The Lamar register., 1919-07-23
Her
Decision
toOpyri..<. 1918. By Western Newspaper Union.
By dENEvIEvR uLMAR


thousand-dollar parasol over her head
and listening with forced attention to
the vapid chattering of two dandified
young sprigs of wealth. She mani
tested a latent wsasiness, an obvious
toleration. concealed with some diff.
Guilty.
Her chauffeur started up the mn.
chine at her word. and Miss Elvirs
Dutton sank back upon the luxurious
cushions with a tired sigh. Thee.
again halting before the shop of q
fashionable modiste, she handed the
chauffeur short list, which ne deliv.
cred. and when he returned to ibe '-s-
chine three girl friends were lined sp
at the curb conversing with the you x
heiress.
Arden Besley was forced to Listen
to the shallow nothings uttered by me
chattering group. Then as the ato
again started up he heard Miss ,,ut-
ton utter a pettisb- wsSyssS area "a.
tioG - S.,s rae Erst time be lad
friven the machine. having been EN-
ployed by John Mop,e. the uncle of
Miss Duttcn. the .e1 previous. The
latter did not p'.n know his name,
but she spoke Jk-asantly:
'Will you t~idly drive out of town
as far as yeL like; do not care to
return till late afternoon. Do YOU
know any restful. picturesque spot
where c,.I get away from this-this
folly?"
Arden Hesley bowed. marvelIng at
the wonurous beauty of her face.
''rhe old river road winds In and out
for forty miles," he said. There is a
beautiful prospect from the bluffs near
vlnton. Is that too fart"
"Not at ALL"
She sat back In the seat with closed
eyes after that, and no further words
were spoken between them. When Ar
den Besley halted 1t was at the end
OF rise in the landscape. From the
apex of the bluff Miss Dutton gazed
upon varied scene spread before her
like panorama. Her eyes WIRE ra-
diant.
'-Then I am to go back to v1nton
and come here laterf" questioned Ar.
den.
''If you please" she responded, and
her eyes took In his face with atten-
tlon for the first moment.
He reported to Mr.. Moore that he
was to go for Miss Dutton late In the
afternoon. At four o'clock Arden
drove back to the spot where he had
left Miss Dutton. She was flushed.
almost embarrassed. he fancied. Her
wraps We're nowhere in sight; she
handed him n sealed envelope.
'You will deliver that TO Mr.. Moore,
please" she said. when he questions
you tell him | left you no indication
of where | was going. That is all.
and thank you"
She fitted away without another
word, leaving Arden fairly stupefied.
He felt sure that these abrupt orders
covered some strange action on the
part OF Miss Dutton. Mr.. Moore ques-
toned him closely when. with star
tied fnce. he read the letter. He asked
I'm detail OF the mysterious trip. Then
he looked decidedly angry. His lips
closed tightly.
"You need say nothing OF this inct
dent to Others" he observed. Arden
saw no more OF Miss Dutton. Her
name was not mentioned In the house
Another young lady had appeared.
and casually Arden learned that whim.
steal. purse-proud John Moore had
chosen Miss Dutton as his helress.
that after six months of high-school
life she had written him. tired Of the
sham, hollow life of riches alone, ana
that he had chosen u new heiress.
AT the end of two months Arden
Besley gave up his position as chauf-
feur. 1t had been assumed only to
keep from being idle during the sum
mer vacation. He was principal of n
school and must now return to his reg
uiIr duties at Bortonville. fifty miles
distant. where his mother and sister
kept house for him.
II YVES his sister Leila who met him
at the depot with warm welcome
and the words:
81 have something to tell you before
we go htnie. 1t Is strange story"
and these were Its details: Two
months previous Miss Dutton had ap-
peared at their home near the bluffs.
asking for IA meal. Something in the
neat, cheerful old house had attracted 4
her, her two hostesses, humble, mod
sst and hospitable had charmed her.
She told them she had been a shcool-
teacher and had been taken from that