The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-11-04
The Wretched
Deceiver
BY r. RAY BAKER

the cares of social llfe." murmured
Winnie Atom, as the cool breeze OF
Little Traverse bay caressed her brow.
She was speaking to Leonard Brock
well. who sat on the hotel veranda be-
side her, striking imaginary flies on
the railing with his dainty cane
Leonard was not dainty. He was
! more than six feet tall and the muscles |
of perfect physique rippled under his
| Palm Beach suit. He was cookbook
Ing blond young man.
Winnie was the dainty one being
fashionably slim and only five feet
three In height. She was pro-
nounced brunette, and n summer-whte
frock with tilted pink hat made her
look exquisite.
"Yes. tits So" replied Leonard, sti-
fling n yawn and watching a lake
steamer loaf into Petoskey harbor.
"But, do you know. what appeals to me
most Is to get away from driving the
everlasting motorcars. I've had so
much of II was glad to leave the
cars In the garage and be able to
stretch my legs without depending on
gasoline"
you're right" Winnie agreed.
"Driving motors bores me 10 death"
Poor. pretending winnlel Her So
cial obligations consisted of an occa-
sional visit to dancing assembly back
in Chicago, when she was not too tired
from her activities behind the silk
counter. And all the motor she had
ever driven was the relic that did
service on Aunt Martha's farm in cen
trail Ohio, where she spent last years
vacation.
For four years Winnie had saved
money, and II would have remained
In the bank where II was put II II had
not been for Phoebe Williams.
All Phoebe had done was to go and
get married. In some manner she had
caught rich man. and now when she
strutted into the store she left an cleo
trlc out In front
That had set Winnie thinking, and
she had come to the conclusion the
only way to enjoy life was to have all
the money one wanted and It seemed
the only way to such an attainment
was by means Of the matrimonial knot.
Her roommate had agreed, In so far
as the latter part OF winnie's philos-
ophy was concerned.
"It's done lots and lots Of times, '
the chum declared, "and the rich men
are hooked the easiest Mt summer re-
sorts. All you need is enough dough
TO live In style for a few weeks al
one Of those places, and the hrs'
thing you know some son Of the idle
rich Is proposing TO you. It's easy
they say. but for me, I'll stick to jim
q Wilson, even II he Is just truck
d driver"
70 That looked good-not the truck
driver, but the summer resort Idea
IN so when vacation time came Winnie
=. drew her seven hundred dollars from
: the bank. Invested a considerable por
!, ton of II In clothing and took a steam
"A er for northern Michigan. At Petoske!
she took n room In hotel close to thu
= shore of the bay and began her cam
). paign.
Winnie had the looks and personal
Ity TO win and at the start the youni
~ men staying at the hotel paid homag
=. to her. One of them, frail anemi
:, youth who never drew breath un
= favored with cigarette smoke, pro
;" posed the second night she was there
but somehow. for all OF his eviden
ed wealth, Winnie could not bring her
eo self to accept. She stlll retained girl
u. hood Ideas In which marriage minu
~ love did not ft
ne In the first week Winnie had thre
er proposals to her credit and five hun
he dred dollars on the other side Of tn
ed ledger She was progressing famousl,
'r- but she was not satisfied. All the me
nd who had placed themselves In her maj
OF ket were wealthy, no doubt; but the
ht were insipId parasites, clinging for III
II t8 the riches their more ambitious IA
m. theirs had accumulated.
he Then along came Leonard Brocl
de well. and she fell In love with hin
To be sure, the wealth that was ey
he dent in his dress and bearing attrac
ed her as much as his handsome al
A." pearance; but before she had know
nd him twenty.four hours the none
question faded into inslgnlficance b.
fore the mans wonderful personalit,
She feared she would lose him, :
er. she felt obliged to continue the PR
AN tense she had begun, which accounte
"" for her reference now and then TO ht
on, Social sphere back home.
On the fourth night the china
,on came. They walked along the beacl
ex. in the light Of a full moon whic
ur- turned the blue OF the water to burr
ished silver. They sat in an arbor {
GO. trees and there he proposed, and 81
a accepted
mo "The only girl ever could begin
,th love" he breathed, and she told hi
,va similar things; and they were II
,oo truth.
"" p,. xytnuia had N conscianca and