The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1920-07-02
THE ~PLAGlARIsTs
BY ELLEN M. O

- i'S'">' NA&tN st L1d~I u t9%tIi
Young cnlIe@ianS had gathered to dis
cuss plans for tpe,r COMMENCEMENT
Week, Dick I.ane il going IL accom-
/ pasiS Icy Dr&us Ut tie cg.a,aenpe-
meat exercises"
Really" they c~hor~sed. "Who
told YOU
"Ncvcr mind how l heard, but i. is
true answered Ruth.
We'll, Lucy is one ahead just now,
isn't she?' suggested Mary.
"Of course, we all know that the
thousand-doIlar prize will rest be
tween them. also continued Ruby.
Il can hardly wait to see who wins
it. Naturally, | would like to see
Claire victorious, as She is from my
home town"
The prize was To be given to the
student who wrote the best AesiS on
any n subject Of ten given by the
faculty. The four scholars who had
attained the highest mark in English.
during their senior year at school
were eligible TO enter the contest.
Lucy was making her way UP 20 her
o just as Claire emerged from it.
Good evening, Claire" She said
very pleasantly.
"Oh. good evening. Lucy. I thought
You were in your room, n dropped
i'm TO see if YOU had any extra stamps,
So it wouldn't be necessary to jour
ney out for some"
Claire sauntered down the corridor.
while Lucy closed herself i'm her NJ
"a slight wonder in her mind.
1t was glorious the neXt afternoon.
The diplomas We're awarded. Now
II was time for the prize essays to be
read.
The first one opened and read "A
contributed by Amy Tudor. Clever
presentation of the subject. Pulled
forth quite a deal If enthusiasm.
During the reading Of the next,
everybody vas intensely interested.
and it was plain hat 1t was making
a wonderful impression. (Iaire'> face
WIN dtttdut NuSh tH0 IVoNCi SlpnV
her nanle as belonging to the above.
During the reading of the third.
which was not Lucy'S. she sat very
still. between her uncle and Dick. She
was almost positive that what she
wro,e far exceeded Claire's. and she
she felt assured that they We're out OF
the race.
1t was time for hers-She could not
for the feeling at her heart.
Ey this time her envelope was open.
The president. gasped. and all
dumbfounded held a blank paper be-
fore the astonished audience.
Everything went black before Lucy.
The next day Lucy read in all the
papers of Claire.S triumph. Her heart
was broken. She couldn't understand.
Dick anne over to spend the day with
her. He and her uncle tried To dis
cuss the affair with her. but She re-
fused to talk. She was like n in Il
trance.
Her uncle waS greatly disappointed.
He had placed SO much faith in her
sincerity and ability.
Late in the next fall, her old uncle's
days were few. one afternoon while
Lucy and Dick We're sitting at the
bedside Of the old MAJ II letter came
Ia Lucy. She opened il and almost
deyoWed its contents. Dick noticed
tie amazed expression on her face.
As he was about TO question her i
sensed it and shook her head in the
negative. Shortly after her uncle
asked to be propped up OF some pill
lows SO that he might look ut both
his children. rs he called them. Lucy
and Dick proppel him up to comply
with his wishes.
Lucy" he family said, Il have not
long to live and before l ct, dear
child. won't you as a favor tell me
how that blank sheet of paper got
MO the envelope?"
'Uncle." she said. 81 never knew
myself until this afternoon ard nov
you shall know"
She drew forth a letter from the
pocket Of Her frnck and read aloud:
"near Lucy-Inclosed fintl check
for 81 900 which by all rights belongs
TO YOU. Of course the homer OF af-
~rempanying it is gone, never To coine
back. l can't ask You to forgive me.
as | am unable to forgive myself.
Lucy. / happened TO pick up your
notebook one day and read the outline
Of your thesis. l NEW In my heart
that I could never excel or ever equal
it.
"You remember the night when you
met me coming from your Don when
| asked you for the stamp? Well.
that was when it all happened. The
day previous l was over to dads lab
oratOry. He showed me some ink that
he prepared which would fade within
"a hours. l brought some back with
me and substituted 1t in place of your
own ink. That accounts for the blank
sheet Of paper.
ut has nearly killed me-the
thoughts Of 1t. I'm sorry. Can you
forgive? OF course not. but. Lucy.