The suburban citizen., 1902-04-12

! the top OF the CHI racing tndL pun
there is a house where boarders are re.
:eived during the summer months
| that is the scene of this story.
At the time of which l write all the
occupants of Cliff House were more or
less interested in a little comedy that
was being played out in their midst,
Comedy-or was it tragedy? For a
boy of twenty to be fooled and led
captive by an unscrupulous woman,
simply for her own ends, may be a
comedy from the woman's point Of
view, but it will certainly end in trag-
ady for the boy.
Nevertheless, Hugh Cameron being
his own master and alone in the world,
all those among whom for the time
being his lot was cast, waited placidly
for the inevitable denouement; all save
his hostess, Mrs. Miller, the friend Of
his dead mother
In a small sunny room at the back
OF the house Mrs. Miller sat thinking
one morning in July. Her eyes were
6xed with n far-away look upon the
hills that lay in a dark ridge against
the horizon. Her lips were com.
pressed, her brow knitted, her attl-
tude resolute and determined.
Suddenly the sound of footsteps in
the hall caught her ear. Rising from
her seat she went to the door, and
called:
"Mr Howard"
John Howard, the only permanent
boarder at Cliff House, and cashier in
the bank in town, came in, tall, spare
man of thirty-five, with n plain but
pleasing face, and a manner that
stamped him unmistakably as a gen
tleman. The troubled look passed
from Mrs. Millers brow as he en-
tered, and she greeted him with a
smile.
Il have been thinking OF Hugh
Cameron" she said, as he came up to
the window where she was seated and
leant against it, looking down at her
bent head, with the coils of soft brown
hair only partially hidden by her wild.
ow's cap. Grace Miller had been a
widow at twenty.
The mans face clouded.
The boy is very dear to you" be
remarked, cynically.
Very" was the brief reply.
The cloud deepened perceptibly.
THAT he is considerably your ju-
nior does not matter-he is handsome
fascinating and rich"
She rose from her chair, and stood
beside him, laying her hand upon his
arm. Her voice trembled as she spoke
'He is the only son Of a dead friend
who was dearer to me than a sister,"
"Yet you have never seen him until
within the last year"
THAT makes no difference. I owe
it to his mother to care for her son"
she answered.
John Howard did not reply. A stray
breeze futtered the window curtain
and played with a soft tendril Of hair
that had escaped from beneath Mrs.
Miller's cap, but her thoughts were
only of the boy.
"Mr Howard-John-" she said at
last Il want you to help me-"
'In what way?" he asked. His tone
was without enthusiasm.
ITO help me to save Hugh Cameron
from the woman who would ruin him
body and soul.
How do you propose to do it,"
Il have a plan. l cannot send her
away from this house-he would fol.
low her. 1t is useless to expostulate
with him-he would not listen. No
one has any authority over him"
"Well?
There must be a counter and a
stronger attraction. Nothing else will
save him."
Where will you find such?
Her face flushed. Her head
dropped, but her voice was firm.
"In myself" she said.
He looked away through the window
again to where the lights and shadows
played on the soft, smooth turf, and
the bees droned drowsily n the sun.
shine. Her proposition did not strike
nam 40 w ctll-dsbuIeu OF egOllsIlCul
for to him she had long been the one
woman in the world.
She gathered courage and went on.
II do not think 1 am biased by van.
ity. All these years since l have had
this house / have striven, as you know,
to make myself look old BY my cap,
by my dress, by my general style,
have done this"
He nodded acquiescence. No man
knew better than John Howard how
beautiful Grace Miller could be when
she chose.
"But-but If l leave off this disguise
If allow myself to look my best if
| put on one side the considerations
which have prompted me to kill my
youth"
"HeS-what thenY
She laughed a soft, low laugh, from
which nervousness was net entirely
absent.
"Then-I do not doubt that / could
take the boy from the woman who
enthralls him"
"And when you have done so. what