The herald., 1917-05-24
CHApERON
BY JANE OSBORN.

before have | seen a girl so exquisite
as Gwendoline. She hal brown eyes
that reflected the golden light of the
sun. lashes that turned up like a
baby's-I am not very adept at de-
sCription, but in every way GwendO-
line was charming Had she been a
little sturdier and fired with a little
more girlish spirit she would have
been a goddess. But had she been
sturdier there would be no story to
tell. for it was because Of Gwendo-
lines rather delicate health that we
fingered at the beach after Mrs. Pen
field had gone to open their home in
the mountains.
To me. of course. 1t didn't much
matter where | stayed, and an excuse
like that of ChaperoninS GwendOline
was sufficient to make me stay three
weeks longer at the beach than is my
usual habit.
Now. Sophie Jones'" Mrs. Penfield
said, Il know you are capable of the
task If you keep your mind on II. But
| want you to know at the outset that
GwendOline usually attracts too much
attention. She IS much too indOlent
to fall in love anyway, and if she were
in a mood for romance there are three
or four very desirable affairs that she
dropped in a half-fnished stage when
we came to the beach. For one, Tom
Lowther will have all his fathers mil
lions
GwendOlinc and 1 got along famous
ly-barring, Of course, the fact that
She like most excessively pretty girls,
was almost entirely inComprchensible
to me.
Every morning we would start off
somewhat after ten and walk along
the seashOre, Gwendoline finding APP
parently infinite delight in picking up
shells from the sand and later spend
ing hours in sorting them out under
the shade of her beach parasol.
| mustn't forget Busoni-or Mr.. Hen
ri BusOni as we soon learned to call
him, though at first we. like the rest
thought OF him as husOni-Busoni and
his orchestra. Every one knew him.
In fact, he was one of the chief attrac- |
tons at that resort. He was more than |
the usual boardwalk orchestra conduc- /
ter. | had always known that Busoni |
was of finer clay and it was because |
OF my admiration for his work that |
had been especially glad to stay longer |
at the beach with Gwendoline. But |
Busoni was middle aged and. as the |
women who rocked for hours On the
porch at our hotel all told Us, he was
quite without heart. Never had he
been seen with a woman.
GwendOline likes music almost as
we'll as | do myself, and it was quite
by mutual consent that we daily went
to hear Busoni. 1t was during the
concert, when we were seated
in our usual seats at one side Of the
in what l thought was a
secluded corner, that he first noticed
his first violin to us. Every one in
the audience was interested, and II
was quite clear to every one that Blu
soni had been struck by the girls
beauty. The messenger told US that
Busoni had sent him to ask US II we
wished to suggest the next number;
hat he had often seen us and could
not fail to see that we were lovers OF
music.
1t was dreadfully conspicuous and
Every one at once knew why, for
iwendOline was so irresistible.
Then Busoni asked to call and ]
No, didn't forget Gwen.
loline's mothers injunctions. ] sim.
'ly decided that could take matters
n my own hands. Busoni was no or.
linary admirer and clearly Gwendo
inc did not want to have me refuse
CT her. He called more than once
nd then one evening we went driving,
We three, in the twilight through the
rove Of pine trees Just northwest OF
he beach.
Meanwhile several letters had come
rom the men at home. Then one from
'om LCwther, who was to be worth
billions, saying he was coming down
or the final answer that week end, |
nd the next mail brought one from
Iwendoline's mother, who had heard
f Toms intentions, saying that she
Ias coming too. :
Then Busoni telephoned to the hotel. I
lie said he wished to call that eve ,
ing. He had something important
, say. He must come When tried 9
make excuses he would not listen. ,
le would come anyway. G
OF course, l knew exactly what to- c
0 as chaperOn. In view Of the com. '
lg OF Gwendoline's mother the next G
ay and of young Lowther, too, Gwen T
oline ought not to have to face the /
ecision Of proposal from Busoni. S
Gwendoline laughed a queer little d
himsical laugh when l told her that
would see Busoni and make her Y
Dologies, and then she went off to
ed. And | went down to Busoni. o
And then Busoni told me. Can YOU q
nagine what? Busoni the genius. n
10 recluse-Busoni whom every WON.
at the beach would have adored- n
usoni there and then in the little n
'lVate reception room Of our hotel, 8
'tually went down on his knees and h
cd 60