Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-06-04
THE TWICE AMERICAN
By Eleanor NJ. Ingram A.thor Of From the Gar Behind

CHAPTER VII.
THE LETTER TO A LADY
NAMED ROSE.
you know, dear Rose I promised
to- write you Of my experiences, and
what they did to me. Well, I have
kept my promise! And 1t has not
been easy to tell you. I would have
liked to keep this year hidden from
you, Of all people OF earth; and from
your father. But 1t would not be
honest to do so. You were always
strong for honesty, Rose. I don't
mean only because you may Q care
to write to me again. There is some
thing else. I have just told you how
Milo Valdez said it was the duty Of
every citizen Of the republic to repeat
the story Of David Noers. generosity
to everyone whip would listen. Rose.
l have a queer feelins-no logic to 1t
Just a feeling-that 1t would not be
honest to Noel to conceal from you
his kindness to me. I don't know
whether any one else could under
stand that feeling: I know you will.
we have some mental meeting places,
haven't we
Il have been in this house month:
now. It is three weeks since Noel
came home for the first time after
bringing me here. I was at work
with Milo Valdez, in the evening.
when I looked up to see Noel in the
doorway, watching us. Since then, he
treats me almost as he does Valdez"
Corey Bruce straightened in hts
chair with an unwarranted change OF
color and pulled a blotter over the
letter. on the desk" before him.
Il did not hear you come in,
Dom David" he stammered, with
that guilty embarrassment upon him
which usually overtakes = man when
found speaking Of another, however
inoffensively.
Noel sank into a chair opposite the
desk, motioning the other mar to
keep his position.
marked perfunctorily. "You were
writing q letter, I see."
Yes. A letter home. You see, it ID
a year since, Since =
"A year since your family heard OF
your"
Bruce fancied he detected disap-
prevail in the tone. A flush colored
his thin face; he had the transparent
complexion corresponding with his
red hair. rendered more transparent
by his long confinement. He nervous
~ took off his glasses and replaced
them before replying.
"Oh, I really meant North" he ex-
planned. II haven't a home, In the
intimate sense. No parents living:
No brothers or sisters. A cousin and
everyone has relations more or less
distant or Indifferent. I suppose, but
they hardly make a home"
"I have no kin at ALL" Noel stated.
He took q cigar from a humidor on
tina desk, looking. at 1t abstractedly.
Most men have, Of course! Your
not?"
Eyes. my mothers family am was
Corey"
Noele continued to look at the cigar
he had taken, without lighting it.
Eyes? You are a New Yorker. I
think you said?"
IA Philadelphia, Dom David"
Bruce corrected. But there are
branches Of both sides of our family
in New York, both . Bruces and
Coreys."
Eyes. thought that possible"
Struck by some indefinable signid-
canoe in his companions tone, Bruce
pesred at him, h%ssitating. Noel lifted
his grey eyes to the inquiring brown
ones for a moment, seeming to
sorutinize his features in q search for
some vague resemblance. II he found
what he sought, he said nothing. He
returned his attention to the cigar
without comment, yet the CLEAN Of a
new idea enlightened Bruce's vision.
Noel was, or had been, a New York
er: he himself had said 80.
"Did-do you perhaps know some
of my people at home?" he wonder
ed.
Perhaps" said Noel. IT was about
to ask you that question. No doubt
there are a good many people Of that
name in the city, yet it is possible
that I did know-your family. There
was, perhaps still is, q brownstone
house on one of the avenues; a house
that used to have q large aquarium in
a front window"
Madison avenue!" Bruce eagerly
followed the lead. "why yes. MY
father was born there"
"Ah? There was a little girl named
Constance Bruce who lived there
once"
my cousin! Yes. You knew
II knew the little girl" said David
Noel, his voice cry quiet.
"constanee? But she is grown
~p oAOSS StAA dL lNOcI > 6LT0NS
vigorous figure and incisive face.
Certainly, he thought, Noel must
have been a boy when Constance was
q child. There could hardly be more
than i've or six years difference in
age between Noel and his cousin.
What could that time have to do with
the present?
Yes, it was long ago." Noel an
swered the others doubt. "she is
well, I hope; ana happy? Az a child
she seemed BOTH"
"oh, yes! She was when / last
ago. though. The fact is"-Bruce
fdgeted with the desk fittings, then
perceived that he had uncovered a
corner Of his letter and hurriedly
moved the blotter over it-''the fact
is, Constance's people are the wealthy
branch of the family. I never saw 4
great deal Of them. after my mother
died and I grew, up. I was too busy.
and all that sort Of thing. 1 usually
spent q short time there each vaca
ton. Constance 10 q handsome Girl,
and kept on the social merry.ro.
round nowadays."
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