The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-08-05
The Lady in the Park.

Ing AAQy elEuu& on bench. C0nclud-
ing by her appearance that she as wen
as himself was an American, he no
ticed her as he passed, then turned and
walked back. She looked him in the
face and continued to do SO until lie
stood before her. Then as he dofred
his hat and bowed she smilingly and
sweetly said:
Il knew that you were an American
and would come back. win you sit
down.
Mr.. Clancy sat down after excusing
himself The nursegirls in the vicin
ity giggled, and a policeman passing
along wInked at him in solemn man
ner, but he refused to be perturbed In
a few minutes he discovered that he
had made no mistake The good look
ing lady was not only an American.
but resident Of Chicago when Mt
home She was also a widow OF two
years standing. She had come over to
London, chaperoned by her mother and
escorted by her lawyer, to see about
some property. Her mother had been
taken Ill and was then unable to leave
her bed in the lodgings the lawyer had
secured for them. She herself had got
out that day for the first time in a,
week to get a breath OF fresh air. The
story up to this point did not call for
any great amount of sympathy, but
there was more to 1t. The lawyer had
suddenly and mysteriously disappear
heard of him. He hadn't played any
shyster trick on them, but had proba-
bly, been murdered. She and her moth
er had discussed the matter in all Its
bearings and could come to no other
conclusion.
The good. looking lady had not gone
to the police, nor had she notified the
American minister. She was feeling
helpless in the matter and wishing she
had the advice of compatriot in her
troubles. Harold Clancy was willing
and anxious to advise. He convinced
her almost at once, but it was an hour
later when she asked him to convince
her mother The poor convalescent
was worrying her heart out and would
probably have n relapse unless she were
convinced that the lawyer had been
abducted and held for ransom instead
of being robbed and hung over the en-
bankment to float around in the mud
dy waters Of the Thames. Could She
dare she-ask Mr.. Clancy to call at her
house and cheer and comfort her
mother?
Mr. Clancy promptly replied that she
could. He would go with her at once
right away. His motto was, Moth
ers comforted and cheered while you
watt There were tears of gratitude
in the lady's eyes, but his promptnesS
was a little too prompt. She must for
several reasons, some of which she
mentioned and some she didn't, ask
him to defer his call until evening.
When this point had been settled they
rose and separated. The nursegirls
giggled again, and the policeman came
back with his solemn wink, but the
good looking lady pretended not to see
or hear. and Mr.. Clancy scowled at
the nurses and clinched his fist at the
guardian of the peace and vowed that
he would lick him IL he ever caught
the fellow in America.
There were four hours TO wait. Mr..
Clancy went to his hotel to think and
dine. The lady (without the adjective
this time) had not lisped the remotest
hint that money was needed. On the
contrary, she had carried the opposite
idea. Mr.. Clancy was an astute man,
however. He could see through a
square hole in n round grindstone. He
had often been heard to say that the
want of money caused nine-tenths of
the troubles in this world. He had
money III the hotel safe. He drew II
out and showed it down a hind pocket
and felt himself heeled. He would adj
wise :::ll comfort and cheer the mother
with words, but not with words alone.
When the proper moment came he
would spring his ''wad" and beg moth.
er and daughter to accept few hun
dreds as loan. AS he thought of
their tears and sobs of gratitude he
had to use his own handkerchief to
chase away the yelling tears. The
waiter half expected to be asked If
there was any eyewater on the bill OF
fare.
The hour arrived. So did Mr.. Clan
cy. 1t was walk of only quarter
OF a mile. and lie stepped ont briskly
His ring ut the bell was answered by
young girl who might have been
dressed and who might have had her
hair combed AID hers shoes tied but
Mr.. Clancy didn't dwell on trifcs. He
was told that-he H:,s expected ana to
walk upstairs and knock :; the arst
door 10 the ri,h.. He followed In
StructlOus and tho t10pr ,y.ns ,,.aual