The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1911-05-31
THE WAY OF
ESCAPE
Explanation That Came
Among the Tree Branches.
BY JOANNA SINGLE.

I o~N AAihSApu WAS thoroughly an
cry. He pulled his cap over his eyes
and rushed down q side street To "a
cape Bradford. whose cheerful whistle
seemed 70 be- just behind him. He did
not want 10 be pestered to play cards
or golf or be pulled 10 the country
| club dance. He wanted solitude and
| his pipe and d chance to wonder wtiy
| on earth Elizabeth Treynor should
suddenly refuse to have anything I'd
do with him after she had golfed and
picnicked and sung with him all sum.
mer and after she bad succeeded Ii,
getting him thoroughly in love with
her
He felt III treated, He dld rot fall
In love easily, and In general he did
not care for western girls. being d
Connecticut man, Yale trained and
Europe finished, before settling 10
practice medicine Iii the midwest.
Elizabeth was different. and as he re-.
fiected on the difference between her
and all other girls In the world he
beard Bradford whistling at the Trey.
nor side gate for lack aud then asking
if Kingdom were there
Kingdom slipped over the fence In
the twilight and ciamhered 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 somewhere 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 curionsiy like
a suppressed smoker, Kingdom decided
to climb higher. He reached up for d
branch, above him and seized a small,
warm slipper that gave his hand lit
tie kick.
Keep still, can't you. and LET go my
foot?" a whisper admonished him. He
looked up and saw Elizabeth sitting
high and dry on a horizontal branch,
swinging her feet and peeripg toward
the house. "S-shw she warned again.
for. her brother Jack and bradford
came into the garden.
"Efizabethf' Jack called Then.
"Confound girls, anyhow! She was
here FIVE minutes ago, and her wraps
are in the ball. She must be- near"
On the strength of EIizaheth's chuckIe
DR., John Kingdom climbed up and sat
beside her. Her gray suit made her
almost invisible In the growing dark.
but he knew by heart the blue Of her
eyes, the rich brownness Of her hair
and the coldness 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. I wouldn't 60 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 ex-
plain to Richard Bradford, and he al
ways wants to know why"
"I'd like to know why myself"
"Oh. be still Why doesn't he go?"
whispered the girl. for the eternal
Bradford sauntered under their tree
and lighted his pipe.
Don't wait for me, Jack. old man.
I'll wait around a bit. and II she
doesn't show up I'll come out alone"
"The COMPOUNDED idiot" Kingdom
and put out protecting
hand when she seemed to sway bit
She froze instantly. and he dared not
venture excuse or protest.
The darkness bad increased. and
when the moon came sailing up Rrad-
ford swore at his luck and departed.
clicking the gate behind him.
"Now, DR.. Kingdom. think son can
make your escape"
"But don't want to--now, May |
rot stay long enough to apologize for
on your tree solituGeT He
poke softly. with a delicate clipping
# the RS. His fine dark face bent to-
ward her. II have not meant to perse
ute you. but you did not answer my
etter. will never trouble you again.
ut win you not DO fair enough to tell
ne just what have done7 You could
10 an enemy that justice" To his sur
rise she grasped his arm. 4
Father and motherw she mnlrmured
You'll have to stay. couldn't OK.
lain to them why | am hereF King.
lon hardly breathed, for she forgot to 1
oosen the blessed hold on his sleeve n
MIR. Treynor walked in portly pom. !,
BUSINESS beside his anxious little wife.
elizabeth worries me So" she com "
'lained. and they seated themselves OF s
rustic bench. shes so difficult! /
amt lay it to college and her trip &c
Europe. for she was lively till just of
ite. Now she doesn't enjoy society i
nd Is getting interested in the poor.
md what do you suppose IL her rea-
on for refusing TO have anything TO
o with that nice Or. Kingdom and"--
Some fool notion.v her father
runted
"And taking up with that RradfordF
hope she won't marry him ' don't
are IL we have always known hin--hs
oesn't seem quite nice We'll, he tcld
Elizabeth that Or Kingdom said ct the
Tub that western girls hadn't reserve
he disn nproved OF co-edu~