Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1911-08-31
CHAPTER VIII.


glad In her heart to see him once more.
"Oh. Miss Grayman." ne exclaimed.
approaching with outstretched hand.
you cannot know how have been
annoyed by my enforced absence! II
there had been anybody here to re-
ceive it | should have sent you dis
patch. but
i "But my friends-my fatherY she
interrupted.
/ II was about to tell you: but, In fact
! have here something better than any
explanation could make. Look at
this and then say whether have not
brought some good news" And,
laughing, he held up letter. which
he then put into her hands.
Miss Helen Grayman.
AT Bear Lodge.
BY the hand OF Commodore F. Brown.
So ran the superscrtption. and Miss
Grayman's heart bounded on recognize
ing her fathers handwriting. She tore
open the envelope and read:
Pettytown. June Is. 1885,
My Very Dear Daughter-A iserable
series of accidents has spoiled the sur
prise that we had store for you It
was foolish piece OF business firm the
start. but ! thought that It might give
you pleasure, and the Mitchell girls and
their brother had their hearts set upon 1t
and gave me no rest untilA consented
We intended TO meet you at Commodore
Browns lodge; then wef1ere to spend q
week fishing and huntirg. winding up with
visit to a little indian village whose
Inhabitants have long been proteges OF
Mr.. Browns.
OF course you were astonished to be
carried off as you were. and have been
more thar astonished at myself for con-
senting to it, and should never have
done so II had not known so well the
antecedents and character OF Frederick
Brown. The Mitchells. who are very in
innate with him and admire him greatly.
nave taken it into their heads that you
and he ought to be acquainted, and Agnes
! Mitchell invented what she called "a love-
| ly PLAN to bring about the introduction
| in an aboriginal manner ! can only
say, Helen. that my consent to entrusting
| you to his charge was wrung from me
| through my esteem for the young man.
We expected, OF course. to join you as
soon as you arrived at the lodge. but from
| the start the aero engaged by the Mitch
ellis proved relatively slow dier. and
then came the accident
| Now, you will want to know why send
! you letter instead of coming myself. It
! is a most extraordinary and provoking
series of mischances! When we sent for
Brown to come to our aid We supposed
| that the injury could quickly be repaired
Instead It turns out that 1t is irreparable
except In shop. and we shall have to
send the aero back by train And then.
to cap the climax. when Brown had turn
| ed out half his men to make room for Us
! and had embarked US his aero through
! some fault OF the steersman ran into a
| tree. and we all had narrow escape. 1t
turned out that the machine was SO Grip
pied that only Brown and his engineer
could go In her. You are a hundred and
| fifty miles away In q wilderness with no
roads We do not know where to send for
! another aero. and. In truth, should hard
~ care to entrust myself in one again.
and am distressed to think that you wtil
| have to do SO In order to return.
! But l have every confidence In Mr..
Brown. and he assures me that such an
accident never occurred to him before
and that he can put his aero into perfect
shape again with the machinery which he
| has at the lodge. The upshot Is that
| and the Mitchells are going to take the
| first train we can get for New York. Mr..
Brown with bring you back as soon as he
can repair his aero.
am glad to learn that Mrs Williams
is at his lodge. She is worthy woman,
reduced In circumstances early In life and
formerly housekeeper for the uphams.
wish could be with you for the trout
fishing that Frederick tells me about But
this is the last, as It is the first, foolish
ness OF this kind ! shall ever engage in.
Your very affectionate father
| WILLIAM GRAYMAN. z
In reading this letter the poor girl
was completely deceived The re-
semblance to her sire's writing was so
perfect, the manner of addressing her
was SO exactly In his style. and. more
4 over, her mental blindness induced by
her own romantic fancies was so com
plete that she suspected no imposition.
| So she looked up at Payton after
reading the letter with beaming eyes
and flushed cheeks and said with gen.
uine feeling:
II thank you most sincerely, Com.
modore Brown. My father explains the
whole affair. and it was very, very
good of You to return so quickly In
your disabled aero In order to relieve
my anxiety. 1t Is dreadful disap
pointment, but-but | am sure the triT
has not been without its pleasures fol
me even II its principal object has beer
missed.
Payton could hardly contain his de
j light over the success OF his bold ruse
Then be set our 70 complete his mas
terry Of the situation BY entertaining
Miss Grayman. cultivatdng her inter
est and confidence ID himself and keep
ing her thoughts from dwelling ppor
her disappointment Mrs William
seized the Hrst opnortnnity TO tell hin