Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1916-07-28
A GAME |. BLUFF
BY HOPE AlNSliE.


, Bruce Fleming idly scanned the
want column as he waited for his
Uncle Robert to finish debating 30
they could give Bruce's new roadster
a trial spin to the Country club. AS
he read an advertisement q second
time, he sat for a moment with his
gray eyes looking thoughtfully ahead.
Then he chuckled softly, and sang,
"Shes the Lass for Me-" just as his
uncle came from q private of1ce. cap
and light overcoat In hand.
who's the lass this timer asked
his uncle
Miss Letitia B. Arlington of Add
ingtonia," read Bruce, referring to the
advertisement. do you happen to
know herr"
Yes, l do, but as she is old enough
to be your grandmother, l can't quite
see her as the lass for you"
But I'm going to be her landscape
gardener, not her gallant lover. Uncle
Bob. Just hear her plea: Wanted,
landscape gardener to advise and In
struct, for reasonable compensation,
about municipal and private gardens
in conservative town of five thou
sand But tell me how did you come
to know the LADY,"
used to hold court in Addingtonia
when | was on the judicial circuit, and
that woman owned half the town and
was close as the bark on a tree"
well, II she is going in for mu-
nicipal gardens at her own expense,
she must have had change of heart" y
ventured Bruce.
"She must have lost her mind"
bluntly.
When Bruce left the house the next
day he remembered that 1t was Friday
and that the regular directors meet
ing had been postponed until Monday.
That left nothing Of great Importance
awaiting him at the Office, and as he
slipped into his snug seat in his shiny
new roadster, he deliberately turned
his car from a downtown direction
and shot out toward the wood beyond
the City park. The farther he went
the more he thought he would like to
take the 80-mile run to Addingtonia,
and make a bluff at qualifying for
landscape gardener for the ancient
lady. Consequently, a little after
noon. his shiny green roadster
dimmed by the dust, slipped smoothly
along the shady streets of Addingtonia
and a street corner loafer readily an
swered his inquiry about the location
of Miss Addington's place.
In answer to his knock, the dool
was opened by a diminutive woman II
a gown of vast dimensions, a regular
hoop-skirt affair with flounces ane
Dolly Warden designs which became
confused blur in the dim light Of thu
broad hall. But the incongruity Of al
1860 ball gown worn as morning
house gown in 1916 made him recall
his uncle's suggestion that Miss Add
ington had probably lost her mind.
She sat in a dark corner Of thu
drawing room and Bruce couldn'
make out enough of her face to tel
whether she looked sane.
In desperation. Bruce began to tall
of the garden plan he had evolved a
he came in. Miss Addington sat Of
the edge of her chair and nodded al
firmatively more than once, but di
not speak. He felt stified thus shu
I'D in the darkened drawing room wit
the mysterious woman, and suggeste
that they inspect the grounds. Tn
lady rose in silence and rustled out II
! to the hall where she snatched up
huge poke bonnet and quickly put
/, on, pulling it so far down that whe
walking beside her Bruce could nc
see even the tip Of her nose.
But the spell of the quaint old plac
was on him, and he began really to Ell
, thuse about the possibilities OF tn
grounds. To his amazement, the lad
responded with like enthusiasm. an
|, in a voice of wondrous sweetness. Sh
:. even withdrew her hands from the Ct
= pacious folds of her gown and fun
: them wide. AS she did so, Bruce
= eyes went wide with wonder, for tn
), hands were soft and plump and whit
: with pinkish, oval nails. The sarde
a scheme was forgotten and he answere
!. not a word to the lady's outburst
= enthusiasm.
= Puzzled at his silence. the lady gay
A the big bonnet backward push, an
a turned her face directly up toward hi
a The climax of his amazement can
, when he saw within that old bonnet
q lovely, girlish face, lighted with star
d brown eyes and framed with brow
% hair.
"Of course, I'll have to explain now
she said, with defiant toss of her hes