Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1918-03-07
CHAPTER l..
Az tho Grand Canon.

II was in tie billiard-room OF the
Grand Canon Hotel that first met
Laredo, Evelyn and Dayton. I re-
member that 1t was ten.thirty by my
watch, which / had Just consulted at
my wife's request; and she had gone
mp to our suite. Dual also had decid.
ed on going up, and l was the only
member of our party who did not feel
like turning in.
Some of my old habits Of the days
when ] was q newspaper reporter still
clung to me, and made me always
hate to hunt my bed before midnight.
Dual offered to see Connie to our
suite, and I strolled into the billiard
room to watch a game, il there hap
pened to be good one in progress.
i always loved billiards and pool.
But there was little doing. A couple
of college boys were waging a noisy
contest in one end of the place, with
a great deal of boasting and acclaim
when one of them CHANGED to pocket
a ball. The rest of the room was emp
ty save for myself and three persons
"a woman and two men.
It was the woman who at first at
tracted my attention. She was
beauty of the pure Saxon-Norman
type, II you know what I mean. She
was blonde, with straight, regular
features, pink-and-white-skin which
looked firm, vividly red lips, blue eyes
and actually golden hair. In height
she was about five feet four; and just
as came In she was bending over the
table to execute shot, so that her
1.-the figure was thrown into strik-
ingly aluring outline by her posture.
AS l took seat not too close for a
tactful inspection, she made sue
cessful essay on her ball, and straight
ened up with a smile, dropping her
cue to the floor with little thud of
the butt.
"Bravo!" exclaimed one of the
men. "Senor Dayton, we must look
to our laurels or we lose them. Be
hold a still further argument in favor
of votes for women, is it not? That
was a truly masculine shot"
The girl laughed. "How you men
always compare everything to the
masculine Standard" she retorted
"Your shot, Spencer, think"
The third member of the party
squinted at the cue ball. "Sewed me
up, what?" he remarked in deep bass
He was a brown-haired chap, with
eyes of the same color, and ruddy,
British skin, a good chin and a firm
Tipped but pleasant mouth. Plainly,
the girl and the one she addressed as
Spencer were English. The other
member Of their table was not easy
to place.
He was swarthy, slender, supple,
yet with good breadth of shoulder
and a thinness of flank almost sug-
gesting an Indian type.
AS to face, his was an elongated
oval, high in the cheek bones, with a
sharply bridged nose. His hair, worn
rather long, was straight black, and
brushed directly back from his high
and narrow forehead. His lips were
thin, and lay firmly together in way
which indicated strong voluntary
habit of control.
Withal, there was a hint of a high
Spanish type in his features, and
finally decided that he might be a
Mexican of the better sort-one OF
hose families which have maintained
their integrity ever since the Spanish
invasion of the country to the south.
Spencer, or Dayton, as man and girl
had called him, made his shot and
missed. Laredo barred his teeth ant
lifted his cue. "a now, Mees Win
garde, behold" he exchanged.
/ have seen good playing. have
even thought myself a good shot a
times, but never have l seen a fine
exhibition of skill than followed
Ball after ball dropped into th'
pockets in swift, unerring succession
The fellow literally swept the table
and stopped only when there wal
nothing more to accomplish. He Sc
down his cue and bowed.
"Ungallant," said Miss Wingarde
pouting her lips. "You might have lef
me one little chance at the end"
MY utdr iduy, ne Ieloiteu'
thousand pardons. But forgot"
He spread out his hands, which
had watched throughout his playing
Long, supple, nervously tense the
were. AS they had held his accurat
cue on ball after ball, had found
pleasure in regarding their calculates
adroitness. watched them agai
now, as he swept them wide in gei
ture of apolOgetic depreciation.
mo matter" the girl was saying
1--WE had enough. Take me up nov
Spencer: think I'm trifle tired"
mo more?" queried Laredo, tr
fling with the cue.
She shook her head. Thanks, NO
It is useless. Coed night"
Mics Wingarde and Dayton move
I, of. The other followed them wit
i his eyes until he left the room ant
confess, did not like the momel
tary expression which swept over hi
L.