New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1916-07-19
Their Palace
For Two
How She Solved the
Problem

By VICTOR LAURlSTON
Copyright by Frank A. Munsey Co

/ O>~~OSO~S~0DO0&DDOD1O
Tom Ringing was bound to buy the
big WarAworth place, while his fan
Gee wanted the Pine avenue cottage,
worth only $500. Tom was determined,
and Ethel, with woman's gift for
diplomacy, went to Silas Sharpley, the
agent with whom he was negotiating,
to head him off. Sharpley offered her
the house at an advance of what he
had been offered, she paying him $25
to close the bargain. He also offered
her an option for thirty days. While
be was talking Ethel was doing a lot
Of thinking. r~
By taking the option she would save
money anyway. And long before thirty
days she would be Mrs. Tom Ringing,
and Tom. debarred from buying the big
! house, would compromise on the Pine
avenue cottage and be saved the harass-
Ing, crushing burden Of costly house.
She dfsliked very much to cross Tom
| In his wish, but she dreaded the bur-
| den of debt the cost Of the big house
would place them under at the very
| outset Of their matrimonial career So
| she made up her mind and was ready
when the agent had finished his talk.
"I'll do that, Mr.. Sharpley," she de-
clared eagerly.
Mr.. Sharpley drew from his desk a
| contract for purchase and filled in the
blanks. She signed it triumphantly,
then glanced up at Sharpley.
Remember. MIR. Sharpley'-she held
up warning fnger-''if MI. Ring-if
any one asks who is buying the place
you mustn't mention my name.
don't want 1t known. But you can
say'-she smiled-''that the place is
held at-at $780,"
| Sharpley grinned. III
Tom came that evening with brow
black as a thundercloud. The girl
faced him in embarrassed silence.
Gust my luck" he growled modify.
"Some one has slipped in ahead of me
and snatched up Magma Villa at $500
| advance"
"And now We'll buy the cottage"
cried Ethel jubilantly.
| Cottage" he exclaimed, his tone red
client Of utter disgust. "Cottage!'
She suddenly decided not to urge her
views till more opportune moment.
| Responding next afternoon to the
summons Of the doorbell she found
herself face to face with Silas Sharp
ley.
| MI. Sharpley smiled ingratiatingly.
Gust thought I'd drop in and close
up matters" he suggested. "I''-
"But I've thirty days." the girl pro-
tested quickly.
| "Of cOurse-of course" He rubbed
his hands together. But there are so
many things to do-transfer the mort
gage, and search the title, and arrange
for financing the balance Of the pur-
chase price under the agreement
that
1.-THE agreement!' She stared at
him. "Why, all I signed was an op-
tion.''
AN agreement to purchase" return
ed Mr.. Sharpley, apologize, yet posi-
tive.
"You remember read it all over to
you-purchase to be completed within
thirty days. Twenty-Five dollars paid
on account to bind the bargain. Mrs
WarkWorth has signed, too, so there's
nothing in the way Of closing up the
deal at once"
Ethel had stood thus far with lips
frozen dumb. Now she found voice to
protest.
''But, Mr.. Sharpley, I never intended
to purchase
'You signed the agreement, Miss
Grafton, and so did Mrs. Warkworth,
and On the strength Of it she's rented
already and is taking up the carpets.
I hope you're not afraid Of your bar
ga1n,' he added ingra tiatingly.
IF it's matter Of not having ready
cash don't let that embarrass you. All
Mrs. WarkWorth asks is $4OO down,
and she'll be glad to carry the balance
at 6 per cent as long as you like"
Sharpley went away with the $500
which she had contrived to put aside
In her siZ years at the Office.
All that night she tossed restlessly
on her pillow. The deed was done.
She could never, never turn back
from it,
Every time they met she longed to
pour out her sorrow to Tom, and then,
knowing how eagerly he desired this
house, shrank from the confidence. In
her efforts to save Tom she had ruined
him-ruined him irretrievably.
BY the third day her courage COM
menced to ooze back. Trying on her
trousseau, she caught herself actually
smiling.
'FWhy not sell the placed" she CUES
toned herself.
She might turn it over in few days
time, and Tom would never know.
| ETH have to advertise" she unused.
And settling down before her secre.
tary with the gold mounted fountain
pen that Tom Ringing had given her
as stop gap present between Christ
mas and New Years she painfully In
dited an advertisement that fairly