The daily Alaskan., 1914-09-26
A Marriage of
 Convenience
By WILLARD BRAKEMAN

Pixley was putting the finishing touches on his education at Heidelberg, Germany, when he received a letter from his mother that his father was very i'll. He was about to start for home when he received cablegram directing him to await letter whore he was.
 When the missive came 1t was ac- companled by a very long one written by lawyer The letter from Mrs. Pixley, after exhausting matters incl dent to her husbands death, said, "I hope after you have read Mir. Conk- ling's letter you will act as he sug- gests."
 Mr Conkling's letter, summarized in a few words, was that George Pix Iey's father had entered into a manu- facturing scheme with Edward Brown. Extensive works were about being completed when Brown died and left all his property to his only child, Alice. Additional capital was needed, but the death of both the principals had so complicated affairs that no one would loan money on the enterprise. The attorney said that If 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 difficulty in the way of carrying through the manufacturing scheme.
 Nothing was said about how Pixley 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 listening to the orchestra in the Hof- brau in Munich she was pointed out to Pixley, who had recently arrived. She was sitting at a table on which were refreshments with an elderly lpdy (her aunD and boy Of fourteen (her cOusin) At ,.~ adjoining table sat couple of German wasp waisted army officers. They had been drink ing considerably, and one of them was ogling Miss Brown and talking to his companion in German, sounding 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 upon him.
 Pixley was a witness of all this; also that the officer, continued his remarks after the young lady had turned her back on him. PiXley, who understood and spoke German, also heard him make some derisive, remarks about her, indicating at the same time that he knew she was an American and did not understand German. Pixley ad- vanced to the officers table, tossed card on 1t, then, turning to the party insulted and raising his hat, said:
 You are evidently annoyed here. Will you permit me to escort you to another table?'
 The offer was accepted, and when they reached a new position PiXley was invited to remain with them. While they had seen him drop his card on the table at which the two oti- cers sat, none of them knew that it was a challenge to fight duel. Americans abroad become readily acquainted, and there was an especial reason why they should do so in this case. The elderly lady asked PiXley to call upon them the next day at their hotel, and he promised to do so, but he neglected-through an oversight, they suppOsed-to give his name. When they parted Miss Brown gave Pixley a look which was intended to convey her thanks for the service he had rendered them.
 The next evening he called and be- trayed what had happened by long, narrow patch over his left cheek, in- dicatlng that it covered a gash. Miss Brown was puzzled and inquired if he had met with an accident. In reply he handed her a little note written in German and translated 1t for her. It was an apology from the officer who the night before had insulted her. Something popped into Miss Browns head.
 Have you been fighting a duelT she asked.
 "Yes."
 And this apology has been forced"
 "No; it was written voluntarily and after the fracas."
 Heavens! Did you kill him?"
 "Oh, no! am a member of a Hei' delberg dueling corps. He is an in' different swordsman. l eluded injur- ing him by giving him an opportunity to draw a little blood. l only wished to teach him manners 1 didn't even scratch him."
 Miss Browns tongue seemed para lyzed for a time; then she said in a low voice:
 And you did all this for meT
 q would have done it for any lady, but 1t gave me inexpressible happiness