The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-05-07
.ATnanguar
BY F. A. Mitchell

and started with that emu III view. vi
passing the Stanleys' place I saw Hell
en- coming out dressed in morning cos
tune, with a short skirt and boots.
Waiting til! she reached the gate, l
Joined her. Comparing notes, We learn
ed that we were both out for the same
purpose. We joined forces.
We had gone but a short distance
when Tom Bartlett struck us square in
the flank from a side street.
Were going for a tramp into the
country" said Helen to Tom. Come
along"
Thanks awful!y." said Tom, looking
at me doubtfully. "They say that
two's company. three's a crowd
mot a bit Of 1.-THE more the mer-
rier," said Helen.
Now, there is q lot more in this than
appears OH the surface. Bartlett and
/ were rivals for Miss Stanley's affec-
lions. We believed that she was hest
tating between the two Of us. ! had
been trying to get her to come to u
decision, and l presume Tom had been
trying to do the same thing. Tom join
ed us, but was too much Of a gentle
man to intrude himself for the walk
without some hint from me that l
would not object. Reaching a rne
he lifted his hat with u view to leav-
ing us, when l said:
"You have your orders from the lady.
Tom; it is your duty to obey them"
l saw mischief. design. deviltry. in
Helen's eyes. but nothing that | could
define. When we reached the open
country she drew long breaths Of ozone
into her lungs and said with exhilara-
ton:
Il feel as though l must run"
$50 do l." said Tom. Come on"
We ran abreast for several hundred
yards, then dropped into Il walk again.
II WONDER" said Bartlett, "why more
decisions are not arrived at by race
than by lot"
''They have a custom in Lapland,"
said Helen. wherein If Il man wishes
to marry a girl he chases her. If she
accepts him she permits him ito catch
her; If she refuses she runs for all she
is worth"
What put it into my head to make
my next remark l know not.
IF two fellows in Lapland want the
same GIRL" said. do they race for
herr"
II never heard anything about that"
said Helen.
Looking sidewise into her eye, l saw
a spark in it that told much more than
her words. 1t started u flame within
me that burned recklessly. But l held
back for some time before showing it.
After awhile Helen said she was pin
ing for another run.
Suppose" said deliberately. I
stopped.
Suppose what?" asked Helen.
Suppose that you take 500 yards
start for q race. And suppose that
Tom and l separate so that each of
the three Of us stands on the angle of
a triangle. Then suppose you run for
it and Tom and l try which can touch
you first"
Helen said neve a word. but saw
by that spark in her eye that she
caught my meaning.
lis it a go, Tom?" l asked.
I'm agreed If the lady is"
II don't, mind" said Helen under
her breath
Every well; Tom. you stay here.
go to that stump Eel there. Suppose
you" l said to Helen, advance to that
lone tree in the center Of the field"
Helen and l started, leaving Tom
where he was. To equalize advan-
age between Tom and me she must
run on q straight line perpendicular
to the base line of the angles on
which Tom and I stood. l doubted II
she would do this. 1t would be human
nature for her to Eel toward the man
she wished to win. l don't mean that
the race would be an acceptance OF
the winner. but 1t would show a pref
erence for him W. the other.
When our positions were taken Helen
turned and looked ut us. 1t was evil
dent she was laying out the course
she should pursue. Then she called,
"Are you ready?" and on our response
that we were she turned and dashed
away.
There was plenty of room for the
race for the field stretched a long
way. with but one fence in sight, and
that was open at many places. / was
by far q better unner than Bartlett.
who was a studious chap and seldom
took exercise. had no desire to win
the race unless Helen gave me an OPP
portunity: therefore I ran on a dog
trot. Bartlett ran on much the same
gait. For q time Helen kept on the
perpendicular line; then, coming to a
bit Of Doggy ground. she was obliged
to decide whether she would 60 to the
right or to the left Of 1t. She went as
far as she could before deciding; then
zlgzagged with apparent indecision.
finally turning to the left, which short
ened my line.
The moment she made her decision !
closed up on her and touched her on
the shoulder. Turning to look at Tom
1 saw that he had dropped into q walk.
Poor fellow! He had put the same