The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1924-12-25
Catcl En- Young
or Old
By H. LOUIS RAYBoLD
(copyright.)

that if you marry little flapper you
can mold her to your ways, while I be-
lieve that a woman who is already set
tied In ways you admire is preferable"
"Humph!" commented Henry Fow-
Ter. "Two confirmed bachelors like
ourselves discussing marriage! But
I'll wager my Super-eight sedan
against your new Sussex roadster that
when you fall, it'll be for some young
thing that doesn't know enough to go
in when it rains, unless her complexion
begins to run-and that l shall do like
wisew
"Done!" shouted George so vehe-
mently that Henry jumped.
"All right, old man." soothed his
friend. Don't get excited. Dining
with the Enderbys this evening?
Thought likely. Nice people" And
he relapsed into his newspaper.
Henry did not know that friend
Georges vehemence arose from the
fact that he feared the very contin-
gency predicted.
Helen Enderby had a very fiapper-
ish daughter as pretty as two pictures.
Gabrielle her name was, and that was
only one Of many things about her
which George did not fancy.
Yet she fascinated George in spite
of himself.
"a nice wife for somebody" he
liked to say to himself, when she
grows up"
He would be too old then-most as
old as Henry Fowler was now, who
was old enough to be the girls father.
Yet Henry, at that, he reflected, often
took Gabrielle out and thereby reused
In George a demon of jealousy.
He was to dine this evening at the
usual-a habit started
ut the time of the death of John En-
derby, when he had stepped in as an
old friend of the family to shift some
of the suddenly imposed burden Of
care from Helen's fragile shoulders. A
wonderful woman, Helen! AS unlike
Gabrielle as an Easter lily is unlike a
giddy poppy.
After supper when Gabrielle had de-
parted somewhere or other with some
body or other, Helen confided certain
worries to him.
81 am troubled, George" she said,
"about my little girl I am afraid she
Is getting too fond of Henry Fowler. I
don't know finer man, but, George,
he's my age! Gabrielle should marry
a young chap. Even you are nearer
her age than Henryw
Thanks, dear lady" And George
arose and bowed. "But what can we
1oy
Couldn't you 60 around little
more with her yourself?" Helen put
the question tentatively. "Cut in on
Henry. If she really loves him, and
he is really serious, that will show it
up. If not, she will get over what is:
mere infatuatiOn."
This was the moment for George to-
play safe and wash his hands of the
dangerous Gabrielle. But did he? Quite
The contrary. He stood up and squared
MS shoulders. "My dear Helen. I
stand always ready to do you any
service in my power" he assured her
calamity.
A very thorough person was George
when once committed to line of &C.
ion, and he straightaway began
absorption Of Gabriella's'
time.
Came day when the four of them
nol ,,,o%oro5 4,
Ear and were returning slowly down
the drive. Gabrielle, who was driv-
ng, was dividing her attention be-
tween the wheel and the panoramic
river lights. Suddenly down steep
grade at the left plunged an uncon-
trolled and empty car.
Instinctively Gabrielle pressed the
accelerator. AS result, the car, in
stead of smashing into the machine
sideways, crashed by and over the
bank. but as it did so the rear fender
for a second the very end Of
the fender of the Enderby machine,
throwing it violently across the road
where, hitting the curb, it toppled
over.
Fifteen minutes later Gabrielle
awoke to consciousness and became
aware of a crowd of people, among
whom she singled out Henry and her
mother. Where was George? Killed,
Of course. She stirred a trifie.
Darling Gabriella," came voice in
her ear, and she found she was lying
IN a mans arms. George was alive!
But it was shock more than actual
hurt which had affected her, and in a
few days she was herself again.
George, permitted to see her after a
week of suspense, wondered to see
how rosy were her cheeks-how nat
urally rosy!
Just after he had slipped plati--
mum, jewel-studded band on her slen-
der finger, "How did you discover you
loved met" Gabrielle asked him.
$50 long ago / can't recallr' de-
clared George fatuously and not al
together truthfully.
But later he hunted up Henry at the
club as man who is in duty bound
to pay his debts.
'You win," he said "Pm engaged
to the sweetest little f1apper livingt
You laughed at my 'catch-'em-old'
theory, and you were right. Catch
is infinitely better, and"
LII \