Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1914-05-06
TRICKS OF The GAME
sy DOROTHY BLACKMORE.


Bridge pad for a present when you
know nothing about Bridge and care
less!" lamented Bess Watrous, han
ding the brown leather score pad she
had received by parcel post.
You should keep your friends in
formed" teased her brother, picking.
up the pad and examining it He
shifted. And it smells Of camphor
balls! Worse yet! Some one must
have given 1t to Mary last Christmas
and she's palming it off on you this
year. That's one way to do with ur-
welcome gifts, must say" Ralph
Watrous laughed mirthfully. Its a
nice little pencil, anyway-with an
ivory tip. sis. see?"
"I do see-but you may have It, tip
and ali"
"sort O. peevish, aren't you? Cheer
up, sis!"
"I'm not the least bit peevish,
though l am provoked, and l have
more than half a notion to sit down
and write Mary straightforward let
ter telling her that she is chump!
certainly can't conscientiously say
Thank you for the lovely present.
I etc. for then I would be as big a
chump as she. We're good enough
friends to be frank"
"All right-you know Mary Ayres
better than do"
And believing that she did know
her friend Mary sufficiently we'll to
reprimand her for her carelessness-
for it was not the first time she had
displayed it in gift giving-Bess Wat
rous wrote letter. Also, she returned
the Bridge score pad. since, as she ex
planned, she had no earthly use for it.
Some weeks later a reply came. :.
"Your letter amused me so much
that I 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 he insisted on
knowing all about you. I have told
him all know, but he seems insati
able and keeps bothering me to ask
you down here while he is with u.s.
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 Marys 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. 81 really would enjoy the
novelty of a ranch in winter Mary is
only half-hearted in her invitation.
Would you CO. Ralph?"
ct surely would If was as crazy to
meet strange man as you are, sfs
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 10 the ranch house the
night she arrived at the village in
southern Texas.
81 tried to get Tom Cassidy to come
in for you, Bess." her host explained
with a twinkle in his eye; "but he had
a game of Bridge on with Mary and
couple Of our friends in neighborine
ranch ana he hated to leave"
Bess laughed. You're as frank as
ever, Jim-as frank as I 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?"
"HIaybe not" admitted Jim. Butt
he's mighty fine, Bess. mighty fine
stuff is Tom"
Bess did see the lights between the
trees and as they drove quickly to.
ward the house they were silent, and
she imagined Tom Cassidy coming to
ward her She wondered why she
took such an interest in man who
did not care enough about seeing her
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. %
thought it must be. Even as a wee
girl you were frank enough to tell me
you didn't care to play with red.
headed. freckled boy named Cas-
sidy"
Bess blushed furfously. 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.
"I don't know what I'll do down