The daily Alaskan., 1915-01-04

If do you'll win
 "I'n choose the gloves. wear sixes."
 If lose it won't make any differ ence. expect to give you a Christ mas present anyway"
 "Oh, pshaw! I didn't think of that. You're very cute, aren't youT
 q hatter myself I'm a match for a girl" 5
 Her response to this was 8 "fsce," and the subject was dropped. =.
 This bargain was made in June, and had six months in which to get into that drawer, which was kept locked, the key on Mabers person and the desk in Mabel's room, where l was not supposed to enter l had no idea of making a success of 1t. I had proposed it only for lark.
 Having learned by the stepping in between me and Mabel of another per son that wanted her for myselfS l was in constant dread that he or some other fellow would take her away 1 from me. At the same time shrank from speaking to her of love. feared to break up the brotherly and slsterly relationship to which had been ac- customed from my earliest recollection. True. too. Mabel didn't give me the slightest encouragement to make the change. When any man was attentive ! hnf | gruntled she seemed surprised looking at me with the expression of one who did not understand my dissatisfaction. If would say, Mabel. why do you: permit that cad to be dancing attend ance upon youT" she would reply: ''Why. think he's very nice. Do you know any reason why shOuldn't"-- Marry him? Certainly I do. He iS not the man for you at all." ..
 Then she would walk away apparent | ly miffed. and there would be no trou- bIe between Us till the next fellow tame buzzing about her.
 Occasionally Mabel would say to me, Have you purchased my gloves yetr and I would reply. NO; there is~plen- | ty of time for that" whereupon she would tell me what color she preferred. | lmpF essing upon me the exact shades and showing me certain articles of dress she wished to be matched. l vas rather amused than interested, for I could see that, despite her apparent confidence, she suffered some trepida- ion for fear might In some unforeseen way succeed.
 4 piece of good or bad luck, as. the case may he, gave me an advantage. i Mabel and rode horseback together, and one day when We were passing through a wood l jumped my horse over a log that was rather higher than those we had been accustomed to take. cleared 1t. and Mabel tried to do 30 too. She raised her animal too soon, and he came down with his bsliy on the log. Mabel fell on the other side, and 1 picked her up.
 I noticed that the chain to which her desk key was attached had parted and lay on the ground beside her, but | was too much concerned about her to do more than pick it up, unseen by her. and put it in my pocket.
 She insisted that she was not hurt and mounted her horse Fortunately we were not far from home and had no difficulty In reaching it. She did not miss her chain and key, and said | nothing about them. The chain re turned the next day, but insisted on keeping the key till after Christmas, Mabel declared that it was unfair to take advantage of an accident, but this i did not move me.
 l determined, now that had the key, to effect an entrance to MRberB room when no one was there and pos ] sess myself of her secret. But must use strategy. l was invited to spend Christmas. as the year before, at my aunts and on Christmas eve went to the house provided with the glove for felt and admitted to Mabel that having no hope of winning had provided them. This threw her completely Ot her guard.
 The next morning remained In my room till I heard her 80 downstairs, then slipped Into her room, opened the desk and applied the key to the little ! drawer.
 And what did 1 find there? The sur prise of my life. There was'a small card photograph of myself taken when I was twelve years old, tiny. china doll l had given her one Christmas when she was but six, misspellOd letter had written her ane several ar- ticles of no more intrinsic value than these, but evidences of how dear they were to her. Replacing them, locked the drawer. closed the desk and went 1 downstairs, "''..
 When it came my turn to give my Christmas presents l handed the gloves to Mabel and ten pound box of candy besides. On opening the box she saw the key to her desk drawer.
 q knew you would not succeed in that matter" she said. and I did not tell her that had succeeded. But on Christmas night, when the others had