The Ocala evening star., 1915-08-21
BY THE TERMS
OF A CONTRACT
How a Secret Agreement Was
Revealed In Good Time.


and threescOre years and ten sat with
girl OF eighteen. He was still young
enough TO be considered a companion
for young lady. In this case the two
had been friends for years When the
girl was a child and he in the TWEEN
ties she had been accustomed To climb
into his lap and hug him. She had got
over that. The man was speaking.
You don't remember your mother.
do you?"
mo. You know she died when / was
five But IL seems to me / know her
from her IStters. many OF which 1 have
found and have read over and over
again
Have you come among her papers
upon a copy OF a contract sac made
with me some fifteen or sixteen years
ago?"
mo. What contractT''
''It was between your mother and
me and was To be kept secret"
"oh," with slight toss OF her head.
II beg your pardon"
"Some day | may show 1t to you. but
that will depend upon circumstances"
The girl waited for the man TO ex-
plain, which he failed TO do. The con-
versatiOn dragged. and the man took
his departure.
A few weeks later the two were to-
gether I'm the garden.
You remember, / suppose" said the
man, 1.-The contract made years ago be-
tween me and your mother that I told
you about
And refused TO say what IL was"
There are conditions under which /
may crafty your curiosity"
"Such as
"wen. If you marry. for instance"
I'm sure my mother could not have
entered upon any business agreement
with you whereby you were to influ-
ence me To marry any particular per
SON."
Certainly not I would not think OF
influencing you i'm such a matter"
Then how can my marriage have
anything TO do with it?'
"Your marriage with any particular
person doesn't pertain. | meant that
in case you were simply married |
might show you the contract"
The girl pondered awhile. then said:
lis there any one might marry who
would have an interest in this agree
| ment?'
If he could have looked into her eyes
he would have seen cunning. Evident
ly there was something about the sub
| ject of their conversation that pro-
| foundly interested her. He glanced at
her inquiringly. but her head was bent
over a flower she was plucking.
There IS one" he said, "who II you
married him would have no interest I'm
the agreement"
"You speak I'm riddles"
A smile lowered about her lips. but
she kept her back TO him. picking a
handful OF flowers. When she turned
the smile was gone.
There Is my cousin WILL" she said.
IF married him. would he have any
/ interest I'm the agreement
"Not after the wedding"
But before the weddingT'
That would depend upon whether
he desired a wedding with you"
Would IL depend upon anything
/ elseT'
| "Yes; upon whether you desired q
| wedding WIFI ulLl
I'm other words, this contract would
interest him Cand mel only in case we
wished TO marry
"You have drawn a conclusion not
based on proper foundations In 9th
er words. you have perpetrated fal
lacy"
Suppose" she went on after fran
ing another question. Il should marry
you. Would You be interested I'm the
contractE"
| He started and cast a quick glance
at her. Was she stating a hypOthet
icaI case for the purpose OF trapping
him?
THAT. fear-I mean-you would
not be likely 10 marry me-"
But If | shouldE"
The contract would be OF no mo
ment TO me"
II like this cOnundrum." she saiC
presently. The solution Is well con
cealed. Let me see. II / marry you'll
tell me the answer. Ny marriage Will
any particular person doesn't pertain
There is one l could marry who would
have no interest in the agreement. Il
| married VIII II would only interes
him If he wished TO marry me. an'
even then II would make no difference
II / married you, you would have n
interest in Il. What is there to base
guess onE'
Nevertheless 1 wish you Eoul'
guess IT"
He spoke ruefuIly. She cast glanc
up at him
Suppose l tryr'
You can't guess II"
II can. The contract Is that-her
Il IS"
She pulled out a small paper tha
had been tucked in her belt and hand
( ed II 10 him IL was a betrothal bt
tween her and her COMPANION mad