The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-08-25
HER GUARDIAN
- FROM AVENUE A
BY OeNNcT MUSSON
Copyright. lss, by T. C. Mcclure

A cab stood waiting in q cross street
near Fifth avenue. 1t was an ordina-
" cab, with Its driver arrayed in a liv-
cry which could by no stretch of the
lma agination be taken for that Of pri-
vate family. but to the mind Of Billie
McAdam Il was associated with iii
omen.
1t is q far cry from Avenue A to
Fifth avenue. but Billie had made the
transition, with the assistance OF Fran
ces Hartley On one Of her Summing
tours she had found him. ragged. cold
and hungry. the center OF q group Of
hostile urchins who were about to en-
gage him in combat. She had rescued
the boy from his perilous position and
had interviewed his intoxicated and
acquiescent father.
The result OF the negotiation had
been Billie's installation as hall boy In
the Hartley mansion. where the COM
placency with which he regarded the
grandeur OF his surroundings nnd the
elegance Of his green, brass buttoned
uniform was almost balanced by his
deep rooted feeling Of gratitude for
Miss Frances.
II the facile and independent mind Of
Billie McAdam had one responsibility
Il was the conviction that he must at
all times act as the protector and guar
dian Of Frances Hartley. There was
her father. Of course. a dignined, aris-
tocratic and prejudiced gentleman Of
the old school. He counted. In a way.
but Billie felt vaguely that wilfred
Hartley could not bark back from his
thirty years. experience In society and
clubdom and sympathize thoroughly
with a motherless girl Of twenty-five.
who was impressionable. light hearted
and rather thoughtless.
Then there was Henry Beach. II be-
ing young rich. handsome and impul-
sive were all the requisites Of life Hen
~ was a person to whom Billie's re-
| sponsibilities Of guardianship could be
transferred. But there were other
things that Billie did not understand.
but which Mr.. Hartley set such store
by that they must be Of prime impor-
| tance.
They were negative, most Of these
things, not having ones father In the
retail trade. not being In the shadows
OF society instead OF firmly anchored
I'm its depths.
With the prejudice Of youth Billie
allowed the feelings Of wilfred Hart
ley to influence him. He liked Henry
Beach. but on the occasions when he
admitted him to the house, frequently
| occasions on which Mr.. Hartley was
absent, he did not exhibit much cor
diality.
Such Q time had come this morning
Billy had noted the hired carriage in
which Beach arrived. He had observed
IN unusual fiutter Of expectancy In
Frances greeting of the young man
Going to the corner to mail q letter, be
had seen the cab waiting In q side
street. Returning to his station on &
hall bench. he noticed that the voices
which came In subdued tones from the
drawing room had In them Q note OF
suppressed excitement.
Billie sat on his bench and ndgetsd
Then he deserted his post. stole into
the library and. noiselessly pushing
back a folding door. installed himself
behind some curtains In the drawing
room.
Frances Hartley stood near q win
dow. and beside her was Henry Beach
who looked imploringly at her teal
stained face.
II cannot bear to deceive my father
Henry" she said as Billie guiltily -
cured his place of vantage.
'It is for only once. dear" Beach re
piled low and earnestly. I'VE can q
In the cab I have waiting and be bach
here safely married by the time you
father returns from the club. TheI
there will be a scene. and the worsI
that can happen will be his withhold
ing his forgiveness for a week or two
And so the man talked as many mel
have talked before.
Frances demurred. but In the enc
her head sank to Henry's shoulder. ant
Billie knew she was the woman VIII
hesitates. and he stole softly away.
His idea OF the duties OF a guardian
was elemental: II was to strike straigh
from the shoulder. His first though
was to get rid OF the cab. his next Il
notify Mr.. Hartley.
Seating himself at the library table
he hastily printed the following note:
Kun Home to Onse I hav took tn
| Kerriage. BILLIE
Addressing this to Mr.. Hartley. b
hurried to the hall. grasped his cap an,
ran to the waiting cab.
"Gent wants to see ye at de hous<
I'll hold yer horses" he announced 3
the cabman. relapslng In his excite
ment to his familiar Avenue A dialect
Billie waited until the man ha
turned the corner. Then he climbed Z
the drivers seat of the cab. graspe.
the reins and started the horses. Pres
emily the doorman Of q Fifth avenu
club was surprised to see a small bo
in q green uniform imperiously becko
to him from the seat of carriage
When the man wonderingly spproache
, a crumpled note was thrust into hi
hand. with the injunction that II be d,
livered to Mr.. Hartley at once:
Bi.lie's dominant idea was to kee
, the cab away from the house until a
danger Of an elopement should be owe
The thought fhat other cabs might b
, obtained did not occur to him. Il
drove slowly until he saw Mr.. Hartle
hurry from the club. Then he turns
the horses Down Fifth avenue and 10
oanoitered from q safe distance.
, On the brown stone steps Of h
Hartley house stood Frances. Henf