Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1919-11-20
The Exiies
BY GEORGE ELMER COBB
lopyrEht, lala. by western Newspaper Union }

IN harmony as TO face. attire and Spir-
It's with the beauty of a rare spring
morning, He was Norman Reed AZ
Elsdene, twenty miles to the north,
was tie plant of the Warren Machinery
company. Twenty miles across TO the
south ut a thriving inland city were
the Offices of the corporation, which
his father practically owned.
Norman whistled cheerily MS the
high-powered machine progressed
without squeak or jar,
There was macadamized road from
city to plant but this especial morning
Norman had tried short cut along a
lonely road. Not a house showed in the
first five miles and IT was only when
he passed belt of woods that he no
ticed dilapidated cabin nesting in its
depths.
There was a pretty flower patch in
front of it, and vines were festooned
over the small porch Norman won
dered what could have induced anyone
to select that lonely spot for home
Abruptly he noticed vague speeding
object dash from the wild shrubbery.
Before Norman could distinguish II
Clearly il disappeared under the ma
chine and thrilling scream rang out
"Oh, stop stop re is killed"
The accents we're feminine. A girl
Sh form came into view. Norman
halted the auto promptly, sprang from
his seat and saw a dog lying in the
middle Of the road The animal held
up n lacer.ted bleeding paw and
whined in pain. Norma bent over,
gently examined the wounded foot
ana lifted the animal in his arms,
"A lucky escape" he spoke, and
turned to face Il young girl with blood
less face aud dlstended yves. Don't
worry. miss he continued, "the poor
animal is not seriously hurt. Is II
yourSi"
"Oh, yes, indeed = fluttered the pos
SCISSOR of rs fair face as Norman's
eyes had ever rested ON. at is our
Ponto Won't you please carry him to
the house where can attend TO him?'
II was thus that Norman Reed met
the lovely girl and his fate at one and
the same time. AS he approached the
house he noticed an old man stealthily
draw back into atl old she'd Norman
called for bandages Ponto seemed to
comprehend that he was in the care of
humane friend At the end of five
minutes Norman lifted the grateful
animal TO a pillow the girl had placed
on bench, and said:
"Your pet will fare quite well after
day or two of nursing ! viii drive
by tomorrow and bring you a famous
curative canine lotion that will help
out"
Thenceforward Norman Reed
seemed to have new motive in life.
Three times week he visited the
plant and always returned by the dirt
road. Three times a week he halted at
the little out-of-the-way house in the
woods. ostenslbly to see how Ponto
was getting along, but In reality to
feast his eyes on the animals mistress,
who attracted him with an increasing
interest.
He learned that her name was
Clarice. She gave no other, and as
Norman noted that the old man, pre-
sumably her father, made 1t point to
keep out of view during his visits, he
decided that there was some mysteri-
Gus reason for these two isolating
themselves from the rest Of the world.
Ponto got well, and at every new
visit Norman fingered longer than ut
the preceding one A month passed
by and Clarlce began to look longing
" for the appearance Of her welcome
visitor. one afternoon she was amazed
to see Fonto come running down the
road. The intelligent animal was pant
ing and excited He dropped a long
fiat wallet at the feet OF Clarice. he
looked at her beseechlngly, as though
striving to tell her something. He ran
down the road n way and looked back
Mt her. Clarice followed him.
It was to find Norman lying back In
the automobile. bleeding and inSenSi-
Bile. Clarice had learned to direct the
car and she soon had the machine
up TO the house. With the aid Of her
father she carried him into the house.
Norman reganed his senses 10 inform
her that he had been assaulted by
footpad. had thrown the wallet con
timing large amount of money 10
Ponto. aud the well-trained animal had
run off with It, as Norman hoped he
would do.
Norman was unable to proceed
his way and asked Clarice 70 get vcr
TO his father. She hurried TO the
North settlement and n few hours later
Mr.. Reed appeared He was made
aware Of the situation and thanked
Clarice for her services and those Of
the quick -witted Ponto When he oh.
served the father Of Ciarice he gave q
violent start.
"John Bordenl" he exclaimed, my
old bookkeeper
Then was uncovered the mystery of
the isolation Of father and daughter.
Ten years before Borden, after collect
ing a large amount Of bills for his EN-
pIover. found that he had lost over
two thousand dollars. Fearing his
story would not be credited he had
resolved to disappear.
~. 80. nod avpp thouVbf Of accusing