Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-10-29
Evening Star 5
Daily Story
FAIR PLAY
By RICHARD BARKER SHELTON.

ahud. Op the green slope OF lawn
sounded the dreamy encore of hest
tatlon waltz. Constance Waite, her
eyes troubled, stepped away from the
big, eager young man before her.
why did you come back here?" she
asked.
you knew I'd come back said.he.
Il didn't" said she. II thought"
well, just what did you think22
II thought that you, knowing what
you did, would stay away
'Conny," said he, when ] went
away told you | was coming back
coming back in position 20 ask you
to marry me-"
Her only answer was a little
troubled sigh.
You didn't believe me, or better.
you didn't have faith in me, did
your he persisted
Frankly, | didn't"
Well, your not to blame for that
he reminded her. 81 didn't have any
too much faith in myself when | left.
I've been lucky"
She looked at him a moment. Then
quite suddenly her face flushed and
her eyes turned from his eager ones.
She pulled the white wrap more close
ly about her bare shoulders She
started resolutely past him. Up the
slope the hesitation waltz went
rdreamily on.
Hold on a minute, COMFY said
he, laying a hand on her arm. Don't
go yet. Tell me first"
Tell you what?''
That every bit of your love for
me died when left here"
Come, I'm going up to the house"
she said, evading the Issue.
'"rell me that first
She threw out her hands in a, little
gesture of despair.
ooh. what's the use2" said she. II
shan't say it. It won't matter any
way now. I'm engaged to Bunny,
and no matter what | think or feel
I'm going to play fair with him. It's
too late, that's all. Now come up to
the house and We'll dance awhile and
try TO forget"
He started after her, mis- "
enough if his tagging footsteps coant-
ed for anything. : Before they had
reached the slope he had put ten
tative hand on her SHOULDER again.
"Conny, why in the name of con-
science didn't | make you marry me,
whether l had money or not, before
I ever went away?"
= why didn't your she echoed.
She would have gone on after that,
but he would not have it.
81 see it ALL" he cried. "As soon
as [ left your Aunt Ellen began on
this match. She made it; she forced
it upon you. She was always strong
for Bunny and Bunny's money!
1T doesn't matter how 1t hap
pened,' she said YEARLY. The thing
that does matter is that II has hap
pened. I'm engaged TO Bunny and
shall play fair with him. He isn't
the worst chap in the world, and
he's awftilly in love with me. Yes
III IL fs,tx nil ff1tff
Again they started up the slope
toward the sound of the music and
the shutting feet, but again halfway
up the stretch of lawn he stopped
short.
"If it wasn't for Bunny" said he.
She turned and faced him in the
soft darkness. her eyes ashine.
ooh If it wasn't for Bunny she
breathed.
She heard him catch his breath.
Then he took her in his arms and
crushed her to him, despite her strug
giles and her little smothered cries of
dismay
Hang it! You shan't spoil your
life and mine! You shan't. I say!
: Something shall be done about this!"
He stopped and kissed her full on
the lips then, putting her almost
roughly from him, he began to run up
the slope.
"Where--where are YOU going?"
she painted.
ITO murder Bunny, If / can't think
up something better before I happen
to encounter him." he called back
over his shoulder.
Kirk, Kirk, watt You mustn't
n she painted.
But he paid no heed. e
Just what he could do in the matter
he wasn't at all sure, as somewhat
calmer he reached the broad yeranda
of the house. He mounted the steps
and glared savagely through the win
dow at the dancers, dipping and glid-
ing and evidently enjoying themselves
hugely on the polished floor of the
big dining ROOM Angrily he turned
away, STROBE stormily down the YER
anda and turned corner So great
was his haste that he did not see the
gloomy figure Sprawled in a chair
with long legs sticking out before it,
IL was only when he tripped over
those same legs and went ungrace-
fully and not without something of
4miniature earthquake to his hands
and knees that he was aware that
particular chair was occupied
The occupant of the chair leaped
up, apologizing for his offending
legs, and helped Kirk Brandon 60
his feet Then his face lighted.
"Oh, / say, Kirk" said he, "this is
good-this chance to see you alone.
| won't apologize for tripping you
Up, not even If I've broken your neck
Sit down.? He dragged the other
man to a chair.
Well, what's on your mind, Bun
ny?' Brandon asked curtly, and he
was wondering how on earth Con-
stance had ever managed to so far
forget herself as to allow herself to
Become engaged to such an all round
stupid fool as Bunny Cotton.
Bunny twisted and untwisted his
long fingers. Then he began toying
with the pleats of his shirt and the
lapels of his dinner jacket
You always were a clever chap,
Kirk" said he. II want you to help
me out of an awful mess. I want you
to help me write a letter."
s5s%"Whom is the letter top Kirk
asked.
"a girli''
He took the dinner coat off and
put Ii ON again. You see, I'm awful
ly in love with her. said he. He
turned up the bottoms of his trous-
ers. then turned them down again
and ran his hand through his hair.
lawfully, awfully, awfully in love
with her." he repeated pathetically.
But I've got to give her up. I've
got to play fair
Kirk started. What was Bunny
Cotton driving at? What did he sus-
pect and what fine--really fine--thing
was he about to do?
II want you to tell me how to write
@ letter giving her 'up-breaking our
engagement. want to know how to
word it so it win be final. yet SO she
won't suspect how awfully, awfully
in love with her Ifanan