Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-04-24
HIDDEN BUNGALOW
BY AGNES G. BRoGAN.

| ing to peer through the snowy blur,
| to the village below The storm had
| been unexpected. she had started out
| in sunshine. hoping to visit friend at
| the top of the hill. and now, before her
| journeys end, the sky darkened, while
whirling ice flakes cut her cheeks. The
next farmhouse, she remembered, was
now as impossible to reach as the vii
| lage: then came a recollection of
summer-home bungalow, which must
| be some place nearby. Though Its
occupants had returned TO the city, she
would be able to find shelter in the pro-
| tected corners of the veranda. So Celia
pulled the scarlet tam over her crink-
ling hair and pushed on through the
whistling wind Yes, there was the
house buried in an enveloping cloud OF
snow and something moved at its gate
| way.
Celia laughed relievedly to find the
something great dog. Boisterous In
welcome he darted toward her. I'm
hesitatingly her hand reached for the
dogs collar and she led him yielding
| through the hedge. She was glad as
| she huddled in the doorway that the
animal was there to shield her. Then
with lurch the great dog jumped
| against the door.
"You foolish thing" Celia chided, at
won't open"-but it did. Bewildered
| the girl suddenly stood in living
room, and more amazing still, fire
| cracked on the hearth.
"What is it Don?" a mans surprised
| voice asked of the dog. and from out
| the shadows appeared mans figure.
ST beg your pardon" stammered the
| girl, 81 did not know the bungalow was
occupied. 1 was lost in the storm"
The mans voice was pleasing. Twill
| you make yourself comfortable here
by the fire?" he invited.
| Celia hesitated but moment, glanc-
| ing at the increasing storm-refusaE
seemed foolish.
"The bungalow was unoccupied," the
| man told her, until last evening. [
came out here upon an impulse"
Celia cast glance at the mans fine
| features. Then, at his suggestion, she
placed the red tam and her cloak to
dry before the fire. AS darkness grew,
he arose to light shaded lamp. "YOu
see," he remarked, 81 have made prep
aration for days of solitude"
'"That was a strange impulse OF
yours" she said as silence grew be-
| tween them-"coming out here at this
time of the year. / remember your
face You used to pass our home last
summer in q car, with an older gen.
'tleman."
The man nodded. my father" he
answered briefly.
| AS departure grew hopeless, the man
| brought forth an impromptu meal,
serving the girl as impersonally as
| though supper in a bachelors showed
| in bugalow was an ordinary occur
renee. And Celia ensconced before
| the fire, found the hour one of pleas
ant adventure. Surreptitiously she
watched the mans face, with eyes so
keenly grave, and the eyes lost their
anxious light when they rested on the
girls sweet face. At last he came back
| from an examination of the weather.
"You may have to stay here for some
! time" he said. ST am going to ven
| ture out to try to find conveyance Sor
you"
| With reluctance she followed him to
the door. "Oh, please ~ she begged.
as an icy blast caught her breath,
'don't try it yet" but with strong
quick hand clasp, the man had gone.
| Celia. left alone reached for the
morning paper lying before the COUCH
then for an instant her heart seemed
| to stop beating, when it raced on
again, she found herself looking into
the pictured face of the man who had,
befriended her. Beneath the picture
We're the words:
'Defaulter supposed to be in hiding"
| Below was an account of a shortage in
one of the city banks, for which the
| pictured man was held responsible.
John Gordon the elder" the paper
| stated, assistant to his son, the CASH
| Ter, left Immediately for trip to Cali
fornia after John Gordon, Jr.'s mys-
/ terious disappearance. He refused to.
discuss the matter"
"Oh it cannot be-" whispered Celia :.
| DenodG0 the CuSnlO0 OF the cOuCH pa
per cracked. Unconsciously she drew
1t forth, then deliberately read it's mes
sage: "Dear Jack" said the note,
sorry to leave you to straighten things
out, but / had to have money; deal
went wrong Know you'll fix things
some way. Dad
With pink spots on either cheek, the
girl jumped to face two men, who I'M
announced entered the room.
Here's the dog" said one. where's
lack Gordon?'
"Pretty criminal laughed the other,
"hiding away in his own summer
home"
"He is not criminal" the girl cried
molly. Hes just brave man, taking
blame on himself to shield an old fa-
cher; read that, you detectives"
Silently the men read the scrubbed
lote, then turned to smile at the girl.
| OsTm glad YOU gave us that evidence"