The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1921-01-17
The Challenge
BY oTILLIA 2. PFEIFFER
%. lgs0. ws.lsrn Nsw.papsr Union }

Merrill, ..~.
"Indecd not" denantly retorted
Madge Preston with toss OF her
head. "Why. Irving would never cn-
courage clnndestlne meeting with
some apparent bold coquettc or silly
schoolgirl"
"That is 10 be seen, II you ngrco
TO the test" asserted Dora. snow,
dear, here we are-wlnnle Law. Tcs.
sic Blake. you and -four engaged
girls went down TO Oryllc. picked
ont sample picture Of vcv charm.
Ing young girl at n photographers,
had four duplicates made, and we arc
TO send four letters 10 our unsuspect.
ing swaIns, enclosing n picture and
asking each one TO meet the writer,
who signs herself Stella, at the cor
ner OF the little park opposite my
cunts Thursday evening at eight"
Suppose your four victims COM
pare notes and suspect a tricky"
"Ohl they won't. That isn't ~
mans way" Insisted Dora confidently.
"Just think how we will enjoy seeing
those four embarrassed ones hanging
around awaiting the writer Of the
gushing motel"
'Threc. you mcan-Irvlng Will never
come" declared Madge definitely.
ave shall see."
Clyde Barton. Wallace Templeton
and Shirley Branston were close
chums. Irving Dclman was new
conner and somewhat out of their
friendly circle Now, Clyde. keen-wlt-
ted and resourceful, happened TO meet
little Ned Merrill, who was carrying
the four letters TO post. and had
glance nj their superscriptlon. When
he received one Of them. he went at
once TO rempleton and Branston. The
.rlo chucked. They saw through the
shallow trick played upon them, at
tributed II TO the girls. admired the
photographs, and kept them.
"Well have some fun twltting the
girls about their adventure after II Is
all over said Clyde.
Irving Delman received his letter
and was about TO tear II up and for
get II. when he fell 10 studying the
picture. He examined It closely. even
to the photographers name on the
back. lie looked surprised and then
thoughtful and grave.
"What can II mean?" he solllo-
qulzed. "If II Is really Miss Page.
then Burlegh Gray has been greatly |
mistaken In his estimation Of his
fancee. But there Is some mistake,
and am going TO explore this mys-
terry"
At seven o'clock on the appointed
Thursday evening the four girls met
at the home of Ora's aunt. They en-
sconced themselves In an unllghted
room commanding perfect view of
the little park less than a square In
size just across the road. All but
Madge were bubblng over with ex-
element and jolllty. She sat dlsdaln-
fully silent
A few minutes before eight o'clock
the telephone rang In the next room.
Dora hurried to answer the call. She
all Hutter with animation.
"0h, girls what do you Think" she
ratified on. "The call was from Clyde.
He, Wallace and Shirley are at our
house and have learned in some way
hat we are to be home at nine and
are waiting for US"
"Can they have seen through our
title plot?" suggested Winnie.
Probably not, but they are good
,oys, you see, after all. Look look !
ook |"
Breathlessly the group noted fig
Ire pass along the outside park walk.
'fadge suppressed great gasp. The
'thers settled their glances upon the
'bject of their interest. 1t was Irv-
ne Delmar.
There was dead silence In the room.
)elman walked leisurely along as
hough looking for some one. For half
n hour he acted the man expecting
0 meet some person by special ap-
ointment. Finally he consulted his |
ratch, shrugged his shoulders and |
vent away. |
While Dora, Winnie and Tesse had +
cit triumphant at the fact that
retty girls photograph and clever !,
' devised love letter had not affected
or tempted their lovers in the least,
ney were seriously sorry for Madge. Il
he declined going with them to t
'ora's home, left them summarily, and t
ley knew that she was deeply affect c
by the episode Of the evening.
The following day Madge returned ,
, Irving Delman his letters, his gifts :
nd the engagement ring. She re- =
uested him to seek no explanation n
this summary procedure. Warm II
earted Clyde Barton was the person :
no ferreted out the inside of the af- =
lir before the weel, was out.
"Dora, that was cruel trick
yainst Delman," he said. at Is true
! went 10 the park in reply to the
tier, but only because by some fear II
Il mischance the photograph you se- I'll
cted Is that Of a fiancee of his te
osest friend down at Orvile. 1t was II,
s interest In him that caused him
do so. Tell Madge, and quickly, y
fore two true and earnest hearts "
e broken"
And, when the loyal eight were we'd in
ID, there was not one of the four is