The Coolidge examiner., 1932-05-13
CROSS
MATCHED
By MARTHA NJ. WILLIAMS

WEN flung up her arms, yawn-
~ ing, whereupon Elsie asked:
"How's the book? Any good?"
Gwen yawned again. Deadly
stupid, writer-man hasn't got a
thing to say-and keeps on saying
it in all the moods and lenses"
you. shock me deeply" Elsie
flung back. rising. "A gift book.
too. Whatever shall we say to the
author-sender?"
write him straight off--say we
can't wait to thank him until after
reading Gwen counseled.
But you don't intend to tell him
what you think?" from Elsie.
Gwen sighed saying: Truths
not merely brutal but unpopular.
Why hurl large chunks of it at the
poor soul who never did you the
least bit of harmT'
The two were real friends, in
spite of being kinswomen, and
doomed to live in the same wide
plantation, miles from everywhere,
but in auto-reach of almost any
where a well-conditioned fancy
might choose TO stray. Elsie was
statuesque, Gwen roguishly pretty
They were neither exactly rich ncr
poor. Elsie herself was biding her
time, being the sort that wears well,
and reaches full blow arounG
thirty. Long before that time Gwen
would marry somebody-somebodl
other than Newell Blair whom she
had teased and flouted since the
era of short f1ocks, in spite Of his
money, and his pedigree. Both were
exactly what Elsie had set her mind
on-therefore she waited.
Charles Joseph Seaforth had
seemed mamma from heaven-he
was good looking, had an air of dis
tinction. Elsie had done her best
to make him see in Gwen an en-
chantress, but had had her trouble
for nothing. His book had come to
her, the first copy off the press, he
wrote with a fiorid inscription that
was yet prudently vague. Crafty
she had given Gwen the first read
ing, hoping by doing so TO quicken
her interest in the books writer.
Gwen had turned the tables BY
insisting that Elsie was In courtesy
bound TO acknowledge the gift al
once. Frownlng. Elsie set herself
at the task, but stopped short after
the date-line TO stare at re
splendent car purring to a halt at
the front steps Seaforth and New
ell Blair sprang from il and rushed
inside almost without knocking
Elsie held out both hands 10 them
as she rose. crying: Luck indeed
Saves me a hard job-trying TO tell
you all we think of THE BOOK IN
writing. I've only part of an opin.
ion now. Gwen hasn't let me read
more than snatches-says she can't
eat nor sleep. until she knows how
1t all turns out"
mighty kind of her." from Sea.
forth.
Blair scowled-hard. Maybe
can break the SPELL" he growled
making for the back piazza. Ovens
special happy haunt. In a minute
he was back. book in hand, Gwen
tucked possessively under his arm
II am taking her for a drive in the
new car, so she shan't poster you
two any mere" he said, tossing the
book to Elsie.
mighty glad TO see yon-but
really this is so sudden" she
smiled at Seaforth.
II simply had TO come-to know
what you thought-nothing else
understanding in all the world"
he said huskily. Somehow the
book is selling amazingly-or !
shouldn't have dared-it Is all
have. you know-except hope-and
| love you"
Elsie felt herself profoundly
shaken, but completely dazed.
How can you like me? A plain
country girl, when you have seen so
much of cities?"
Because you are my dream.
What l hoped for and never thought
to find" he said stepping back a
pace, the better to look into her
eyes. you know shouldn't be
here. but for Blair-the noblest fel.
low alive. You see. wrote him
asking whether he was my rival
that was my black dread-he had
so much, l, almost nothing. He an
swered me, man to man: TO me
there is just one possible wife in all
the world. Her name is Gwendo-
line Trevor-unless she comes to
me of her own good will, | shall be
lone man all my life And then
actually he came for me-brought
me to his home two days back
rested me there, and heartened me
for-the crisis of my fate. Funny
he says you are the finest woman
living-much too fine for the gen.
eral run of men-but he could not