The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-09-16
ARMSBY'S
CAPTURE
BY DONALD CHAMBERLIN

L.
The day he came of age the old lady
sent for him and thus addressed him:
Bert. wish you to marry. take
it for granted that you are fancy free.
would not for the world force you to
wed any one you don't love. There is
q girl who | am sure you would love
If you only knew her as / do. / wish
you to become acquainted with her,
and If. after certain time, you don't
fancy her shall not insist on your
yielding to my wishes"
Il don't wish to marry and won't
"But you are not so unreasonable as
to avoid the girl have mentionedr"
Eyes. l am
Perhaps II was the fact of her neph-
ew's Indifference to her fortune, per-
haps her great affection for him, per-
haps a desire to have her own way.
At any rate. the old lady resolved to
conquer She talked Of other matters
for awhile, then said carelessly:
How would you like a trip abroad7"
Il should be delighted. but it would
cost several thousand dollars"
Il will furnish the amount necessary
on one condition-that on your return
you spend week with me-"
The conditions. were accepted. Arms
by went abroad and on his return
went directly to his aunt's country
house, where she was at the time At
dinner he was presented to Miss Lucy
Ellison. He saw at once that he had
a axxA~ n
agreed to spend a week In the house
and was to be besieged by this young
woman.
This was true, and there was more
that he was not aware of. Miss ELI
son had way with her that was very
taking with men. No one could find
out exactly why, but they tumbled
over one another In endeavoring to
win smile from her. Sometimes she
was coy. sometimes aggressive. She
knew when to be the one and when to
be the other.
Armsby was indignant at the trick
his aunt had played him. After din
ner, finding her alone, he said to her:
Aunt, you have brought me here in
order that this girl may get me for
husband. will keep my contract. l
will remain with you week. but you
may tell your friend that l will have
nothing to do with her. shall expect
you to order my meals served in my
room"
Certainly. Bert: anything you
WISH"
The next morning Armsby sent
downstairs for the morning paper and
sat himself down by his window to
read the news. CHANGING up from It.
there In a hammock swung between
two trees was Miss Ellison In pure
white summer costume, dream Of
loneliness. There we're no windows In
Armsby's room that did not face In
that direction, and the only way he
could shut out the view was TO draw
the shade. This he did, but the in
terror of his room soon grew tiresome.
and he raised 1t again.
He stood looking down, on the
charmer. trying to conjure up some
plan for freeing himself from the
siege to which he must be subjected
for a week. He was free to spend
portion Of each day elsewhere, but he
had no friends in the neighborhood, and
how can man amuse himself alone?
He began to realize. to speak In COM
monplace language. that he was in a
hole.
He went down TO the library, select.
ed q book, returned and sat himself
down to read. But somehow In spite
Of all he could do his eyes would wan
der from the book and out to the girl
in the hammock. Surely 1t was a
pleasing picture, so relaxed. The folds
OF the skirt hung gracefully over
the side of the hammock: the point Of
dainty white slipper peeped beyond
a fringe of lace.
Armsby sent down word to his aunt
that he wished his room changed to
the other side of the house. After
luncheon he went for a walk, but he
did not 60 far-the day was too warm.
he awoke. went to the window. There
sat or. rather. reclined Miss Ellison on
rustic bench. propped by half doz-
en- pillows. She saw him. waved her
hand to him and smiled.
The smile was a telling shot. Arms
by couldn't forget it He rubbed his
eyes to get rid Of It. but It would not
be downed. There was something so
unusual in this barefaced attempt to
capture him that 1t began to interest
him Barefaced or not. its very ag-
gressiveness captivated him. He had
mind to let the girl have her way
just to see what she would do with
him. Besides. how was he to live for
a week by himselff The first day
seemed interminable. What would be
the last7 An eternity. Anyway. he
would rather stand siege. with the
freedom Of the house. than shut I'D In
his room.
So he lowered his dag so far as this
was concerned, went downstairs and