The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1919-06-27
A Runaway
By VERA BLANCHE DORR
su.asAs. 1919. By Western Newspaper Uni0n.I

z5sx& broken her spell Of bondage and
Orr chance of happiness by acting
zzsEAIy but definitely. He was Russell
-Bfls&s and Dora loved him. Had Blake
d.xsEned of the truth for single mo-
z1Rsst NE would have lost no time In
tsiMng her of his undying devotion.
z&czase he feared to be presumptuous
zstds because he hoped to win her re-
gssrS by giving her time to make up
Ekr mind consistently, he had been
sissydJg but respectful, attentive but
ystEenx as to the real state Of his
tsssfmgs.
Kussell Blake did not know that,
w4gsl& on the surface Abel Wilde, the
gsaraian of Dora, was suave, smiling
SNes aid not particularly resent his
fSsguent calls upon his charming young
vzsfca, the hypOcrite was prosecuting
i5sr~' in a way that aroused all the
Isszg1f that was within her. Dora had
al little fortune coming to her and
&tieK Wilde was trustee for the same.
ESsp also had son, BARLEY, whom
10 HAc utlCInllhCu W W A)Old
sybg WIS as resolute In a contrary d.
rsctIon. When she had fully dlscerned
exa purpose Of her guardian she siren
usDusIy objected to accept BARLEY
WfKde as a sutton. Then there was
4ssscc Abel Wilde, cruelty persistent,
ESred her with his absolute control
oc her means and her actions until
lSxfer was 81. He threatened to send
ESr to q private seminary where she
WvEId be under tyrant rule, away
skem friends and away from Blake.
Heard the news?" friend asked
ofsiBlake one morning.
What about?" Queried the young
lawyer.
Dora Morton has run away from
.taAne. Old Wilde kept 1t quiet for
EHae week, but the fact has leaked
5ut. There was terrific family row,
81 household servant says. That old
DsHbGrfan threatened to isolate Dora
EaSs nun and his gawky son insisted
Sts should marry him forthwith. Then
5fss bousekeeper locked Dora In her
ssseS, but during the night she made
ssT escape from an upper window.
.BHgy have been trying to trace her
sser since, but she has left no trail
&SfSfnd her."
Gf course Blake was disturbed; more
tIsxs that, anxious and upset. He knew
sDG gfe plot of the Wildes to force the
yDuEg heiress to comply with their
nagt1es. The impulse was strong with
f5R&e to accuse the old schemer to his
THcs of his plOtful turpitude, but 1t
Sxg not the part Of policy to do so.
Elake controlled his latent rage and
designation, met Abel Wilde in a cas-
u<tf way and sought to gain some hint
od the possible whereabouts of his
wsi,isfied love. In this he was unsuc-
2sessfuf, but he was certain that Dora
aaa1 fed of her own volition.
Bsake made diligent inquiry among
BeraSs girl friends, but gained no in
dSeatfon Of any distant refuge to which
sxsa might have fled. He was seated in
bas sffice one afternoon, unable to con-
osBtrate his thoughts upon any sub
1ery save the fact Of Doras vanish
lgsent when the telephone bell rang.
afg took up the receiver to be in
tEgmed that it was long distance call.
sEEere was brief lapse and then a
voice that thrilled him came over the
vstcs.
Dora !" he breathed, his soul in an
1SRtant afame.
rs this Mr.. Blake?" spoke the dis
sxTs been my good friend and wished
-gSu to know, and to tell other friends
s71f shall not return to Ferndale.
Ehfak you know the reason why"
Bat where are you" impetuously
iSgufred Blake.
No, no. must not tell you. l have
40 opportunity to go as nurse to q
INDY who is to live in California.
tSsO6 by, and thank you" "Over the
S5p hurrah I'm Yank Rah! rah /!
TsbI" tangled in an amazing Interrupt
t80n. Blake realized that the accents
7ssre those OF a parrot. Wire COM
urT1ieation was cut off, and he stood
~ maze, his senses vibrating with
m2tfent emotions of longing, disap-
lyStHtment and uncertainty, commin-
ZEsd. Then he aroused himself to act
rfta necessary celebrity. He phoned
Gvntral, asked the source Of the call
and learned that 1t had come from
s5taunton. Had Blake been less stirred
ixEp and anxious he might have endeav-
cred 10 secure the number Of the phone
ssuding the message, but the fact that
he had located the city where Dora
WIS seemed sufficient as hopeful
starting point.
Flake reached Staunton that after
soon. Two facts were within his clear
zznerstanding: Dora was in hiding
scUswhsre In that place, the house
ssum which she had phoned had a
5srrss. His only anxiety now was that
Dorm might start on her proposed trip
NJ nurse before he had time to 10
cute her.
Fate favored him most ausplciously.
to pass bird store he was
,re..,s, o,,oooo1 to. rovun~co f;o,& ,.ttt<