The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1914-02-19
TRICKS OF THE GAME
BY DOROTHY sLAckMoRE.


you should keep your friends in
formed" teased her brother. picking
up the pad and examining 1t. He
snifed. And it smells OF camphor
balls. Worse yet. Some one must
have given IL TO Mary last Christmas
and she's palming IL on on you this
year. That's one way to do with un-
welcome gifts. l must say" Ralph
Watrous laughed mirthfully. Its
nice little pencil, anyway-with an
ivory tip. sis. Seer"
Il do see-but you may have 1t. tip
and all"
"sort O. peevish. aren't you! Cheer
up. sisl"
I'm not the least bit peevish,
though | am provoked. and / have
more than half notion to sit down
and write Mary Straightforward let
ter telling her that she is a chumpl
certainly can't consclentiously say
Thank you for the lovely present.
etc. for then I would be as big a
chump as she We're good enough
friends TO be frank"
can right-you know Mary Ayres
better than do"
And, believing that she did know
her friend Mary sufficiently well TO
reprimand her for her carelessness-
for II was not the first time she had
displayed 1t in gift giving Wat
rous wrote a letter. Also, she returned
the Bridge score pad, since. as she ex.
planned, she had no earthly use for 1t.
Some weeks later reply came.
your letter amused me so much
that ! read it aloud TO Jim and his
friend Tom Cassidy, who is spending
the winter with us on the ranch. Tom
was so much tickled with the frank
ness of the writer that be insisted on
knowing all about you. have told
him all know, but he seems insati.
able and keeps bothering me to ask
you dcwn here while he is with us.
Can you come? OF course you can't
at this busy season. bury yourself on
a Texas ranch. but--at least I've ask
ed you"
This, in part, was Mary's letter. and
Bess was not pleased. at first, at the
idea OF having had her letter read for
the amusement OF two men-Jim
Ayres and this Tom Cassidy.
"And yet" she said to her brother
that night. Il really would enjoy the
novelty OF ranch in winter Mary is
only half-hearted In her invitation
Would you go. Ralph?p
u surely would II was as crazy TO
meet a strange man as you are, sis
Don't you have enough on your string
now"
When she was on the train bound
for the remote ranch in Texas on
which her old friend Mary had been
willing TO bury herself for Jim Ayres
she could not help smiling inwardly
at the way in which Fate had seemed
TO push her into this step.
She thought OF this again as she
was being driven quickly through the
moonlit roads TO the ranch house the
night she arrived at the village in
southern Texas
II tried 10 get Tom Cassidy 10 come
Ia for you. Bess." her host explained
with twinkle in his eye; but he had
game Of Bridge on with Mary and a
couple OF our friends in neighborins
ranch and he hated to leave"
Bess laughed You're as frank as
ever, Jim-as frank as | was about
the silly present Mary sent me I'm
afraid your Mr. Tom Cassidy wouldn't
thank you for telling me his excuse
for not coming. would he?"
Maybe not" admitted Jim But
he's mighty fine. Bess, mighty fine
stuff is Toni"
Bess did see the lights between the
trees and as they drove quickly 70
ward the house they we're silent, and
she imagined Tom Cassidy coming 20
ward her. She wondered why she
took such an interest in a man who
did not care enough about seeing hef
TO leave a game Of cards
Tit is you. isn't it, Bess?" she
heard him saying. as he took her hand
when Mary introduced him. q
thought it must be. Even as a wee
girl you we're frank enough TO tell me
you didn't care to play with a red.
headed, freckled boy named Cas-
sidy"
Bess blushed furiously You're red
headed yet. but-well. the freckles are
gone at least" she said. trying to hide
her embarrassment.
And you still won't play with him
because-you don't like Bridge.
laughed Mary. her arm about Bess.
u don't know what I'll do down
here IL you're all such fe1as for the
game" Bess replied. looking at Cas-.
sidy
Learn It." said Jim.
Bess shook her head
You'd better" added Cassidy.
IT you do I'll give you back your
Christmas present. Eess.T said Mary
over her shoulder as she went out to
the kitchen to hnd a bite" to eat.
Cassidy stepped up 60 her as she
stood before the great cracking fire
she can't have it and mean to
keep it. Bess. Do you know why?"
Bess did not look up. "Perhaps !