The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-01-06

Mdrlan, paiins-
"A duel will surely follow"
Marian looked at me with a fright
ened expression that excited my pity.
but / knew that 1t was no time to in
dulge In anything but action. l i'm.
pressed upon her the necessity Of her
preventing any further trouble be-
tween her two suitors. During our
conversation 1t came out that she had
made a choice between all her suitors,
including the two In question. This
she revealed to me. though / was the
only person she confded 1t to. She
loved Elliot Walker. Thinking she
needed my support, told her that ]
would 60 with her to see Herbert Ken
worthy. She made no reply for awhile
to this proposition. l could see that
a struggle was going on within her.
but I was ignorant as to just what 1t
was. Presently she rose.
"What are you going to do?" asked.
81 am going to see Herbert"
"Do you wish me to go with your"
"No, grandma"
This was the first indication OF
strength saw. in her. and 1t was some
relief. She left me. and later heard
her pony phaeton on the gravel walk.
/ waited anxiously for her return.
When she came l saw by the express
sion on her face that she had not sue.
ceeded In her object
"well?" said interrogatively.
"I went to Herbert's house." she
said, "called him out and we had
conference on the veranda. / told him
I had heard that he and Elliot had had
an alteration. | inferred that he had
seen Elliot kiss me and me resent the
act. / begged that he would not con-
stitute himself my defender. He re-
! piled that he had not done so, but ad-
mitted that he and Elliot had got into
a quarrel from words that had passed
/ between them relative to Elliots act
I then admitted that had encouraged
Elliot to kiss me.
"He looked very much surprised and
panied at this. l knew that his con-
tempt had passed from Elliot to me-
told him that since had exonerated
Elliot should expect him to apologize
to Elliot for anything he might have
said under Misunderstanding. After
some thought he told me that any wo-
man In such q case. to prevent trouble
between two of her men friends, would
assume the blame. There was no sin
In my doing So The affair had gone
too far to be smoothed over. argued
with him for some time, but could get
nothing out Of him. Then I came
away"
! "You must see Elliot. The one who
has given the challenge is the one to
offer the olive branch"
= II have seen Elliot The challenge
had come from Herbert, Elliot having
struck him. Elliot apologized to me
humbly for having kissed me. He ad
mitted that the scene In the billiard
room had been concocted to keep my
name out Of the quarrel. He would
gladly on my account put stop to 1t
J but could not refuse 4 challenge with
out being disgraced."
"And as the matter stands the twt
men will meet tomorrow morning~
II suppose So"
The case was a knotty one. TIT
! only way l could see out Of 1t was TO
Marian to choose between the two men
She might tell Herbert that she lovet
Elliot, but doubted II this would pre-
vent a meeting that had become a pub
lie matter and with which she was no
known to be connected It woult
probably save Elliot from injury, bu
this would not be fair to Herbert
'The only hope l see to prevent thil
meeting, Marian" said, putting m.
, arms about her. "is to tell them boti
that you love Elliot That would,
think, dispose of the matter. Herber
would withdraw his challenge"
, could feel her shiver In my arm.
. at this alternative, but she said moth
, ing, though later she told me that El
: lot had made her no proposal.
The day was now ended, and moth
ing had been accomplished. l deter
mined to leave Marian free to act fol
herself till the last minute; then If she
did not act | would endeavor to force
her to do so. We remained in the
same room through the night without
disrobing. After IL o'clock fell asleeI
on a lounge. was aroused at dawr
by Marian.
Come" she said.
Without asking her where We were
to go l went with her. | knew. She
knew where the meeting would take
place. and we proceeded there. Since
Elliot had not proposed to her l could
not see what she would do. We wait
ed an hour a short distance from the
field and finally saw one party come
on to 1t, then the other. The seconds
were engaged at the preliminaries
when Marian advanced, / following
her.
What will stop this affair" she
asked