South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-06-17
SUSIE-AND A CHAPERON-B Mrs. Stanley Wrench


AS wrote you. Miss fAnvers.- he began.
I do not wish my son 20 mary at all yet I
wish him TO accept post abroad. He had
wonderful chance for q young man offered him
Marriage-even an engagement. would be .
hindrance; he must have no ties That Is why
l wanted to see you I wish to make . pro
posaL do not ask you renounce my son
II you have formed An attachment for him.
what ask is time"
Her painted lips moved bat Miss Susan said
nothing. he was glsring a. her though he
would mesmerize her. read her very thoughts.
How much win you take7" he asked coldly
How much will you take TO disappear for a
year, cut yourself out Of my sons life without
giving him a reason l ask only for year.
I want my son 10 have his chance"
Miss Susan found her tongue. Suppose he
refuses to take It ," she asked
-oh, hen go" retorted the OLD man He'll
10 fast enough II you're out of the way. He's
keen on this Job. as a matter of fact, but you
know well as I do, madam, that boys will DO
boys. that they set up what they imagine are
ideals of-er-chivalry and ell the rest Of Il.
and then think themselves bound in honor to
see things through"
Miss Susan shuddered. She knew what he
was driving at Pride seat her chin up with
just the slightest appreciaSle fraction Of a tile
of disdain for his clumsy methods.
You mean. then" she began You mean
you will pay to give up JIMMY
She paused over the word. Those hawk eyes
cleaned.
How much will you takoY- he asked. How
much are you getting nov-your salary meant
Suppose I doubled it. and gave you FIVE hun
dred pounds? Would that content you? For
year only mark you"
She hated this commercially -minded old man,
but managed to keep her wits about her.
Hastily she reckoned up susies salary. II
was very little after all But the five hundred
pounds
Suppose We say one Thousand pounds in
clusive?" she said coolly. as coolly ss though
she were Susie herself. You Sea-" she added.
I'm expecting to have my-er-screw raised
next month
Sir James looked very thoughtful then drew
his check book toward him. On the table
beside his couch was a legallooking document
which he passed across to Miss Susan.
Il had this prepared in readiness" he ex-
planned Everything Is there except the amount
settled on between us, to be oiled in. A thou
sand pounds is nice little sum- but I pre-
pared to pay that # you win sign the document
Perhaps you will read It through"
Susan read II through. She found 4 quite
of heu IN anti ~ Lars
phrases Her heart was beating very fast over
her daring but after all. this committed Susie
only to one years absence from Jimmy; Just
one year. during which she must hold no com
municaton with him. After that, II she chose.
and Jimmy had NOT changed his mind surely
It would be easy for things to be they we're
before.
But as she wrote the signature Susie
d'Anvers" a quAlm akin 20 fear shot through
her. Suppose Susie found out, and would not
agree2
The old man appeared satisfied. wrote out
the check. passed to her and eyed her rather
sternly.
Il suppose can trust you to make no fussr
he remarked mo scsnesf No leave taking.
etc7 Just write the boy a nOte. disappear, and
put a stop TO this nonsense. that's the best
way"
You may certainly depend upon me to keep
to my side Of the bargain" said Susan in what
Susie would have called her -ErAnde dame"
manner. and after she bad gone. the old man
leaned back In his chair. slightly pazsled.
"Umphl" he shifted; the woman is . bundle
Of contradictions. One might almost take her
for lady one minuts. only she not
painted and powdered atrociously. And
those awful clothes"
On leaving Sin James. the first thing Miss
Susan did to drive back to the agency. re-
move her Wig and makeup. discard the smart
clothes. and with a SIGH Of relief become her
ordinary self again. But her syes were full Of
doubt she came away.
What am to tell susier- she said. Will
she be willing 30 do thas, and make the boy
think she has lifted him for the saks Of the
money? I have half mind not TO let her
know the truth VIII she believe II n she hears
IN day or two THAI Jimmy has sons Oh with
out saying sood-S1r'
Yet, as matters turned out, vss not 80
difficult. for that evening q telegram arrived