The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-01-17
A Skating
/" Accident'
By OSCAR cox

"Jim," said Charlie Bates excitedly.
what do you suppose has happened
to Alec Winston?"
"What?"
Fell on the back of his head on the
ice and has been unconscious for two
hours"
That's strange. Alec is a splendid
skater"
1T wasn't his fault"
"Whose fault was lit"
"Billie's."
you mean Wilhelmina Rirley's."
Eyes; she's the liveliest girl in town.
She's an imp of mischief. Her princi-
pal object in life seems to be to make
trouble"
you mean among the fellows. Why,
they stick to her like flies to mo-
lasses."
THE more fools they"
IF report says correctly you are one
Of the biggest fools of the lot. But
how did Miss Ripley injure Alec Win
ston?"
"You see, they were skating together,
Alec skating backward, Billie forward.
For some time she had been trying to
stir up bad blood between Alec and
Horace Farrar by exercising that dia-
bolical smile of hers
"You mean that seductive SMILE"
whatever you like to call it. Any
way, she first encouraged one. then
the other She was skating with Alec.
He, having his eyes in the front in
stead of the back Of his head, couldn't
see Farrar skating behind him with
to back, Billie thought 1t would be a
| fine thing to steer Alec against Horace.
| When they struck Alec's feet went UP
in the air. and he went down on the
back of his head"
That's too bad. hope he didn't
crack his SKULL
1.-THE doctor says not He says there's
conclusion OF the BRAIN"
WAS Billie hurt?'
"Hurt! No. Such persons never gel
hurt. They are protected by Satan
| whom they serve. Billie went down
but forward, not backward. and fel
partly on Alec"
There was a pause in the dialogue, a
the end of which James Barnet said t,
Charlie Bates:
Charlie, this is serious matter To-
all you fellows who have gone daft OF
Miss Ripley"
what do you mean?" asked Bates
looking at his friend anxiously.
"Why. she'll be badly broken up a
the serious result of her innocent play
fulness."
"Call it devilishness."
"She'll inquire a dozen times da.
after Alec, sending him spoon fodde
and flowers. AS soon as he gets wei
enough to see her she'll go to him, or.
a little, wonder II he'll ever forgiv
her, and the result will be that he1
take her in with no more resistance OF
her part than a jellyfish."
He'll be a fool If he does!" crie'
Bates excitedly, and, examining hi
hands down into the bottom Of hi
trousers pockets. he strobe up an
down the floor.
"You seem averse to Alec's bein
roped into the meshes Of this imp of
girl" remarked his friend.
Naturally. I've been there myself,
replied Bates.
"Where?'
"In Billie's good graces."
ooh! You have, eh? How long di
you stay?"
"An evening""
"And the next day?"
81 was reduced to the ranks an
Alec was promoted"
81 should think that you'd covet n
e venge on Alec"
3 "Oh. Alec is an inoffensive sort Of
] fellow. He was quite smart boy bt
: fore he had that fever. l don't blam
= him. My wrath is all for the girl"
q you'd better keep 1t hot"
s "What hot?'
!. "Your wrath. Suppose 1t should COZ
q and Billie should take hold Of 20
!. again. Where would you beF'
!. do you take me for an idiotT'
= AZ take you for what we men all al
In the matter of women. So long.
must be moving on"
= A week later the two friends MI
= again.
Il say, Jim." said Charlie, you wei
!. all wrong about how that matter b
u tween Billie and Alec would turn out
= "How is thatf"
"Alec was only stunned. He wa
II up and about the next day."
"How about Miss Ripley"
"The thing sobered her"
"How do you known
{, "How do l know? Why she to
= me So"
"When?"
y "Last night"
. "At what hour?'