The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-09-11
HR GUARDIAN
- FROM AVENUE A
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
BY BENNETT MUSSON
Cop; right. l:Ti. ny T. c. Mcclure

-
A cab stood waiting in cross street
near Fifth avenue. 1t was an urdina-
ry cab. with its driver arraycd in Il liv.
cry which could 10y no Str";cll OF the
maCination he taken for that OF Il pri-
va;" family. hut tn H." mi"i OF Billie
McAdam It was associated with Ill
omen.
1t is n FAR cry from .\vcnlIc \ TO
Fifth avenue, but Billie had made the
transition. with the assistance OF Fran
COS 1Tartlcy. ON on" uf hcr S'nmmin"
tours she had found him. ragged cold
and hungry. tho center Of Il group OF
hostile urchins who vcrc about TO on
gage him in combat. She had rescued
the hoy from his n"rilouS position and
had interviewed his intoxicated and
acIuicsccnt father.
The result ot The negotiation had
been Billcs installation as hall boy in
tho Hartley mansion. where the COM
paccucy with which hc regarded the
grandeur Of his surroundings and thN
elegance of his groom, brass button2d
unitornr WAS almost balanced by his
deep rooted feeling of gratitude for
Miss Frances.
II The facil" and independent mind OF
Billie Mctdam had one rr&Ncn <iliiiiy
II WAS the conviction that IT, must at
all times act AS tn" protector and guar
dian Of Frances Hartley. There WAS
hcr father, of course. Il digniliCd. Aris-
to"ratic and pr"iudiccd gentlemen Of
tho old school. He counted. in way.
but Eilli" felt vaguely that Wi;frcd
Hartley could not hark lack from his
thirty years experience in society and
cluhdOm and SympathiZc Thoroughly
with mothcrl"SS &irl of twrnty-two
who was imprrSSinnahlr, light hearted
and rather thoughtl"Ss.
Then there was Henry Beach. If bo-
in" young. rich. hnnLs"m" nnh imprl-
siv" were Ill the requisites Of life Hen.
ry was Il person TO whom Biilic'S rc-
sponSihilities of guardianship could he
transferred. But thrrc wcrc other
things that Bifli" did not understand.
but which Mr.. Hartley sct such store
by that they must be Of prime impor-
tancc.
They We're negative. most of these
things. not havin" ones father in the
retail trade, not being in the shadows
OF society instead of firmly anchored
in its depths.
With the prejudice of youth Billie
allowed the feelings OF Wilfrcd Hart
Icy to influence him. He liked Henry
Beach. but on In" occasions when hc
admitted him TO the house, frequently
occasions on which Mr.. Hartley was
absent, he did not exhibit much cor.
diality.
such n time had come this morning.
Billy had noted the hired carriage i'm
which Beach arrived. lie had observed
nn unusual futtcr Of expectancy in
Frances grcctin" of tho young man.
Going to the corner to mail letter. he
had seen the cab waiting in. side
street. Returning to his station on Il
hall bench, he noticed that the voices
which came in subdued tones from the
drawing room had in them a note of
suppressed excitement.
Billie sat on his bench and iid%ctcd
Then he deserted his post. stole into
tho library and. noiScCs%ly pushing
back folding door. installed himself
fSbind some curtains i'm the drawing
Frances L..
dow, and beside hcrstood near win
who looked imploringly at leach
stained face. i"
Il cannot bear to deceive my father
Henry she said az Billie guiltilv So
cured his place Of vantage.
1T is for only once. dear" Beach re-.
Piled low anh earnestly. I'VE can 20
in the cab I have waiting and bc bacL;
here safely married bv the time your