Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-01-23
CHAPTER II.
vivs Ia France.

vivs 10 France.
""HE uncle Of America has come
to q confusion Of the sex be-
tween Pierre and me from
careless memory and the
writing Sf my hand. which Is OF q
great boldness. but not to be easily
read" i explained as read the letter
aloud to Pierre and Nannette.
1t took me just one hour by the clock,
sitting there on the pile Of steamer
wraps with the small Pierre in the hol-
low Of my arm. to explain and trans
late the sense of that letter to old Nam
nette, and I feel sure she would have
been sitting upon that spot yet, Inn
movable, rather than let me depart
from her If had not put all OF my
time and force upon the picturing to
her Of a Pierre who could come down
with her later to me in condition to
run through the gardens Of Twin Oaks,
which was the home Of his American
ancestors. With that vision constantly
before her she let the porter and me
insert her into q taxicab and extract
her at the door of the small private
hospital Of the good DR.. Burns, who
was to perform the miracle for the
back and hip of small and radiant
Pierre.
"But what Is It that l do to permit
the jeune file Of my beloved mistress
to depart into this city Of wicked saw
ages not attended by me? I cannot.
Do not demand itv' were the words
with which I left her arguing with
hat very sympathetic and sensible doc
tor of America. He had not noticed
confusion of sex was between Pierre
and me, and he had sent out the check
Of my wicked uncle and procured the
American money for me. Also he had
given me few directions that he ap-
peared to think of a great sufaciency
and had ordered taxi to be in readi-
ness for me.
Nonsense, nurse" he said to Nan
nette brusquely, but not with unkind-
ness, when had translated to him
Nannette's weeping protests. "A great
strapping girl like that can get down
to the Harpeth valley all right by her
self. Nobody's going to eat her up.
and from the size Of the biceps I de-
tect under that chiffon I think she
could give good account Of herself
II anybody tried. How like you are
to what Henry was at your age, child,
God bless you! I'd 60 to the station
with you, but I've patient all pre-
pared for an operation. Shall ! send
4 nurse with your"
"No, please, good doctor. and good
BY" I said, with great haste, as l
hurriedly embraced both Nannette and
the small Pierre and departed down
the broad steps into the taxi with the
open door.
"Your train may not leave for hours,
but you can get your baggage togeth-
er. Goodby," said that good doctor as
he shut the door and returned to his
pursuit of making human beings either
whole or dead.
"And now, Roberta Carruthers, no
longer Marquise Of Cree and Bye, you
are In your America. and let's see you
do some hustling."
And while that very swift taxi con-
veyed me to the large station that is
as beautiful as cathedral did some
what I name tall thinking" What
would be the result Of my womanly
arrival in that state of Harpeth Of my
wicked uncle? Would he be forced to
murder me as bis letter had said?
And If in his anger over the mistake
he had made from my letter, written
In that very bold and difficult hand
writing, he should turn from me and
the good Nannette and Pierre as well,
what would I then do? All must be
enacted that cure for Pierre be OBJ
tanned. With great energy had been
thinking, but I did not know what 1t
was that I should do to prevent his
anger when I arrived to him as a
woman until suddenly the good DR..
Burns kindness In marking the re-
sembalnce Of me to my father in his
extreme youth made an entry into my
brain and was received with the great
est welcome by the daredevil who
there resides.
every well, Robert Carruthers, who
is no longer the beautiful Marquise Of
Cree and Bye. you will be that husky
nephew to your wicked uncle in the
state of Harpeth whom he needs in
his business What Is that you lack
Of a mans estate save the clothes.
which you have money in your pockets
to obtain after you have purchased the
ticket upon the railway train?"
A decision had been made. and &C.
ton upon It had begun in less than a
half hour after the purchase of the
ticket for the state of Harpeth had
been accomplished.
As my father had taught me observa-
hon In hunting, had remarked large
shop for the clothing Of men upon the
Sixth avenue near to the station. !
made my way into 1t, and by very
nice fiction Of an invalid brother whom
was taking to the South Of America
was able to buy for few dollars
less than was in my pocket two most
interesting bags Of apparel for hand
some young man Of fashion. The man
who assisted me to buy was very large.
with head only ornamented with q
drapery Of gray hair around the edges.
and he spoke much Of what his son
deemed suitable to make appearance
IN the prevailing mode.
"He's at tea with q lady friend this
afternoon, and I wish you could have
saw him when he left the store to
meet her." be said as he laid the Last
Of the silk scarfs and hose into one. Of
the large Dat bags had purchased and
which he had packed as I selected
"He had on the match to these gray
tweeds and was fitted ont in lavender
from the skin out Now, what are you
going to do about shoes, missf
@That / do not know. kind .dr." I
made answer. with great perplexity.
II think that the feet Of my relative
| are about the sise Of those ! possess."
Most women would wear shoes ns1f
| the sise Of their brothers' Il ting didn't
| prsfer TO waddls and limp along WITH