The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1916-12-29
never love another. Do not grieve. 10
may oil come ont right vet -

never love another. Do not grieve. 10
may all come out right yet"
Lionel Gray had, as the paragraph
In the letter indicated, disappeared
from Newton in the midst of a court
ship of pretty lola Breton. He lived
with an old aunt, had just started In
law and real estate business when
he suddenly removed his Office, furni-
ture, storing it In loft of his aunts
barn, without an explanation.
Since then lola had nursed break
ing heart. She had made an excuse
ter was sonlbre, almost repellant, SIM
ply vouchsahng that her nephew had
sought more promising field of la
Dor ut distant point.
The gaunt stranger who had found
the missing letter went straight to the
home of Mrs. Durahd, the aunt Of
Lionel Gray. 1t was to introduce him
self as friend Of her distant nephew.
They had worked side by side in some
construction work in the West and
had become close friends Gregory
Lane was on his way back 10 his fam
lily in the East, and had promised Lii
onel to call upon his aunt on his way
and tell how he was getting along.
But the letter had brought to Lane
n new point Of view of a general sit
uation. Within an hour Lane had
shown the missive to Mrs. Durand.
do you understand" spoke Lane,
that every impulse of my soul di-
reefs me to act for my friend, your
nephew, Lionel Gray? The one deS-
pair of his life is that Miss Breton
never cared for him. This letter proves
the contrary. The news of that fact
would raise him TO the heights of hap
piness. You know why he left New
ton, so do /. He has insisted upon the
truth being kept secret. Is it not our
duty to clear up the mystery, with
these two loving souls so cruelty part
ed?"
You mean"
"That Miss Breton should know that
the reason why Lionel left Newton
was because he had been robbed Of
his little capital by her dissolute
brother Henry Breton, and that Lionel
bore his loss and was silent"
Two days later Lane visited the dis
tant town where Henry Breton was
living. He took him aside and told
him of the object of his visit He
spoke not of the return of the money,
all he asked was that Henry confess
to his sister that he was the cause of
the separation, for, reduced to poverty,
Lionel Gray had decided to give up
home and business and seek to rebuild
his plans in a new field.
you amaze me!' were the vehem-
ent words of Henry Breton, land l am
shocked to think that Lionel could
fancy that l, the recipient of so many
kindnesses at his hands, could rob
him. But l understand it all. Just
before Lionel left Newton he met
me and a fellow reveler / had picked
up in my reckless bout, and put us
in his office to sleep off our intoXica-
ton. An hour later / awOke in
muddled state to find my companion
taking a roll of money from a desk,
doubtless the thousand dollars. l at
tackled him, rescued the money, kicked
him out, locked the door and re-
stored the money"
ITO Lionel's desk? He never found
it."
81 don't know, but to desk. left
the Office and town before daylight,
sober, but wretched. In my condition
might have pat the money in some
other desk"
~ believe you and thank you," said
Lane, and hurried back to Newton. It
was to go over the Office furniture
stored in the loft of the Durand barn.
And, sure enough, in an old I'M
used desk, not the one Lionel had reg
ularly used, the money was found
where Henry Breton had put it.
Two things happened in rapid sue
cession-one was call upon lola Bre-
ton by Lane. He told her all, he re-
turned the letter, and, though she was
flustered with embarrassment, a new
happy light came into her loving eyes.
And a telegram went to the far dis
tant Lionel Gray, signed by Lane and
reading: "The thousand dollars found.
Miss Breton knows all and is awaiting
your return"