Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1916-07-14
A Conquest
In Ten Days
BY ALAN HINsDALE

what reactionT
"Why, l was engaged once myself.
For awhile was in heaven. Then /
began to think of what I'd done, and I
was in the other place."
That's me exactly"
"Can't you get out of it?"
"How?"
Il made the girl mad, and she shook
me-"
Good plan. I'll try it on"
Alec Broadhead didn't see his friend,
Andy Pelham, for week. When they
met again Pelham wore a shamefaced
look.
"WellT queried Alec.
81 tried your plan and succeeded adj
mirably, but l couldn't stand the
racket. l went back to her and told
her that If she wouldn't forgive me
Id jump in the river"
"More fool you"
"Oh, you'd have done the same thing
If you'd have been really in love-"
mot ON your life"
Not long after Andy had been married
Alec received a note from him saying
that he must spend some time away
from home on business and would
Alec look out for his wife evenings
during his absence. She would be
lonely between s and 10 p. m. Alec
replied that he supposed he would have
to accommodate him.
When Mr.. Broadhead called on Mrs.
Pelham he found her sitting In coy
room beside light with a pink shade
doing some fancy work. She was
pretty woman and received him with
pleasant smile. 1t occurred to him
that perhaps his friend in marrying
had not been such fool after all. He
passed very pleasant evening and at
10 o'clock bade the lady adieu and
went to his club.
Mrs. Pelham had told him to come
every evening he chose during her hus-
bands absence, but on no account to
feel compelled to come. He had In
tended to remain away the second eve
ming and after dining at his club tried
to compose himself to spending the
evening there. The effort was a fall
ure. At ten minutes after 8 he rang
the Pelham doorbelL There sat the
lady beside the pink light plying her
needle, and the scene was even more
attractive than the evening before.
How good of you" said the hostess,
ito deprive yourself of all your bache-
Tor pleasures to come to this dull house
to oblige your friend! You men stand
by one another splendidly. Women
won't sacrifice themselves for a chum
as men do
"Umw was the laconic reply.
1t is quite likely that Alec Broadhead
could have visited Mrs. Pelham posi-
bly, for years without disgracing him
self by falling in love with his friends
wife had she behaved with the circum-
spection required of a married woman.
But she did not, Alec by great effort
succeeded in cutting out the third even
ing, remaining away from her. When
he called on the fourth she pouted. 1t
isn't much to say she pouted, but it
expressed great deal to Alec. At any
rate it influenced him when he left her
at IL O'Clock. she giving him her hand
at parting to hold 1t just a little bit
longer than was advisable under the
circumstances.
He called the very next evening and
found her on a lounge covered with
silken quilt, evidently indisposed.
"rm so glad you have come" she
said, pressing the hand he gave her and
looking up at him tenderly, I'm not
feeling well and would not like to be
alone"
Alec's countenance was full of SYM
pathy, and his eyes reflected the ten
derness with which she had favored
him. He smoothed her pillow half a
dozen times during the evening, took
her hand for the purpose of feeling her
pulse and otherwise played the atten-
tive nurse. Though it would seem that,
invalided. she should have retired
early, Alec did not leave her till the
clock struck IL.
Ten days-or, rather, ten evenings
Of this sort Of thing may seem short
time for mans sense Of honor to his
friend to be undermined, but It was
enough for the purpose in this case.
Alec was one evening bending down
over the lady in the languishlng fash
ion of lover when the door was sud-
denly thrown open. and Andy Pelham,
followed by lady, stepped into the
room.
well. 1 like thatP' he said to Alec.
Il leave my chum to keep my wife
from being lonely, and what does he
do"-
Now, Andy" said the lady who had
entered with him, this has gone far
enough. Mr.. Broadhead, I'm Mrs. Pei
ham. This young lady is my friend
Miss
"Madge Merlweather," interrupted
Andy, ''the worst firt in America.
We've put up a job on you, old man.
told these ladies how you felt about
women, and she bet she could bring
you down within ten days. haven't
been away at all. but upstairs every
evening that you've been here spooning
with Madge."
The expression on Alec's face was q
study. There were shame, relief and
the dawn of happiness"
IAN have to say" he finally re-
marked, ''is that Miss MeriWeather has
-.