The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-10-14
A BROKEN LANCE
i<.A'!
BY STELLA AVERY.

Frank Edgarton on the verge of the
cliff at Roselea. Frank had pressed
Lorry to the edge of the cliff, the
earth had given way and young Ora
ham had fallen 40 feet to the beach
below. Frank had reeled home, still
intoxicated, to give a garbled account
of the affair. He had disappeared for
awhile, but now gossip said he had
returned to lay siege to Nancy's heart
while Lorry Graham was blind
After Edith Vantine had impaired
the news to Nancy she moved along |,
over the putting green; Nancy watched
her with wide-open, smarting eyes.
How she missed Lorry's tall, white
clad figure swinging across the field,
his deep voice, the fire in his glance
when their eyes met. And now that
glance was dead-forever.
With a choking sob Nancy brushed
away the tears and swung a club to
her shoulder She grounded il clum-
silly as Frank Edgartons voice sound
ed close beside her.
Good morning, Nancy Waiting for |
| me?"
NO" said Nancy carelessly. I'm |
| just thinking about Lorry Graham |
They say he is blind"
Edgarton paled under his tan. He |
was a dark, lean-jawed man with
onyx black eyes and hair. His brown
hands fumbled nervously with his
clubs.
His own fault" he muttered sui
lenly.
What did you quarrel about"
asked Nancy quickly.
"You!" he flashed back
rs that the truth, Frank Edgar
toni" Nancy looked him full in the
eyes.
"On my honor!" he acclaimed trag-
ically, his glance shifting.
The girl laughed contemporary.
Don't swear by something you
haven't got." she retorted, and turned
her back upon him. Il pity you!"
They say pity is akin to-a tenderer
feeling!" he insinuated.
It's sometimes close to contempt"
was Nancy's last retort, as she saun-
tered back to the clubhouse
r She sank down in a corner where a
1 high-backed settle hid her from chat
ting groups of people. Voices reached
a her now and then. Once the clear
: tones Of Mrs. Amory came to her, hold
ing her captive in her seat, an unWil-
ling eavesdropper.
''Lorry Graham is not only blind, but
: he is poor as well,' said Mrs. Amory,
Its hard luck!"
'Poor!" echoed mans voice
What has happened to him?
thought he was as safe as Gibraltar
My husband told me this morning
that Lorry was bankrupt; that's all
know about it. Isn't it dreadful, on
top of his blindness? Certainly
troubles never do come singly."
Nancy slipped out of the nearest
door, her heart in a tumult. Lorry
Graham not only blind, but poor as
well!
She crossed the lawn and entered
the estate owned by the Grahams
Under a wide-spreading maple she dis
? covered Lorry reclining in a ham
mock chair and leaning over its bacl
0 was his sister Mabel
g Mabel saw Nancy coming, put fin
d ger to her lips and tiptoed out of ear
6 shot of the man under the maple tree
o GO to him, dear" whispered Mabel
S Hes awfully down and he would
II rather see you than anyone else"
It Nancy squeezed Mabel's hand, and
t. the latter went toward the house
G Nancy approached the lone figure un
D. der the tree, her heart in a tumult o.
If fear and pity.
{, That you, Mab?" asked Lorry's deeI
it voice as she came up to the back o
e his chair Before her voice was steady
5. enough to risk an answer he went on
A. AS | was telling you, Nab, EdgartoI
It was drunk-plain drunk, and he made
a sneering remark about Nancy. | re
d scented it, of course, and he threw him
tt self against me and bowled me over
d Rather humiliating when a chap wa
W trying to break a lance for the lad
IF of his heart!"
d Nancy's hands slipped down unit
E. they covered Lorry's bandaged eyes.
W Who is it? Where is Mabel?" b
er demanded sharply.
1T is Nancy" she whispere
Of TREMENDOUSLY.
to Then you heard what I said-yo
or know
e. II know-everything, my brav
it knight" quavered Nancy, kneeling b.
side him. you were breaking lane
in for me. Oh, Lorry, you can see-yo
Id are not blind at ALL" she cried in
|: panic.
r For he snatched off the disfgurin
I'd bandage and his wideopen and Lowell
IN eyes were beaming upon her with a
k their old-time alteration, only multi
piled hundredfold
lie why. of course I can see" b
I'd laughed tenderly. who said | ha
of gone blind2'
is Edith Vantine said =" Nancy
IL voice turned traitor at this nnint ST.