The Press., 1915-11-10

allow me to put hand on your ARM
The lady consented With her as
sistance ] got to the house and was
placed in an easy chair on the porch.
The fairy godmother came out. but I
pretended not to notice her She start
ed on seeing me, and saw color come
and go in her face. l made a grimace
in pretense of suffering, and her ex-
preston of uneasiness at my presence
gave way to one Of sympathy. I care
fully concealed any recognition of her,
and she was soon ministering to me
with the others.
| II fear" l said, "that if you have a
vehicle on the premises I shall have
to ask some one to drive me to my
cabin. 1t is a couple of miles from
here on the eastern end of the island"
| Now, I was quite sure there was no
vehicle ON the premises, for there was
neither barn nor garage. The elder
lady informed me that there was no
means Of conveyance at hand, and
since it was growing dark, would be
welcome to remain till one could be
found. l pretended to demur to this,
but was overruled. My "sprained" an
kle was propped up on a foot rest with
pillows. 1 remembered to vince occa-
sionally, fearful that my benefactors
might suspect the part l was playing.
Soon after l had got settled my fairy
godmother brought me out a dainty
supper which she placed on a stand be-
eS1 81
she knew me for the person whose
cabin she had visited in my absence,
but l was equally sure that she be-
Heved me to be ignorant that she was
the person she had favored. In order
to convince her of this l told her about
my cabin and how l was spending an
outing there alone. She made no COM
ment, seemingly preferring to chat on
other subjects.
| 1 spent a pleasant evening, not men
tioning that l had received kindness
from an unknown person, nor did my
fairy godmother give any hint that she
had even ever seen or heard of me be-
fore. No conveyance was forthcoming,
and L was urged to abandon any idea
of going to my cabin till morning, when
it was suggested 1 might ride over
with a farmer who supplied the family
with milk each morning. After trying
to step with the injured ankle and
demonstrating that l could not posi-
bly, use it without great agony, yield
ed to persuasion and consented to re-
main the night.
By this time a stout cane had been
7 T.
bling to my room without other as
sistance. In the morning 1 came down
stairs, still keeping up the hobbling,
and about 10 o'clock the farmer came
with the milk. l expressed my heart
felt thanks to my benefactors and
hired him to drive me to my cabin.
My fairy godmother was solicitous lest
l would need attention and be with
out it, living alone as 1 did, but l as
sured her that 1 would be back soon
to thank her and the others again for
the kindness that had been bestowed
upon me. Then the farmer lifted me
into his wagon and 1 was driven away,
followed by smiling goodbys from all
the family.
The next day, since l did not expect
another visit from my fairy godmother
and not wishing to spend the day
lounging about my cabin, 1 went out
for some deep sea fishing. AS usual
l left everything in disorder. On my
return shortly before dark l met with
a surprise. My household had been
put to rights and the paper on which
1 corresponded with my fairy god
mother bore a message:
| Since you have done neither of the tasks
| given you by your fairy godmother you
cannot have any one to love you. You
shall have one more opportunity. Tell
| how a sprained ankle can be made we'll
| within twelve hours.
| 1 was dumfounded. Never had 1 so
prided myself on playing a part as
paiming myself off as sufferer. Talk
about men being deceivers of women!
doubt if any man ever did any such
: thing. The girl had seen through my
ruse and had played me far better
game than I had played her, or, rath-
err, | had tried to play her.
Well, the fairy godmother business
was ended. There was nothing for me
to do but go to her abode and confess
myself beaten. This l did the next
morning. l longed for an offering to
take with me, but in that wilderness
no such thing was to be had. l was
| received with a look Of amusement
mingled with triumph. My first words
WERE How did you discover my
gamer" The reply was: Don't ask
| woman how she discovers things. She
either knows them by intuition or not
at ALL
Notwithstanding that did not solve
! any of the riddles, got some one to
love and to love me.