Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-06

wondered what Martin was doing as she
sat at breakfast. Was he entirely alb
sorbed in his new business. or did he
think much about her and those golden
daya on the Sidi7 She wondered II he had
heard OF her disappearance, and " he
would understand that IL was because
she could not bear to put another In his
placer
She turned over the pages Of the news
paper idly, and from force OF habit
glanced down the column headed "Situa-
tions Vacant" Suddenly her attention
was arrested by an advertisement that
seemed by Its rather unusual wording to
stand out from the rest.
CHAPTER Xxx.
WANTED. as companion and reader to
young American lady, young lady of cul-
ture (under 800, Used to society and widely
travelled; university education desirable
but not insisted upon; previous experience
not necessary; one speaking Spanish and
without home ties in England preferred; /;
liberal salary Apply Box 2337s.'
Maud raised her eyes from the paper
and gazed meditatively at the ceiling.
THAT seems to At me all right" she re-
hected. . University education desirable
Well. could easily satisfy the young
American lady that my education is UP to
university standards without saying
have actually taken degree. That would
get over the most serious dlficulty. I
wonder why they object to home ties
Don't want the companion to ask for days
of to spend with her friends, I suppose.
Yes, this seems worth answering / must
ooncoet some sort OF a yarn to explain
myself, though"
In her haste to reply she went to what
was now the extravagant length of taking
q taxicab back to her lodgings The
drafting of the letter took some little time
ana thought Finally she contented her
self with stating her age, the extent of
her travels, and the range of her accom-
piishments declaring that she had fol-
lowod courses at various universities, but
was unable 20 produce diploma. "'Un-
able to produce Is good" she chuckled
She added that she had no connections
IN London, but was sure she could salts
~ the advertiser as to her respectability,
etc.
She sent the letter by express messenger
to the newspaper office and then tried to
dismiss 1t from her mind. She had been
told so often that there were hundreds of
replies to every such advertisement and
that people I'm want of situations had con-
aumed their whole capital In postage. But
she could not help hoping She seemed so
admirably qualified for the vacant post
Then her spirits dropped. The advertisers
indifference to the applicants possession
OF degrees and previous experience, which
alone made II possible for her TO apply,
would at the same time bring her into
competition with countless other women
who for different reasons were also desti-
tute of those advantages.
Once the doubt presented itself that this
might be a trap set by her mother or by
Huron. She hardly thought that they
would have resorted to that ruse so early.
Besides. she told herself II she were TO
suspect trap in every vacancy that
seemed TO fit her she would have to for
4E.-N to s.Na1s.t aitE nIH
gether.
strength OF her hopes The prospect OF
employment amid apparently congenial
surroundings somewhat restored her
spirits. which Of late had lost some of
their buoyancy. She was lonely and she |
hungered for the man she loved; but to-
day something OF her old zest for adven-
ture made itself felt. She was strong.
she was reliantly healthy. game" as
she put 1t, "for everything" She was
absolutely her own mistress. The whole !
world with its myriad possibilities was
before her. This was better than being |
Miss Plessey. of Edgworth Square. who
was dependent on her mother for every |
penny and could be hardly said as yet 20
have social existence apart from hers. |
IT was true that this new-found inde- |
pendenee seemed TO forbid her seeing |
Martin again. but some unexpected devel-
0NIIclaI might AT any moment permit neF |
10 apprise him OF her whereabouts Her |
mother and Huron would have 10 give up
the chase at last. When they had become
reeonctled 10 her loss she and Martin |
might marry secretly and go aWay-far |
aWay-together.
So she dreamed that bright spring after
neon as she rode out on the electric car /
10 uAbridge and wandered about the |
pretty lonely lanes OF MiddleseX. There |
was a strange JOY meanwhile In thus cut /
ting herself adrift from all that had /
made up her life, IN becoming an entirely |
new person known 70 no one and know
ing no one.
she retured IN the keen evening air 70 |
London. She found herself scanning the |
evening papers anxiousiy. She was sur
prtsed that her mother had not already |
started q hue and cry. On reflection she |
saw Why she would not do this Mrs. |
Plessey had deliberately estranged her |
self from her late husbands relatives and
bad forbidden her daughter 20 eommu-
nieats VITA them II Maud's disappear |
ance should become known 70 them they
wouid certainly demand an explanation |
of the reasons of her night, and that Mrs.
fleaseY Was Of course less disposed even
than the siIi herself 70 furnish. a news |
paper advertisement. moreover. would re-
cail lo tie public the almost forgotten
Tragedy of her fathers death--lt might /
awaken the slsulh hound ln a dozen Jour
f4H4ts no WnAt inquiries were made. |
abe could safely reckon. would Be made
privately
Ihe next morning she received a soll-
taFF lstter it Has written on plain note
HHNtr ana requested Hiss Robinson 10
laA 81 the advertiser az the Royal Grand
HaieI ~ g O'Clock thar afternoon. She I
Esa g ASS lor Miss Montana.
Nhat an extraordinary name"
tHauEht Maud. leanins sieefuily out of
ret i Aaa obviously 8 paeudouym, she
fztiasa % elosEf fenectl0n Possibly the
aasr lke he4sei. bad reasons for
eeur.ziaz 1cf ia1alIlf-in die columns
81 aIi events
W Ql fae mlrrIns restless ana