The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-26
"Wanted-A Companiono
SHIRLEY RAYNARp

Yes IL is quite certain I must have a
companion" said Miranda Lister to herself.
musingly. as she lay back in a capacious
easy chair before the fire of hotel sitting
room. She reached a blotting pad from the
table, drew a jeweled pencil case from her
chain, and began to draft an advertisement.
After spending some time and using several
sheets OF paper she apparently satisfied her
self. She made fair copy of her final ef-
fort, inclosed it in an envelope, rang the
bell and ordered its posting at once. The
advertisement she sent ran thus:
''Wanted-A young lady about twenty-five
years OF age as travelling companion. Good
salary and expenses 10 suitable person. An
interview necessary"
When the boy had taken away the note
Miranda seemed as II a load had been lifted
from her mind. The languid air she had
worn for some time gave place to brisk
movement. She walked about the room put
ting In place her scattered belongings. gave
a touch to the flowers upon the table, poked
up the fire. and finally decided she would
60 cut and shop. She went to her room and
put a becoming costume. then ordered
q hanson and drove to Bond street.
Next morning Mrs. Lister took her break
fast in bed She more often did so than
not. as she said II gave her time to make
her plans for the day without interruption.
Her maid, having folded a dainty wrapper
round her shoulders and arranged her
breakfast tray, had gone down to fetch the
letters. After an absence of few minutes
she returned with a pile Of envelopes of
various shapes and sizes. which she brought
to her mistress.
Thank you. Morton" said she, put them
down. / shall not want you again for an
hour"
The maid fingered for a moment. over
some trih;ng arrangements. hoping to read
something from her mistress's face of the
matter i'm hand. but. finding that Miranda
had no intention of taking her in any way
into her confidence, she quietly withdrew.
Miranda took up the letters and opened
them che after another until she had gone
through the pile. She then chose out six
and put them on one side, while she tore up
the remainder into small pieces-"too
small she said to herself. ''for even Nor
ton to piece together" Later she wrote
notes to the writers of the six letters ask
ing them to call upon her the following day.
She then rang the bell for her maid and
proceeded with her toilet.
times next morning. The first two who ar
rived Miranda made short work of. telling
them at once that they were unsuitable and
were too old.
They turned away sadly, feeling crushed.
and walked down the broad staircase of the
hotel with weary footsteps and tears in
their eyes. wondering where they should
turn next. The third who arrived was of
two She was young, good-looking and well
dressed, and had a general air of good
breeding. shell do" Miranda mentally
congratulated herself before she had been
in conversation with her five minutes. Sybil
Hammond was engaged and was to enter
upon her duties almost Immediately The
other three applicants Miranda refused to
see. Having obtained her object. the affairs
!, OF other people We're OF no account to her. T.
This was Sybil Hammonds first engage
ment. and she felt herself fortunate in hav-
ing obtained It so easily. Things had been
going badly at home for the last year or
two. and she had decided to relieve her par
ents of her maintenance-for a time. at
least. She had led a somewhat sheltered
life in the country. some thirty miles from
London. AS the daughter of professional
ciety the small town could provide Mrs.
Lister had weighed well in her mind as to
whether she would be able to hoodwink a
girl Of this stamp. but she fattered herself
she could deceive even the brightest of her
sex.
In weeks time they were on their way
to Paris, where 1t was Miranda's inten-
ton to winter. The day they had chosen
haf f0 no dIfll Nd
bitterly cold one, foretaste of the COM
ing winter. They left Victoria by the II
O'Clock train. They had secured COM
partment to themselves, and Miranda,
wrapped warmly in lovely skin rugs. was
reclining at her ease. The train stopped
at Herne Hill before it finally started for
Dover. 1t was moving slowly out of the
station when, at the last moment, a gen.
tleman rushed up and jumped into the car
riage-
IT beg your pardon said he. observing
too late that he had entered a reserved
compartment. 'I would change carriages
at once, but I am afraid there is not an
other stop until we reach Dover
''Oh, do not trouble in the least" said
Miranda. lazily. there is plenty of room
for us ALL
With this she returned to the novel she
was reading. and the stranger took his
seat opposite to Sybil at the further end
OF the compartment and drew from his
bag newspapers and books. Seeing after a
time that Sybil appeared to have nothing
to read, he politely offered her choice
OF papers. She took one and thanked him
and they exchanged a few sentences. A
little later some trifiing matter led on to
q general conversation. in which Miranda
Joined. The stranger had a pleasant voice
and manner. and was evidently a man ol
keen observation and strong intellect Be.
fore they reached Dover Sybil felt as II
she had known him quite long time. His
manner was kind without being in the
least familiar, and he had a face which
would carry him far into the confidence
OF others. He was tall and rather heavily
built. and his movements were somewhat
deliberate AS they neared Dover Miranda
began to gather together the things she
had strewn round the compartment anC
opened her bag TO replace them. In do
ing this she let fall letter from her Goa
pocket and did not notice that she hac