Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1918-02-16
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CALLED HIS BLUFF.

by SADIE oLcorr.

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<cepSisht. 1917. Western Newspaper unionJ
4 Miss Cherborough had the reputa-
zion OF being the most pronounced CO.
Quetfe. In the city In which she lived.
"A NO would be seen 10 be attentive
70 her. would become more and more
aHentive. would send eifts-of course
without intrinsic value-principally
bowers. and everybody would suppose
That an engagement was 10 be an
|nounced. when, prestoi the gentleman
would suddenly be called away. At
any rate his attentions 70 Miss Cher
borough would cease. Then In the
course Of a few months or n few
weeks, he would be replaced by an
other zID;er who would proceed along
the same lines. Not infrequently there
would be several OF these gentlemen
trying TO climb the ladder at the same
time.
One morning when the postman call
ed. as usual at breakfast time. he
left a letter for Miss Cherborough.
on the left-hand corner OF which was
the Official stamp: "wilietts and Les
iiee Attorneys at Law" The young
lady looked at the stamp curiously,
then opened and read the letter:
I'VE are instructed by our client. Mr..
John Fleetwood. 20 bring suit against
you for breach-of-promise Of mar
riage. He claims damages TO the
amount Of $4,000. We write You,
trusting that the matter may be set
tied out Of court. with view to avoid
ing litigation. and the consequent ex-
pense."
Members Of the family were nj the
table, but Miss Cherborough was
in the habit OF keeping her own coun-
sci about her love affairs, she tucked
the letter In her blouse without com
menting on Il. When she had finished
the meal she went 20 her room and her
composure gave way TO n rapidly beat
ling heart.
II was not that she judged the note
TO be serious In a legal point OF view,
but In n game OF hearts she had been
playing she knew II TO be bold stroke
on the part Of her opponent. She knew
that Mr.. Fleetwood would not take
money from her even II she had money
to pay. Nor would he stoop 10 pun
1sh her for having led him on 20 n pro-
posal, and then rejected him. He was
too good a sportsman at the game for
that. But what did Il rEean1 That
was the question. After due consid-
erasSe she decided II was a blum. and
wPote the attorneys that she had never
promised TO marry Mr.. Fleetwood.
therefore she owed him nothing.
Back came letter from them stat
ing that Mr.. Fleetwood had In his pos
session letters from Miss Cherborough
: which would prove his case. At this
1 Miss Cherborough WINGED. She was
not conscious OF having written line
to Mr.. Fleetwood, but she was not sure.
On the return OF different patches OF
letters she had written various suit
ors. shsA had been surprised at her
lack orchution in expressing herself.
Miss Cherborough did not know
whether Mr.. Fleetwood loved her or
not; and she was quite sure that as
for any real love for him she had kept
him In the dark. This threatened suit
was likely. in some way unknown TO
her, intended 20 draw out an answer
to this question. She wrote the law
yers saying that II she had ever writ
ten love letters To their client she did
not remember having done so. The re-
ply was that unless some proposition
for a settlement was forthcoming with
N week suit would be commenced.
This would involve the publication OF
her letters which Mr.. Fleetwood would
very much regret.
Miss Cherborough's weak point was
that she did not know II these letters
existed or whether they were n gi-
gantic blum. There was something In
Mr.. Fleetwood's audaclous method that
won her, and for the first time In her
life she was ready TO tumble TO this
singular wooing. But-suppose she
gave In and offefed TO settle the case
by agreeing to fulfil her promise to
marry the plaintiff. might he not sting
her by saying that he had changed his
mind? After valnly trying TO find
some way out OF the dilemma she
wrote the attorneys that II Mr.. Fleet
wood would show her any written evil
dence that she had said she loved him
and had promised 10 be his wife she
would not break the pledge, but would
fulfill II by marrying him,
A considerable time elapsed between
the sending OF this letter and the re-
ply. The delay meant 10 Miss Cher
borough that either Mr.. Fleetwood had
no suc1 letters, or that he did not
want to marry her. But II the game
was worth the playing IL meant that
the plaintiff was trying 10 win the
defendant.
Finally the attorneys wrote that II