The Winslow mail., 1914-02-21
Il know all about YOU" said she

course; you are a delightful fellow at
house party. and a most suitable in
dividual generally, but you are not an
athlete, in spite of those beautiful
clothes in your trunk"
"Who told your
"Culver Covington."
'I didn't know you two were ac-
quainted."
Mrs. Keap flushed. "He told me all
about you long ago. You wear all the
athletic Clothes you know all the talk.
you have tried to make the team a
dozen times. but you are not even q
substitute. You are merely the Var
sity cheer-leader. Culver calls you
the head-yeller'"
Columbus has discovered our con-
tinent!" said Speed. "You are a very
wise chaperon, and you must have a
corking memory for names but even
a head-yeIler is better than a glee club
quarter back" He nodded toward the
bunk-house, whence they had come
"You haven't told anybody"
"Not yet
"'Yet'" he quoted. "The futurity
implied in that word disturbs me
Suppose you and I keep it for a little
secret? Secrets are very delightful
at house-parties.
ceitful?"
"Not at ALL My motto is we strive
to please"
think of Helen"
"That's it; l can't think of any.
thing else! She's mad about athleti cs,
and had to do something to stand off
this weight-lifting tenor"
rs it any wonder a woman distrusts
every man she meets?" unused the
chaperon. Helen might forgive you.
I couldn't"
"Oh, it's not that bad I know what
I'm doing"
'You will cause these cowboys to
lose a lot more money"
mot at all. When Culver arrives"
ooh, that is what l want to talk
over with you,' Mrs. Keap broke in
nervously.
"Then it isn't about the foot-race?
You are not angry?" Speed frightened
amazingly.
'Im not exactly angry; I'm sur
prised and grieved. Of course, can't
forgive deceit dare say l am more
particular than most people"
But you won't tell?" Mrs. Keap in
dicated in some subtle manner thai
she was not above making terms.
whereupon her companion declared
warmly: I'm yours for life! ASK
me for my watch, my right eye, any
thing! III give it to you!"
81 assure you 1 sha'n't ask anything
so important as that, but l shall ask
a favor"
Name it and it is yours!" Speed
wrung the hand she offered.
"And perhaps l can do more than
keep silent-although l don't see what
good it will do. Perhaps l can help
your suit"
Gracious lady, all ask is that you
thrust out your foot and trip up
Berkeley Fresno whenever he starts
toward her. Put him out of the play,
and l shall be the happiest man in
the world"
Agreed"
"Now, in what way can I serve
you?"
Mrs. Keap became embarrassed
while the same shadowy trouble that
had been observed of late settled upon
her.
Il simply hate to ask it." she said,
"but l suppose l must There seems
to be no other way out of it." Turn
ing to him suddenly. she said, in
low, intense voice: Tin in trou
bic, Mr.. Speed, such dreadful trou
ble!"
ooh, I'm so sorry!" he answered
her. with genuine solicitude. you
needn't nave made any conditions. ]
would have done anything 1 could for
you"
That's very kind, for I don't like
our air of conspiracy, but"-Mrs. Kear
was wringing her slender hands-'1
just can't tell the girls. You-you can
help me-
speed allowed her time TO grow
calm. when she continued:
II am engaged to be married"
"Felicitations!"
Not at ALL" said the young widow,
wretchedly "That is the awful part
of it. am engaged TO two mem" She
turned her brown eyes full upon him;
they were strained and tragic.
Speed felt himself impelled to laugh
immoderately, but instead he OBJ
served, IN a tone to relieve her anx-
iety:
Nothing. unusual in that it has
been done before. Even l have been
prodigal with my affections. What can
l do to relieve the congestion?"
please don't make light of it. It
means so much to me. I'm in love
with Jack Chaplin"
with jack"
Eyes. When I came here I thought
] cared for somebody else. Why, !
wanted to come here just because !
knew that-that somebody else had
been invited too, and we could be to-