The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1906-04-12
The Way of
Escape
By JOANNA SINGLE


John Kingdom was thoroughly angry.
He pulled his cap over his eyes and
rushed down a side street to escape
Bradford whose cheerful whistle
seemed to be just behind him He did
not want to be pestered to play cards
or golf or be pulled to the country club
dance. He wanted solitude and his
pipe and a chance to wonder why on
earth Elizabeth Treynor should sudden
ly refuse to have anything to do with
him after she had golfed and picnick-
ed and sang with him all summer and
after she had succeeded in getting him
thoroughly in love with her
He felt i'll treated. He did not fall in
love easily and in general he did not
care for western girls, being a Con
necticut man, Yale trained and Europe
finished, before settling to practice
medicine In the midwest Elizabeth
was different, and as he reflected on
the difference between her and all
other girls in the world he heard Brad
ford whistling at the Treynor side gate
for Jack and then asking If Kingdom
were there.
Kingdom slipped over the fence In the
twilight and clambered up the first
conveniently low branched tree. Pant
ing but triumphant he heard Brad
ford's account of how he had chased
Kingdom and lost him some where. and
that he wanted him to take Nell Som
ers to the dance they had just got up
on the spur of the moment And where
was Jacks sister? Bradford wanted
to ask her to go with him
Startled by the sound curiously like
a suppressed smoker Kingdom decided
to climb higher He reached up for a
branch above him and seized u small.
warm slipper that gave his hand a lit
tie kick.
Keep still. can't you, and let go my
foot?' whisper admonlshed him. He
looked up and saw Elizabeth sitting
high and dry on a horizontal branch,
swinging her feet and peering toward
the house. SSH she warned again,
for her brother Jack and Bradford
came into the garden.
"Elizabeth.' Jack called Then
"Confound girls anyhow! She was here
FIVE minutes ago. and her wraps are in
the hall. She must be near" On the
strength of EllZabeth's chuckle DR..
John Kingdom climbed up and sat be-
side her. Her gray suit made her al
most invisible In the growing dark, but
he knew by heart the blue OF her eyes,
the rich BROWNIES of her hair and the
GOODNESS of her manner to him OF late
What are you doing hereY She
tried to get hauteur into whisper and
failed
What you are-escaping Bradford
evidently. | wouldn't go to the dance
because you were to be there"
Thanks" she replied Neither
would | because you were to be there
That's why I'm here One has to e1-
plain to Richard Bradford, aud he al
ways wants to know why"
''I'd like to know why myself"
ooh, be still. Why doesn't he goT
whispered the girl. for the eternal
Bradford sauntered under their tree
and lighted his pipe.
Don't walt for me, Jnek. old man.
I'll wait around a bit, and II she
doesn't show up III come out alone"
THE COMPOUNDED IDIOT" Kingdom
whispered and put out a protecting
hand when she seemed 10 away a bit.
She froze Instantly, and he dared not
venture excuse or protest
The darkness had increased. and
when the moon came sailing up Brad
ford swore at his luck and departed.
clicking the gate behind him
NOW, Dir. Kingdom. l think you can
make your escape"
But I don't want to-now. May
not stay long enough to apologize for
intruding on your tree solltudel" He
spoke softly. with a delicate clipping
of the RS. His fine, dark face bent to-
ward her. Il have not meant TO perse-
cute you, but you did not answer my
letter. | will never trouble you again,
but will you not be fair enough to tell
me just what have done1 You could
do an enemy that justicer' To his sur
prise she grasped his arm
Father and motherP' she murmured.
You'll have to stay. | couldn't ex-
plain TO them why l am herew King
don hardly breathed, for she forgot to
loosen the blessed hold on his sleeve.
Mr.. Treynor walked In portly POM
pousness beside his anxious little wife.