Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-04-27
Copyright. 1910. by Doubleday. Page &
Company. Copyright. 1908. by
the Mcclure Company

whole plan was mapped out without a
word being said, even to me.
"Of course I want to assure you
again, and Jim will write a postscript,
that he meant nothing worse to hap
pen to you than a disappointment and
a blow to your conceit. He telegraph
ed to several of the people to whom
you had letters, saying that if a per-
son turned up calling himself by your
name before the Baltic landed they'd
better wait and make sure before be-
ing nice to you that you weren't your
own absconding valet sailing under
false colors. He didn't say 1t wouldn't
be you, and he supposed that his
friends would simply hang back for a
few days, making no sign, thus giving
you to think that you weren't as i'm
portant in America as you'd fancied.
He imagined, too, that the heiress bust
ness wouldn't come off quite as easily
as you expected and that altogether
you might be a. little sobered down.
AS for your trouble with the bank, we
know now that this is what happened:
1t turns out that Henry van Cotter
has lately become a partner in the
bank which corresponds with yours in
London, and. having got Jim's wire
about the valet probably at the same
time when instructions arrived from
the London and Southern, naturally
he told his people to be prepared and
not to pay. How could Jim think Of
such a thing happening Or that Mr..
van Cotter and the others would run
about gossiping of what he told them
as a mere superstition? 1t must have
been too dreadful for you at the hotel.
And, as for that Mr.. Milton. Pm sure
he is a horror.
''Then it was another contretemps
that neither Jim nor I saw the news
papers at first. OF course the minute
Jim knew what had been going on he
wired everywhere and wrote long let
tiers of explanation, too "a little earlier
than he'd originally meant, to put an
end to the misunderstanding he'd set
in motion. But meanwhile you'd dis
appeared from New York. Poor dear,
my heart quite bleeds for you! And yet
and yeti wonder if all that you've
gone through is entirely a matter Of
regretY'
1t was here, after the 'Affectionate
Cousin Betty signature. that the 9TH
er handwriting began.
II wonder too! I want to know
what you think about it. Now it's all
explained and you see just where and
how much I'm to blame for what's
past you may or may not be inclined
to forgive me for trying to play Provi-
dence that good might come Of evil
But If there is anything which you
don't regret perhaps you'll partly I'M
derstand-yourself and me. Anyhow,
I apologize, having now done my best
to atone, in case you want to go back
to New York in a blaze Of glory and
be made a lion of. Meanwhile l await
your verdict and am, as the writers
of anonymous letters are supposed to
sign themselves. your friend and we'll
wisher,' jim"
Again fate had taken q hand in
the game" and used Miss Moon as
catspaw. Into the fire In her bedroom
at Bonnerstown went all those elab-
crate explanations, and Loveland did
not dream that he had only to COM
municate with the bank in New York
to receive apologies and a sum Of
money which, after his vicissitudes,
would have seemed a fortune. He
had not ven a prophetic "pricking in
his thumbs while his mothers post
Office order for $500 (f6O) gayly burned
in a Bonnerstown stove. He had no
suspicion that New York society or an
important section of it was wearing
sackcloth and ashes on his account;
neither did he know that Lesley Dear.
mer, whether believing him q genuine
article or not, had sent him an anony-
nous donation which lay unclaimed at
the Waldorf-Astoria.
In the house he and Miss Dearmel
had no intercourse, and he did not even
know what the girls daily occupations
were or what visitors she saw. But al
least three hours out Of every twenty.
4OoA SoS0 e " ILL 40 Oil 4lIAAkdL
companion. near In mind and body
Therefore until the hateful Cremel
should fall out of a clear sky Val was
not eager for home news which would
leave no excuse for lingering at this
old homestead in the blue grass coun,
try.
It seemed to Val that Lesley was al
ways happy, and because she was hap
by herself she could not bear to see
others sad or unfortunate. Though
she asked no questions about hel
chauffeur's English past, she showed
frank interest in his American expert
ences. She led him on as they spun
through the country side by side tt
talk Of Bin Willing. Of Lille de Lisle
Of nd Binney and even Of Isidora. the
almond eyed.
Too delicate minded to put her sus,
picions into words, Lesley contrived
tactfuiiy 70 pluck from Toveiand some
scanty information concerning Miss