Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-05-31
II decline to do so."

dlOuhu TIC dutOs AAC AOAS"SAs
chasing her In a circle. She was too
feet for him. He was strong, but she
vas agile. At every stop there would
| he the pretty face brimming with mis-
chief, her eyes riveted on him that she
should Re ready for his slightest move.
| Finally he gave it up.
"Did Cook send you out to do this?"
"Yes"
"Well, suppose 1 shall have to lose
| the bet"
THAT isn't necessary"
"What do you mean"
"That if you ask me to give you what
I have taken 1 will do So"
"On what conditions?"
mo conditions"
"No conditions! What do you mean?"
81 mean that 1 agreed with Hum
| phrey for a dozen pairs of gloves to
come out and delay you. Please don't
| ask me why prefer not to do So"
She cast down her eyes, and her
meaning was plain. She had "gone
soft" on Champlin.
| She handed him the nut He replaced
| 1t, and in another minute they were
shooting again along the road.
Champlin was delighted. Cook had
| very nearly got ahead of him-would
| have got ahead of him had it not been
that the girl had taken so great
| fancy to him that she hadn't the heart
| to do him. What a splendid joke it
| would be ON Cook and the party who
| were present at the making Of the bet
| when Champlin and Miss Hood rolled
| up to the hotel on time! Miss
Hood hadn't even asked for the gloves
her cousin had offered her to help him
win them. Champlin told her that as
soon as he received the stakes he
would give them to her and she could
change them for ladies' gloves. In
stead of being pleased at this, she ap-
peared to be very much hurt. Champ
lin begged her to tell him why, and
she replied that she had not consented
to be turncoat for bribe This left
him to understand that she had done
it all for him. There was a very ten
der scene between them. at the end of
which the misunderstanding was made
up, and for the rest of the journey
Miss Cook held the steering wheel,
while Mr. Champlin's arm was about
her waist.
There were no more delays. On ap-
preaching the city, having still an
hours leeway, they concluded to stop
at convenient place and get the dust
out Of their throats with an ice.
Champlin left the lady for a brief sea-
son while he poured out something
more effective than an ice In doing
away with dust. On rejoining her they
partook Of the ices and resumed their
journey.
What are you smiling at?'' asked
Miss Hood of her companion.
"Oh, l was thinking how surprised
that cousin of yours will be when we
roll up on time. That was a rascally
proceeding Of his. and it deserved to
fail. If you hadn't been the dearest
girl in the world it would have sue
ceeded. But just think of his surprise
when he hears of the other part of it."
He managed to get hold of her hand
with his left. holding on to the wheel
with one hand, and they bowled along
In this way until they met another
conveyance.
And now the dome of the capitol
with the figure perched upon it loomed
up faint in the distance 1t was not
long before the outskirts of the city
were reached, and half an hour before
the time limit had expired they stopped
at the ladies' entrance Of the - ho-
tel. A liveried servant advanced and
said:
"Mr. Cook and party Of ladies and
gentlemen are In a private dining room
waiting for you, sir"
Entering the room, Champlin expect.
ed to find Cook eager to know why his
scheme had failed. Instead Cook hand
ed his cousin dozen pairs of ladies'
gloves. After this he put out his hand
to Champlin.
Il congratulate you, old boy, with all
my heart on your engagement"
Champlin stood mute with astonish-
ment.
Champ, old boy" added Cook, "you
need an explanation. To make You
lose l sent my cousin Jack out to ef-
feet an entrance into your auto and de-
lay you ON the way. If she succeeded
she was to have dozen pairs of gloves
for reward. She has lost the gloves.
THAT'S plain" said Champlin.
| well, there was bet between Jack
and me Of another dozen pairs of
| gloves against hundred cigars that
she would make you propose to her on
| the way"
| Champlin looked so many emotions
OF which astonishment and shame
facedness were the most prominent
that all burst into laugh, in which
he finally joined Then, turning t.
Miss Hood, he advanced. with a puz
zled, inquiring look on his face.
WAS it all a sham?" he asked.
She made no reply in words. but {
slight color rising to her cheeks indi
Gated that the brief period she hat
Il