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Show ' A WISHING GAME I : By M. M'CULLOCH-WILLIAM8 I I VCopyrlgtit, lli, li' Un McUumi eI.l. pr Syndicate ) "Let's piny 'li on.' UN the only wny we'll ever get thing," Joe said. tr)lng to speak lightly, but fulling Vniher plteously. Leillo 'smiled softly. "You tlrM " she said.' "1 luivo to bo shown, jou know. W'Mi me what you will." "Oh! First, mi Kaiter bonnet, l"i n towering feather on It," Joe halt chanted,' 'adding with a gilnmee, "Might ns well wish you n crown." "(Jot nil the crown I pine for n martyr's." Leslie retorted. Then, with n little laugh: "Joe. you were m-rlo for grandeur. I wish on you n P.uN frock the last wonl of fashion nnd nil that goes' with It; n motorcar, of course, nnd, equally of course, u husband hus-band to provide It." "You generous person I" Joe cried, standing on one foot nnd swinging the other. For u moment sho was u figure of Joy, all -worries forgotten In the picture pic-ture of her Imaginary self. "Only please wish the right husband. I couldn't bare him If bo was bald or had n 'face that sat propped on a double dou-ble chln- "I must sny you're over nice. Never look aglft-husbaml In the mouth," Leslie Les-lie flung back. They thought themselves alone In their uunfa house n big house, beautifully beau-tifully furnished, with nil save love. She gavo Its shelter rather grudgingly to those children of her sister nnd her brother. Through an open window came the whiff of a fine cigar; following It, tho slight stir of one rising from u rather creaky steamer chair. Joe started violently, vio-lently, whispering: "Tho Sultan must be hero I How did it happen, ull unknown un-known by us?" "Cnine by airplane, most likely," Leslie Les-lie returned ns cautiously. "But I'm wondering how long ago. Suppose only suppose he ovci heard 1" "Better death,'" Joe whimpered, striking strik-ing nn attitude, but giggling too much to hold It. Cautiously the pair crept Into the wide hall, up the stairs, down a corridor, nud at lust won a haven In their own special wing. A tiny window win-dow In it, almost obscuicd by vines, gave them a view of the plnzza outside out-side the library, where they hnd tulked. Yes, there oat the Sultan, otheiwlsu John Melton. "Easy, mind here. He looks ton wooden for anything. If he heard, he didn't understand," Joe commented, putting down tho glnsrcs through which 'she bad surveyed him. "I'd rather die a spinster almost," Joo said plaintively. She hnd tho glasses again. Through them the plaKzn showed show-ed very near. Hence she suw clearly n dog, whining, frothing, whirling, dnrt round the kiV of it and leap toward the unsuspecting sitter.- One,, twice, thrice the mad brute sprang, but Joe saw only the first lenp. With Leslie at her heels she run to the stranger's help: None too soon. Asathey i-itme upou him, he stood tense, jaws set, bnnds locked about thn dog's throat, holding It uwny from him with the, strength of u giant. "Get something a blanket thicker the better," he ordered, over Ids. shoulder shoul-der at pound of footsteps. Leslie darted to" fetch a heavy steamer rug., Joe. limited cord clothesline, clothes-line, .strong and flexible How- she did It she never khey,, but lu some fnsldon a daugl'ng. noose of the ,cbrd caught over Uie suarllng., strangling muzzle nnd (vns 'deftly drnwu, tuut. Then, a cast of tho robe liiudu the creature Ijelpless. "Sow, please,, 1,'ui very lone-some. lone-some. Won't you, let pit' In the game?" "You listened!" Joj cried.- Melton nodded. "Nutiiltig elso I could do," lie HuinulinosTplulntlvely. "You know tho dovtriueiof necessity exenseg njtnost npythljig." ; J "If oniy weluiLkuovvii,""Lefcilemur- ,nurd- , t .h A fortnight Inter he nsked .Joo to marry him, and marveled thut she turned as white His dentil' while fIio listened. When heuiilu'il her answer she. turned from htm, walked Jho room length ,l Ito, then stopped dn.id, Laying, Lay-ing, ''You've made a mistake. You don't wtuit tut Leslie " "Whut of her?" .Melton nskeil. Joe rlinked. 'but 'wi'nt mi tinivnle; "Tnko her out of- ull this. Klip Is ul-moat ul-moat mud from it. I wunt, her to bo happy. No mutter about me." 4 "She shall bo happy. We will not lene her hero. But )uu must tuke me, or thut cuu't happen," Mi-ldm sold gaily. Joe looked uwny. "Shu won't go," tihi) snld. "Ask her." Melton retmmtl. Miillli'g whimsically. And lj' ioro Joo could sp'enU tlu'io wns Leslie light behind her, saying with happy tears: "Dear gill, lUls ull right!" |