The Tupelo journal., 1917-03-09

'This quarrel has nothing to do with
billiards. 1t Is about you. Herbert
has constituted himself your cham
pion. understanding that Elliot insult
ed you"
Il have thought that myself" said
Marian, paling.
"A duel will surely follow"
Marian looked at me with a fright
ened expression that excited my pity,
but l knew that it 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 it 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 confided it to. She
loved Elliot Walker. Thinking she
needed my support. I told her that !
would go 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" l asked.
II am going to see Herbert"
"Do you wish me to go with you?"
"No, grandma"
This was the first indication of
| strength / saw In her, and it was some
| relief. She left me, and later | heard
her pony phaeton on the gravel walk.
I waited a%nxiously 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?" l said interrogatively.
81 went to Herbert's house," she
said. "called him out and we had a
conference on the veranda. / told him
l had heard that he and Elliot had had
an alteration. l inferred that he had
seen Elliot kiss me and me resent the
act. l begged that he would not con-
stitute. himself my defender. He re-
| piled that he had not done so. but adj
mitted that he and Elliot had got into
a quarrel from words that had passed
between them relative to Elliots act.
l then admitted that l had encouraged
Elliot to kiss me.
"He looked very much surprised and
panied at this. l knew that his n
tempt had passed from Elliot to me.
l told him that since l had exonerated
Elliot l should expect him to apologize
to Elliot for anything he might have
| said under a misunderstanding. After
| some thought he told mt that any wo-
man in such a 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. l argued
with him for some time, but could get
nothing out of him. Then / came
away"
"You must see Elliot. The II who
has given the challenge is the n 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 adj
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 a stop to 1t,
but could not refuse a challenge with
out being ~disgraced."
"And as the matter stands the two
men will meet tomorrow morning?
Il suppose So"
The case was a knotty one. The
| only way l could see out of it vas for
Marian to choose between the two men.
She might tell Herbert that she loved
Elliot, but 1 doubted if this would pre-
vent a meeting that had become a pub
| lie matter and with which she was not
known to be connected. 1t would
probably save, Elliot from injury, but
this would not be fair to Herbert.
''The only hope / see to prevent this
meeting, Marian" | said, putting my
arms about her, 'is to tell them both
that you love Elliot. That would, !
think, dispose of the matter. Herbert
would withdra w ehis challenge"
/ could feel her SILVER in my arms
at this alternative, but she said moth
ing, though later she told me that Ell
hot had made her no proposal.
The day was now ended, and moth
ing had been accomplished. | deter
mined to leave Marian free to act for
herself till the last minute; then If she
did not act I would endeavOr to force
her to do 10. We remained in the
same room through the night without
| %disrobing. After IL o'clock / fell asleep
on a lounge. I was aroused at dawn
by Marian.
Come" she said.
Without asking her where we were
to 60 l went with her. | knew. She
knew where the meeting would take