellows. I've quit them-quite out Of
it. Remember that" said Dick.
The dining room door was slightly
ajar, and 1 flung it open.
Ormsby, Shallenberger, Henderson,
Hume, Gorse and Arbuthnot had been
engaged with cards at a round table in
an alcove, but some dispute having ap-
parently risen. they stood in their
places engaged in acrimonious debate.
AS near as l could determine, some one
of them-I think it was Ormsby-wish-
ed to abandon the game, which had
been undertaken to determine in what
order they should be permitted to pay
visits to Hopefeld in future, the calls
together having grown intolerable.
They were so absorbed that they failed
to note my appearance.
"Its no good, I tell YOU" cried Orms.
by. There's no fairness in this unless
all take,their chances together"
"You ought to have thought of that
before we began. This was your
scheme, but because the cards are run
ming against you you want to quit. I
say Wen go on" This from Hender-
son who struck the table sharply as he
concluded.
"You knew Virgins and Dick weren't
going in when we started, and you are
not likely to get them in now. Your
anxiety to cut the rest of us out by
any mean seems to have unsettled
your mind" shouted Gorse. 81 say
let's drop this and stand to u original
agreement that no man speak till the
end of the fortnight"
"After that whole scheme has been
torn to pieces like paper! There's been
nothing fair in this business from the
start! We ought to have kept Arrowood
here and held together. And we ought
to have got rid Of that Ames fellow
he didn't belong in this at ALL"
Ormsby's voice rose to a disagree
able squeak as he closed with this in
dictment of me. Shallenberger seemed
to be the only one Of the group who
had not lost his senses. He was in the
farther corner Of the alcove. out Of
sight from the door, but 1 heard him
distinctly as he addressed the other
Suitors with rising anger.
Were acting like cads, and cads
of the most contemplate sort! l only
agreed to this game to satisfy Ormsby.
The idea Of our sitting here to draw
cards to determine the order in which
we shall offer ourselves tn the noblest
and most beautiful woman in the
world would be coarse and vulgar if it