The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-25
She Paid
The Forfeit
BY EDITH V. ROSS

ribbon on Jimmie and blue one Oh
Billie to tell which was which. When
they grew to be men Billie. who was
of a rowing disposition. went to South
America, leaving his brother at home
One evening at function jim
| Hawksworth met a girl TO whom be
| took a desperate fancy. and the girl
did the same by him. They danced
together a number of times. and what
dances they didn't know they sat out
in cozy corner by themselves.
The very next day the girl met jim
on the street. He was nearsighted and
| didn't recognize her, but seeing lady
smiling at him he took of his hat The
girl stopped; so did Jim.
Upon my word" she said you have
short memory. You don't remember
| me-"
Jim did remember her very well as
soon as he got near enough to distin
guish her features. but he didn't re
member her name. He skirmished fol
time to think 1t up.
Il certainly do remember you. hav.
y
pleasantly last evening. But l am not
sure that you have not mistaken me
for some one else"
How ridiculous!'
who am ~
What assurance! You are talking
this way for purpose"
"I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll make
two calls on you and another viii make
third. If you write my name correct
ly when l call and never write my
name to the other visitor I'll pay any
forfeit you may suggest. If you fail
you pay any forfeit | suggest"
There's a catch"
mo catch at all"
What's the forfeit pay your
That I'll tell you If you lose"
What il your full name?"
james Smithson Hawksworth."
Have you pencil and paper?"
Jim tore bit of paper from letter
and handed it her with pencil. She
wrote the name he had given her on
the paper and put 1t in her bag.
II agree to your TERMS" she said.
But, mind, if there is any catch
won't pay. Now tell me who am"
You're Miss Turnlee"
Jim bowed himself away and pro-
ceeded to put plan he had in his
mind into operation His brother Bill
had returned from South America q
few days before. and the two were still
alike as two peas In pod. Jim went
home, where he found Billie, whom he
told of his agreement, adding:
Now, Bill. wish you to call on the
girl tomorrow night, personating me.
The next night | will call on her my
self"
Bill assented and the next evening,
after being thoroughly coached by his
brother, made the call. He asked the
young lady to write his name on bit
of paper, which she did, and before
handing IL to him she took care to com
pare 1t with the name Jim had given
her.
The next day the twins had their
photographs taken standing side by
side. As soon as the pictures were de-
livered Jim put one of them In his
pocket and, with written statement
from his brother that he had called on
Miss Tunlee on certain date. went
to see her himself Miss Turnlee, who
could not divest her mind Of the sus.
picion that some trick was being play
ed upon her was bit ratified She
was looking for some difference In her
writing the names on the two different
occasions. After chatting awhile, dur
ing which period she scarcely heard
what Jim said, he drew the paper on
which she had written the name when
his brother had called and, handing 1t
TO her, asked her to write his name be-
low the one she had written before.
This time she was in no hurry. She
studied the name she had written, COM
pared 1t with the one Jim had given
her and held the first paper to the light,
looking at 1t and through it. Jim
handed her pencil. but she refused 1t,
seeming to suspect that there might
be something wrong In it. After much
thought and hesitation she wrote the
name under the one she had already
written. but even then she seemed
loath to part with the paper. However,
time came when she reluctantly sur
rendered II.
Il suppose now 1t will depend ON my
not mixing you up with the other WIS.,
itor. II you have played me fair |
have won. | have identified you twice.
All | have to do Is to say when he
comes that he is not you When Is he
coming?'
HE has been here"
Been here" Miss Turnlee looked
incredulous.
HE was here some time ago. He is
my twin brother"
He drew the photograph of himself
and his brother and showed It to her
For a few moments she looked at 1t
with blank stare; then, the explana-
ton coming to her. she exclaimed re-
proaehfully:
That's not fairp'
Jim admitted that 1t was a bit
tricky and said that he would not hold
her to her bargain unless she preferred
to be held.
What forfeit am to payr' she
asked.
Jim did not reply at once. The lady's
curiosity was aroused. She urged him.
"Yourselfr' he said at last.
Miss Turnlee did not pay at once, but
she did I'm time-not, she said. because
she had lost fairly, but because Jim
assured her that II she did not his life
would be wrecked.