The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1920-02-04
FORBIDDEN
PATH
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BY CEC1LLEt LANGDON

6pHHHReHHNeSNNeN&AN
Copyright, 1890. western Newspaper Union)
j. snow what does that ever mean y
Miss Anice Gordon, spinster, gave
sniff of Indignation and peered
sharply at piece Of board supported
BY chains covering an open gateway.
The sign read: ts'No Trespassing Al"
lowed" ~ tal55s ~ L. r. TO =. :
Her younger sister, Mile, paled.
Cant you answer?" demanded
Anice irritably. tf,sss 's.s
81 can only see that the path across
to the main road has been closed to
the public" spoke Mile in subdued
tone. 's. (.
I. "The publicr' snapped Anice.
"Fudge! We 'are the only public who
ever cross this way. Heretofore. as
it saved US going around half q mile,
we used It. We had been invited-wel-
come, in fact, to do SO. Now 1t Is
closed as forbidden path. Why!
take it as deliberate insult on tho
part Of Mr.. Morton Chester"
"Oh, don't say that, sister, quav-
cred Mile pleadingly. "There ie some
mistake some reason"
''Well, shall never recognize MI.
Chester until know what it is,"
snapped Anice testify, and flounced
away.
+ Millie walked slowly back to their
little vine-embowefed cottage. Hers
had been humdrum, uneventful life
until SIX months previous, when Nor
ton Chester bought his present estnte,
he was four years the senior OF MIL
lie and Il! was rufnored had made q
business success. 1T was also learned
that he had only one relative I'M the
world, D. younger Step-brother: whom
he always spoke If with loving ten
derness.a Mr. Chester proved to pc q
rood neighbot. e Ills only servants
were a housekeepef and q cook. and
one day he invited the sisters to .
formal dinner, later took tea with them,
and 1t grew to be SO that he would
drop in on them fora chat, or invite
them over to Fairview to advise him
as to some landscape gardening.
Anice was an exacting chaperon, but
Mile and he nurtured warm mutual
companionship that both priced. For
about a month, however, the Gordons
had barely seen Mr.. Chester. Abrupt
" he seemed to evade them. He called
no more Mt the cottage, and Mile
grew grave and puzzled land Anice
quite, offended.i u The latter limited az
mystery whenithsre arrived "a dark.
sinister appearing man. New. Mile
gave an hours serious thought TO hel
stranger; seeking it,. ,analyEe the alter.
etiong In he,tbehaNior. OF their neigh
Dor, and said t., her sister later: 47i.p;
lffiiisAnice,,.I fear tAats 1lr4 Chester n.
In some deep trouble. 10 ieze98s lc:a
aThat iss not. OUT AT ~ replied
Alice ,crossly.a sHaih has seem ft to: ign
more gus and I5haveIlno further inter-.
Ell in him." 4
HEsrBut 1 have, sister dear" began MIL
lie, flushing vAihlE toy ,issss ,2l.i
perhaps TOO ama YHcah rs opmmeeant9edal
Alice .signif lc;antly, ao,te 10 u, aa,.1ss. ~
fHI DO not forget hoy Kind II ID and and con,
siderate he has been,to rs" proceeded
Alillie. Il am satisfied that Mr.: Ches-
ter Is in difficulty and, has been ever
since that man, Walters, came to Fair
view. Mr.. Chester ,acts as II ne Is
afraid Of him. He looks pale and wor-
ried, and have seen Walters meet a
vicious looking fellow at the stock
shelter shed several times, always at
dusk, and they suggest couple OF
plotters." ..ofs y.
It was two evenings later when NIL
lie, wandering sadly past the western
confines Of Fairview, noticed a light
at the shelter shed. An hour later,
pale and agitated, she FASTENED home
ward tolseek her sister at once. q
l"Anice," she said, IT have overheard
that man Walters and his sinister
friend discussing Mr.. Chester. He ,is
the center Of an infamous scheme of
extortiop. It seems, that bis step-brotht-
er Is in South America on q secret bus
mess mission, and they have convinced
Mr.. Chester that he went there to es-.
cape prosecution for an ,embezzlement
he committed, but which his former
employers have not yet discovered.
Walters threatens to expose him I'M
less Mr.. Chester bribes him literally.
They have SO deity worked on the
fears Of Mr.. Chester that he hides him
self In fancied disgrace from all his
friends. have learned enough to give
names and addresses, whereby Mr..
Chester can easily be assured Of the
innocence Of his step-brother and the
guilt Of these human harpies. Why!
where are you going" for Anice had
arisen with set, resolute face.
II am going to see Mr.. Chester, al
am going by the short cut" came the
grim answer.
Mr.. Chester did not return with
Anice, but there was an expectant,
triumphant look on her. face as she
said: "NIr. Chester will be here within
an hour, Millie. He insisted on seeing
you to thank you for relieving him
from a domination that has caused
him untold misery" ,,s
Upaforo 7 loft tho hn,,so announced