Bisbee daily review., 1915-02-16
The Siege of The Seven Suitors
 By MEREDITH NICHOLSON ConvrfVhf Iuf0 bv Meredith Nirhoieo0
copyritht, 1910, by Meredith Nicholson

"Pep." I said. lowering my voice, 'h you love me keep close Co Cecilia all day. You're an engaged man and in practice Give an imitation of devo- tion. Keep her out of doors keep male humaO beings away from her. Don't fail me in this. I've got to pull of the greatest coup of nay life today. There's band of outlaws hanging round here who will propose Co Cecilia the first chance they get and they must NOT Wigs got Co speak before night or lose out forever No-not a word of explanation You've got to take my word for it'
 "Iu be the goat Go ahead. but build a fire under Wiggins. l can't stay here forever"
 Pepperton's engagement smoothed o,lt one wrinkle, and l felt sure that could trust him as au ally. The groom was holding my horse in the porte ! cochere, and l mounted and rode away to the Prescott Arms.
 I found Omsby Shalleuberger. Ar. Juthnot. Henderson, Hume and Gorse glumly sitting in a semicircle before the hall fireplace Deepest gloom per. vaded the inn have rarely seen mel ancholy so darkly stamped upon the human couutenance. They turned in. differently and glared as they recog- nized me Shallenberger alone rose and greeted me.
 q hope there is no bad news," he said chokingly
 Bad uewsT
 "l mean Miss Hoilister- Miss Cecilia. We were all deeply grieved last night to hear of her sudden illness. There s always something SO terrible in the very name of diphtheria." MY wits had been so sharpened by my late adventures that l readily ac- Gshuted for these false tidngs Dick was absent Dick alone would have been equal to this diabolical plot for keeping his rival suitors away from IIopefeld The despair in those faces taxed uy gravity severely.
 "It is extremely sad, but the first diagnosis was erroneous" I answered. T think it more likely t6 prove to be chicken pox when the truth is known.
 "Not dphtheriaf"
 "No immediate danger of diphtheria, [ assure you" ! replied. though of course with winter coming on and all that one must be prepared for the worst"
 While he repeated this to the others I sought the clerk. who promptly hand ' cd me a note which Wiggins had left { late the previous afternoon. to be de liyered in case l called He had gone | Co spend day or two with Orton, the ! playwright. who was at his country house. in the hills beyond Mount Kis l GO. rehe0rsing a new piece in which a ! friend of lIartIoy's was Co star l gain ! ed the telephone booth in one jump | and in Ave minutes ] was bawlInl ! wildly into Ortou's ear had knowr ] him well in the Hare and Tortoise, and ! he answered my demand for Wlggn' with the heart breaking news that l Hartley had ridden on with some oth CT guests in the house, Orton eldnr l know where
 "I threw them out. I've got to re write my third act I don't care wheth CT they ever come back" boomed Or l tons voice.
 1T you don't send Wiggins back tC me at Hopedeld as fast as Le can gel there. my third act is ruined"
 "What?"
 "Tell Wlggins to come back on th' run. Tell him the worlds coming tO an end any minute ] 'f'll be glad to get rid of him" snap ped Orton in the harried tone of a mai
 whose third act has wilted in re hearsal