The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1910-03-24
THE SIMPLE LIFE.

~
AS Lady Susan stood, framed in the
opening of the old honeysuckle-covered
porch, she made a very pretty picture
indeed.
At present she was an ardent and en-
thusiastic exponent of the simple life
and had come to live at this isolated and
old-fashioned cottage on the edge of the
moor.
She had arrived that afternoon. She
was expecting her brother tomorrow.
She had made the tea and cut the
bread and butter, and vas merely wait
ing for the water to boil in the sauce
pan to pop in her egg, when the kitchen
window was violently thrown open, and
a man, mud despatched, trayel-stained,
mkempt, hideous with a two-day growth
of stubble on his cheeks and chin. and
CHASTITY pale, climbed onto the window
sill and leapt into the room.
I've got away" ne gasped presently,
and Lady Susan realized to her utter
horror that his clothes were lavishly
decorated with the emblem of the broad
arrow, and taht her unceremonious Wis
itor was nothing less than an escaped
convict.
She was greatly frightened. of course,
but she knew the prime necessity i'll
ward appearance of GOODNESS, ever if
you don't feel it; so she did what she
had previously been going to do--she
popped her egg into the nov boiling
saucepan.
When she turned round her visit or
had poured himself out a cup of tea.
and had commenced a voracious attack
on her plate of bread and butter.
Gould you eat an egg" she inquired
calmly.
Six" said the man.
His meal lasted upwards of half an
hour. He thanked her with charming
courtesy, and then had the e~ffrontery to
ask her to provide him with a change
of clothes.
Il will lend you some of my brother
Lord Algernon's, if you will promise to
go away directly you have put them on.
| am Lady Susan Marchmont."
Lady Susan, | assure you on the
word of a gentleman that | am a per-
fectly innocent man, and that you will
never regret your kindness"
IF you will show me your brothers
room.' he said, Il will 60 and change at
once"
She went as far as the foot of the
staircase and directed him to the first
door on the right.
Then she returned to the kitchen and
sat down. She was suddenly feeling
very faint.
When Lady Susan recovered conscious
ness, an extremely well dressed, we'll
groomed, good-looking young man was
leaning over her and saying, in an agree
able, coaxing voice: "Do try to take a
little more"
She smiled at him and took a little
more. She was certainly feeling better.
You fed me; now you must let me
feed yor / car prepare you a nice hit
tie picnic dinner in no time"
Before she could reply to this prepos-
ferrous proposal there was a loud bang
at the back door, and a gruff voice
called:
"Open, in the name of the law! We
are the police!"
Look here. Lady Susan, you-you
won't betray me?'
"Are you really innocent ?"
81 swear [ am" he said.
An Inspector of police and a burly
constable stepped into the kitchen.
Good evening, madam said the in
spector. eve were not aware this house
was occupied, and seeing the light we
thought it best to inquire. We are
very sorry to have disturbed you and
your husband, but"
"He is my brother. Lord Algernon
Marchmont. And I am Lady Susan
Marchmont."
Indeed, your ladyship,' said the in
spector, Il offer you a thousand apollo
gies; but the fact is. we are on the
track of an escaped convict, and we've
tracked him to your garden"
There, Susan," said her adopted
brother audaciously. 81 told you I
thought I heard some one prowling
about outside, but you wouldn't let me
go and look"
Lady Susan asked who the escaped
convict was.
Height, five feet eleven, your lady
ship, and broad in proportion; age, 30;
is believed once to nave been a gentle
man.; sentenced six months ago to ten
years penal servitude for forging the
codicil to a will; sentenced in the name
of Jones, though there's great doubt
whether that is his real name."
The inspector and the constable bowed
themselves out.
Lady Susan, how can l ever thank
you enough?"
But what are we to do now? ?. I've
I've said you are my brother"
GO to bed and get a good nights
rest" he r~ejoined airily.
81 couldn't she said.
very WE'LL" he said. eff you don't
promise me to go to bed and 90 to
sleep, TIL walk out of the house and
give myself up this minute
Lady Susan slept like a top, and when
she came down in the morning she found
that Mr.. Jones had made the tea and
toast and cooked the bacon for break
fast.
The mornings, post brought a curt
note from Lord Algernon intimating
that he'd gone off to a deer-shoot in a
remote part of the Highlands.
n = y
A month had gone by, and Mr.. Jones
continued to pose as Lord Algernon
Marchmont, and Lady Susan continued
to connive at the deception.
Lady Susan was nc longer eager and
anxious to get rid of her unlimited guest,
and when the suggestion of his going
mooted, always put a firm and en-
phatic veto upon it.
So things went on for another week,
when the pretty idyll was put a sum
mary, a violent, and an unexpected stop
to by the rude hands of Inspector Rob
ipcOu