The bee., 1914-12-18
"A Marriage Of
Convenience
By WILLARD BLAKEMAN

from his mother that his father was
very ill he was about to start for
home when he received n cabiegranr
directing BIN to await letter where
he was
When the missive came It was &C
compaBied by a very long ono written
by a lawyer The letter Tom Mrs.
Pixley, after exhausting matters inci-
dent to her husbands death, said, X
hope after you have read Mr.. Conk-
nDg's letter you win act as he sug-
gests."
, Mr.. CoDkling's letter, summarized in
a few words. was that George Pix
ley's father bad entered into a manu-
| featuring scheme with Edward Brown.
Extensive works were about being
| completed when Brown died and loft
| al his property to his only "a, 5jie..
Additional capital was needed. but the
death of both the principals had so
complicated affairs that no one would
loan money on tie enterprise. The
attorney said that II Pixley would re-
turn at once and devote himself to the
business in question there was a hope
Of saving the money already invested.
Miss Brown, aged twenty, was travel
ing in Europe. If Pixley could unite
his and her interests there would be no
| aimculty tR the way OF carrying
through the manufa curing scheme.
Nothing was said about how Plxley
should identify his interests with those
| Of Miss Brown, but Pixley conceived
an idea Of his own. But he must first
form Miss Browns acquaintance. Her
mothers letter gave her location at
Munich.
One day while Miss Alice Brown was
hsteningf to. the orchestra in the Hof-
brau in Munichs she was pointed OF
to Pixley, who had recently arrived.
She was sitting at a table on which
were refreshments with an elderly
lady (her aunt) and boy of fourteen
(hef cousin). At an adjoining table
sat couple of German wasp wasted
army officers. They had been drink
ing considerably, and one of them was
Ogling Miss Brown and talking to. his
companion III German ,.;souhd ing her
praises loud enough for every one
near by to hear Miss Brown as soon
as she became aware that she was an
object Of Admiration on the part OF a,
man in his cups turned her back upOnl
him.
Pixley was a witness of all this; alsol
that the officer continued his remarksl
after the young lady had turned herl
back on him. Pixley, who understood
and spoke German, also heard himl
make some derisive remarks about her,
indicating at the same time that heI
knew she was an American and did
not understand German. Pixley adj
VAneed to the officers table, tossed
card on Il. thea, turning 10 tho party
jnaWlted apa raising his hat, aAia;
"You are evidently annoyed here.
win you permit nae TO escort you to
another tahlaT'
me offer Was accepted, ana W:heA
they reached Z new position. Pixley
was invited to remain with them.
While they had seen him drop hls
card on the table 1t which the two on
GERS sat, mono or them knew that Il
was challenge 10 fight duel.
Americans abroad become readily
acquainted. ana there was an especial
reason why they should do 80 in this
case. The elderly lady asked Pixiey
to call upon them the next day at their
hotel. ana he promised to do so, but
he eglected-thFOugh an oversight.
they supposed-tO give his name.
When they parted Miss Brown gave
Pixley look which was intended to
convey her thanks for the service he
lad rendered them.
The next evening he called and be-
trayed what had happened BY lonG
narrow patch over his left cheek. ~
dicating that IS covered q rash. Mo
Brown was ptazisa siId Inquired X lis
h4a met Win a. accident. IN renly
| - AEhasa her Z iiitlsaaets writtAA a.
Garntan ana tyanafAiealk lar hsFs ~
wa Nm arOlely frem che ofBcsr who
~ niaAt htt6lS kAa iEtAlIaa ~.
A0RstAiHE peRpsN Inte Ms bSOwAle
] nave you s..u AsAliSs dusir sAs
nskaa
aFISyJ. iiswriaV .saS .ai1 81 se..
/ gAnd tbls aRsloSa ma bstn tsresA~
'.Nos n W. WRITTEN toiS-sarfiy ana
after the fraeas.F ,s1"ii
"HeaVensl Did yeu kill himr
"Ob, not ana 4 nember Of Hai.
delberg dueling corps. He is an In
different swOrdsnaB. oluded injur-
ing him by giving him an opportunity
70 draw a little blood ! only wished
to teach him manners, / didn't even
scratch him." ,s 81
Miss Browns tongue seemed para
lyzed Tor time then she said in a
low YOlce
N nd you dld 0n this for meY'
Il would have done Il for any lady.
but It gave me indispensable happiness
to do II for your
Pixley, having thus. by fortunate
circumstance made d iine start in a
courtship, pushed ontapidly for few
2 days. when be no longer found II Inn
possible 10 Withhold his name.
l tfIDfwIatsVg ropoofo1 Mia RroVrrl