The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1920-03-05
The Golden
Horseshoe
~1
By vtCTOR REDCLIFFE
Copyright. 1919. by the Western News
paper Unt0n.)


tragic hour Of young Bertram Wynn's
life that he never forgot. He had left
his home ten miles distant with Il dark
clio, lowering over past and present,
ana had sat down ut the edge Of Il
bluff lining Il waterway to think, to
cast up accounts socially, financially
and morally The outlook was desOIate.
As in an evil dream he summed up the
disastrous climax to advice he had
given his father as to investments
that had brought John wynn to the
verge of bankruptcy. He had sought
solitude to analyze the shock, TO with
stand its crushing weight If that
seemed possible,
Darker and more forhidding grew
his scdwling brow as he faced the
facts. GlOOmier and more repellng
seemed the future. His eyes fixed on
vacancy, his lips grimly compressed.
he drew revolver from his pocket,
turned 1t over Speculatively in his
hand and then hastily thrust it upon
the ground behind him as the sound
Of approaching voices reached him.
A picture in vivid contrast to the
dismal visions wrought by his de-
spending mentality was presented.
Framed in the golden sunshine was Il
group of little children led by, or cling
| ing TO a lovely girl of about eighteen.
She seemed To be their teacher and
~ ~ n tam,
ing to it. AS She passed the spot where
Rertram sat she seemed mOmentariIy
startled, and then as if impressed with
the sadness and desperation depicted
in his face half WaVered, and passed
on. Somehow that glance to Rertram
seemed full of human sympathy and
encouragement and as the group van
iShed the circumstance left an impress
Of Joy and innocence that recalled his
own bright youthful days. He was glad
as, reaching behind him, he found that
the revolver had slipped over the edge
of bluff into the water beneath, and he
arose shuddering ut the Spasm Of de-
spair, which had so nearly led him 70
take MS OWL NE.
Bertram Wynn went to n large city
and Glanced to secure board with an
Italian family whose head had been
man of considerable means in his own
country This man took Il fancy to
Bertram and finally asked him to join
him in IN export business he had
started. He had influence abroad and
had secured some orders of magni-
tude Bertram worked hard. At the
end of the European war they secured
contract for n large consignment Of
machinery, duplicated it later on, made
enormous profits, and, one year after
leaving Chesterton. Bertram returned
rich man.
His experience had made him human
ana considerable, and his past dark
days actuated him towards making
brighter those of the unfortunate and
unucky whom he met. He first re-
couped his fathers lost fortune and
enabled him to complete some philan-
ihropic plans his III fortune had him
dcred. Bertram was kindly and friend
" with all his old ASSOCIATES and had
ever an open. helpful hand for the
poor and loWly. one noon time, pass
ing Il group of workmen whom he
knew near the plant where they Ia
bored, he was invited to engage In
game at quoits In lieu of the usual
metal discs ordinarily employed in the
ItSpI
entered into the game with Zest. lie
was pitching one of the horseShoes
when Il child ran across between the
stakes. The flying missile struck her
directly on the head and the little girl
fell, bleeding and insensible.
Bertram ut once picked up the Vie
tim of her own venturesomeness and
FASTENED with her to the nearest ply
stefan. The latter was gravely CON
cerned and stated that he feared bad
results.
poor little creature" he said.
"She Is homeless orphan whom
Mary Vale adopted. About t"o months
since Miss Vale went to the city t"
try position there in seminary anu
has since been paying the board of her
protege here"
"lf you will give me the address OF
the young lady l will communicate
with her." suggested Bertram.
"No, don't do that, until the crisis
is past" advised the doctor. ut would
only distress Miss Vale and probably
cause her to give up lucrative posi-
ton"
"Meantme then, let the little one
be removed to our home" insisted Ber-
tram.
Little Corinne passed the crisis safe
ly and Bertram told the doctor he
would 90 to Miss Vale and tell her of
the accident and its outcome. He had
heard so much of the kindly deeds OF
the young lady that he considered her
deserving of an assurance that he ana
his father would gladly take from her
shoulders the expense and response
biity she had so nobly assumed.
The glory of life seemed to open
up for him with new sentiment as
Mary Vale came into the room where
he was awaiting her at the seminary,
for in a flash he recognized her rs the
sympathetic girl of the day when
death graZed him so closely.
But not until their double chance
4, 4 n