Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1919-01-23
A Cherished
Home
By CECILLE LANGDON
Copyright. 1918. western Newspaper Union)

less !!
Thus Blake Danvers, neat, nobby,
young and handsome, but hair rum
pied lying at ease on a couch in his
room at the hotel at Rossmore, and
waiting mpatiently for the noon hour,
when he was TO call upon this ogre or
benefactor. as the case might be-Mr.
David Ruthven. magnate and million
are.
Danvers represented Morse & Co,
dealers in broom corn, Chicago. He
had been with them for years: in
fact had grown up with the business.
They were in close corner and had
sent him out on Il vital mission as
their confidential man.
"Two hours yet" muttered Danvers,
restiveIy. 81 might sleep only for
that gossipng set in the next apart
ment. A neighborhood literary inn
prOvement club, I fancy" and he
glanced at tranSom through which
floated a babel Of tongues. Then
nouncement made: Miss Hope, we
are ready for your talk on Opt
mism'"
"Hope," he repeated with a whim-
steal smile, quite a key word with
me Just now, it seems What a mu-
steal voice" and Danvers paused. II
was evidently a young lady who was
speaking, and In a second of time
Danvers recognized culture of tone, in
telligence, sense. and, above all, ra-
tional. cheerful view of life that quite
hraced him up amid his anxiety.
He awoke to the echo of resounding
screams, tramping feet, and frantic
cries of Fire fire fire." The room
was full of smoke. He sprang to
his feet. Just then the door of his
room was pushed open, Covering her
smoke-blinded eyes with her hands, a
lovely young girl staggered into the
room.
"Waltw shouted Danvers peremp-
torily, and pushed her to chair He
darted out into the corridor It was
to see the staircase below in flames.
Apparently all on that floor except the
smoke,bewildered girl had escaped.
Some painters had been Mt work in
the corridor. Danvers noticed a long
plank used In their scaffolding. He
always studied his environment in
putting up at a hotel and knew ex-
actly what he was about when he
dragged the plank into his room,
thrust it through the window space
and let its end rest on the roof of q
building fifteen feet away across
court
He observed the rare beauty of the
girl and he admired her perfect self
control She did not hamper him
with Mysteries or any exhibition OF
fright As he indicated that he was TO
help her across the impromptu bridge
to safety, she uttered her gratitude for
his exertions in her behalf, and Dan
verS recognized the tones of the speak
er in the next apartment-"Miss
Hope"
The chasm was spanned, they
reached the street Here the friends
of the young lady gathered about her.
From their excited words, Danyers
learned that she had been the last to
seek escape He drifted into the gen
eral crowd, ruefuly comprehending,
as he saw the flames gain in force,
that his wardrobe was their prey"
Business he commented "even IL
I am somewhat grimed," and he start
ed for the residence of Mr.. David
Ruthven. He faced a keen, shrewd-
faced man in his sumpuous library
and introduced himself as the repre-
sentative of Morse & Co.
Mr. Ruthven," he said, you hold
thirty thousand dollars of our paper,
overdue. If you will renew it for
thirty days it viii be paid. If protest
ed, our business is ruined. When I
left Chicago my chief said, Take
hope and must have hope, you know,
and l have faith in our ability 10
work out of the tangle if you will
show the charity that will save us"
you seem to lay great stress on
hope, eh?" observed Mr.. Ruthven with
a peculiar smile, as he noted the name
of Danyers In one corner of the bust
ness card presented by the way.
We're you not guest at the hotel?
Lost your belongings? Not a very
CHEEKY welcome to a guest, Ell? Oh,
yes hope, by all means You call here
for my answer this evening and mean
time come with me, please" and he
led DanverS TO another room, where a
young lady sat writing at desk.
daughter" spoke Mr. Ruthven, "by
a strange coincidence. your friend OF
the hotel has called upon me, and"
Danvors thrilled Miss Hope Ruth
ven--she Of optimism aud the daring
ESCAPE confronted him. and in that
fair company he passed the pleasant
est hour of his life.
panyers had an opportunity of seq
ing Hope Ruthven twice after that.
Her father granted the extension. One
month later 60 day Danvers an
peared with the money 20 take M the
notes. Mr. Ruthven was away from
home and Danvers had to await his
return for several days, Il portion Of
which he passed In the company Of his
daughter.
you gave me hope when oiled