Courier Democrat., 1918-10-17
III:
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w Berrana W Sinclair
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wnere," Miss Ryan replied. "Take me
up to yolE room, dear, where we can
talk our heads off.
"And, furthermore, Hazie, I'll be
pleased to have you address me as
Mrs. Brooks, my dear young woman"
the plump lady laughed, as she settled
herself in chair in Hazels room.
$50 you're married?" Hazel said.
II am that" Mrs. Kitty responded
emphatically, ito the best boy that
ever drew breath. And so should you
be, dear girl. don't see how you've
escaped so long-a good-looking girl
like you. The boys were always crazy
after you. There's nothing like hav-
ing a good man to take care of you,
DEAR"
"Heaven save me from them!" Ha-
eel answered bitterly. "If you've got
one you're lucky. can't see them as
anything but self-centered, arrogant,
treacherous brutes."
lord bless us-it's worse than I
thought" Kitty jumped up and threw
her arms around Hazel. 'There,
there-don't waste a tear on them. I
know all about it. Icame over to see
you just as soon as some Of the girls
nasty little cats they are; woman's
always meaner than man, dear-just
as soon as they gave me an inkling Of
how things were going with you.
Pshaw! The worlds full Of good, de-
cent fellows-and you've got one COM
ing"
"If you'd had my experience Of the
last two weeks you'd sing a different
tune" Hazel vehemently declared.
| II hate-I-"
And then she gave way, and in
dulged in the luxury Of turning herself
| loose on Kitty's shoulder. Presently
she was able to wipe her eyes and re-
late the whole story from the Sunday
Mr. Bush stopped and spoke to her in
the park down to that evening.
Kitty nodded understandingly. "But
the girls have handed it to you worse
than the men, Hazel" she observed
sagely. "Jack Barrow was just plain
crazy jealous, and man like that
can't help acting as he did. You're
really fortunate, think, because you'd
not. be really happy with man like
that. But the girls that you and I
grew up with-they should have stood
by you, knowing you as they did; yet
you see they were ready to think the
worst, Of you. They nearly always do
when there's man in the case. That's
weakness of our sex, dear. Well,
you aren't working. Come and stay
with me. Hubby's got two-year con-
tract with the World Advertising COM
pany. Well be located here that long
at least. Come and stay with u.s.
"Oh, no, couldn't think of that,
Kitty" Hazel faltered. "You know
I'd love to, and it's awfully good of
you, but think I'm just about ready
to go away from Granville"
"Well, come and stop with US till
you do co." Kitty insisted. 1--WE are
going to take a furnished cottage for
a while. Though, between you and me,
] dear, knowing people as I do, can't
blame you for wanting to be where
their nasty tongues can't wound YOU"
But Hazel was obdurate. She would
not inflict herself on the one friend
she had left. And Kitty, after short
talk, berated her affectionately for
her independence and rose to go.
J ''For," said she, II didn't get hold of
this thing till Addie Horton called at
the hotel this afternoon, and I didn't
stop to think that it was near teatime,
but came straight here. Jimmie'l]
think I've eloped. So ta-ta. I'll come
out tomorrow about two. have to
confab with house agent in the fore
noon. By-by."
Hazel sat down and actually smiled
when Kitty was gone Somehow 8
grievous burden had fallen off her
mind. Likewise, by some psycholog-
ical quirk, the idea Of leaving Gran.
vile and making her home elsewhere
no longer struck her as running away
under fire. She felt that she could
! adventure forth among strangers in
a strange country with better heart
knowing that Kitty Brooks would put
swift quietus on any gossip that
came her way.
So that Hazel went down. to the din,
ing room light-heartedly, and when the
meal was finished came back and fell
to reading her papers. The first of
the Western papers was Vancouver
World. In a real-estate mans half
page she found diminutive sketch
plan Of the city on the shores Of Bur-
rard inlet, Canada's principal outpost
on the far Pacific.
'1t's quite big place." she mur-
INJURED absently. Zone would be far
enough away there, goodness knows" ;"
Then she turned to the "Help
Wanted" advertisements. And down
ne the bottom of the column she
happened on an inquiry for school,
teacher, female preferred, in an out
of-the-way district in the interior Of
the province.
"Now, that" Hazel thought.