Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1916-08-10
Striking First
BY ELlNoR MARSH

Gxau Opou ueT. IueFe was nOIQlQS III
the note except the bare request, and
instead Of being signed your loving
Lucy it was simply Lucy" Tom
had noticed GOODNESS of late on the
part Of his f1ancee's parents and had a
foreboding that he was summoned to
receive dismissal. He took time
enough before answering the summons
D prepare himself for the ordeal
After much thought he resolved that
n he must be stabbed he would stab
drst The principle Of the superiority
OF an initial force Is as true in the
game Of love as in war. So ON meeting
Lucy, without giving her time to say
word he spoke himself:
well, who is the party who is to
take my placer"
That's very unkind.''
What's unkind, throwing me Overt
Would you have written me that cold
h,ooded note for any other purpose?"
Worse and worse. Cold blooded
motel What was there cold blooded
about ft?"
AEet us not waste words. Since 1
know why you have sent for me, you
need not explain. l come, firstly, in
obedience to your summons; secondly.
for purpose Of my own"
TOMS assuming the upper hand In
the matter had its effect on Lucy.
What she had to say to him was really
from her mothers not from herself.
what is it?" she asked in low
voice, ip which there was suspicion
Of tTemolo.4
mo ask the question propounded
when entered. Who is the party that
is to take my placer" .a..s.s,tss s.-.----''
Lucy made no reply for awhile. She
sat with her eyes cast down to the be
truthal ring which Tom had given her.
It was on the third finger of her left
hand, and she was turning 1t as
though it troubled her. Thoughts, re-
grets, duty, indecision were coursing
through her brain like water through a
fulne - u, - -.
1--WE asked you simple question,
Tom added ut calls only for sim
pie answer
Mrs. Edmonds, who had worked her
daughter up to do her bidding, had
foreseen that If Lucy gave the name
Of the new sutton Tom would probably
riddle him and thus undo all that had
been done, so she had enjoined upon
her child that if Tom suspected he
was thrown over for another he was
not to be told who that other was.
Mother has very justly said that
you would naturally be prejudiced"-
IL did not ask what mother says.
asked you for the name of the man
who is to take my place.
Whether it was through obedience or
that Lucy shrank from an admission
that he had been supplanted, she could
not bring herself to make it. After try
ing various methods to get it out Of her
Tom wrote dozen names on slip of
paper, showed them to her and asked
her II the name Of the other man was
among them. Lucy ran down the list
till she came to Legrand Atwood
when the expression changed Toms
eyes were fixed upon her, and he saw
that he had got the secret.
'That'll do" he said, tearing up the
paper. '"This name has been concealed
from me by your mothers orders be
cause she does not consider me q
proper person to criticise the man she
approves instead Of me- l will moi
honor the party by considering him 8
rival for yonr love. But your mother
Is right in assuming that from my pas
position toward you l am not com
petent witness against man who has
downed me. have but one request tt
make Of you"
'What is it," said Lucy in an almos
1naudible voice.
"That you take no definite actor
With regard to Mr.. Atwood for on,
month from today"
Lucy made the desired promise, ant
Toms manner changed toward her a
Once. When he left her he assume
none of a lovers privileges, simpl.
pressing her hand. Lucy begged hin
to tell her how he had hit on Mr.. AT
wood. She had met him during a visi
to another city and was not awar
that Tom had ever heard Of him. Ton
declined for the present to crafty he
curiosity.
Lucy pined for Tom for two weeks
when the status was suddenly changed
Mr.. Atwood was arrested for misus
Of the mails. the charge being that b
had sent circulars and received mon
eys for investments in fictitious CON
pany.
Lucy at once sent for Tom Thi
time her note began, Dearest Tom,
and ended, Your loving Lucy" Tor
answered the summons at once.
"Did you know anything about this"
She hesitated.
"Rascal!' supplied Tom. 81 did.
heard through n chum Of mine tina
during your visit to A. he was er
deavoring to be attentive to you; tina
he was lavish in his expenditures an
was under suspicion. When l parte
from you recently made inquiries an