The Ordway new era., 1920-01-23
CHAPTER !.
Claire.


I've always thought this adventure
might credIbly have happened TO any
body else but me. Since II did happen
to me I've come to the incredible con-
ciusion that it's your staid, proper
spinsters who get Into some OF the
blugglest adventures. only the world,
lust because of the bred-in-the-bone
propriety of the people involved. never
hears about the adventures
Ann Preswick and I had spent the
summer casually rowing through Hol-
land and Belgium. accompanied by two
large sJiitcases, q bunch of extra soft
lead penclls-mlne-and large paint
box and white umbrella-Ann's-
searching such adventures, literary
and artistic, as two rather staid and
prosaIc women would be likely to find.
which adventures we hoped to convert
into cash through the American maga-
zines.
AT the end of three months Ann
thought she saw two real live books
as the offspring Of our joint labors. so
with my typewriter | went down to
Vevny for the winter to work. How
ever. had hardly found myself nicely
settled and Belgian Byways" spurt-
ing along when 1 was cabled for to
come home on family business.
While l was having the PORTER buy
my Paris ticket for me lady's card
was brought to my room by the pro-
prietor himself, telling me that the
madame below stairs was the highly
respected principal of a young ladies'
school.
The madame turned out to be a
pudgy, self-important person, speak
ing voiuble and understandable Eng
lish, who dived without waste of op-
portunlty into her reason for visiting
me: one of the young ladies Of her
school had just been telegraphed by
monsieur lie pere to meet him In Paris
in the morning and must go up by the
night traIn-of necessity. mademoi-
selle must be chaperoned upon the
journey-and madame had elected me
to the privilege Of doing 1t.
"That is something l never do. mad
ame-chnperon strange young ladies'"
"Madame-lf you plense-one mo-
ment. See the message of the fnther."
She pulled out long telegram In
French. "You see-he goes to Amer
ica at once with his daughter. She
must be in Paris In the morning
must. you comprehend"
madame. you really must excuse me
and allow me to say bonjOur. / never
chaperon strange young ladies'"
with that / sailed of upstairs as
fast as my legs could carry me.
After what I'd said to madame and
the way I'd treated her 1t never oc-
Cured to me that she'd laugh at my
refusal. But It's whnt she did. She
simply brought the child to the station
and put her in my hands. And saw
pair of beautiful big round eyes and
pair OF beautiful big bralds behind
I'd seen the braids the moment I en-
tered the station and before madame
had discovered me-and charming,
charming little creature about fifteen,
In short frocks. and she put her little
exquisitely gloved hnnd in mine and
said, "Oh. do let me go with you'll I'll
not cause you bit of trouble. You
make me feel so safe and I'm so
scared"
The last came out with n little gulp.
and. silly old thing that am about
children of Just that nge-where child
hoods world is closing them out of Its
innumerable projections and woman
hood Is opening the door to the world
of straying feet-I said, "Come on. my
dear" and put my arm around her.
and away we went.
Claire-she asked me to call her
by her first name-was as good us her
word. She didn't make me the least
trouble and she saved me n great deal
at the frontier. for she spoke both
French md German fiuently-whlch I
don't--nnd when dingy. villaInous-
looking customs Official eviscernted our
compartment was only too thankful
had the child with me. thought /
heard her say. "C'est ma mere" and
why she should be telling them about
her mother couldn't make out. So ]
asked her.
The child blushed furiously and took
ny hand.
Don't be angry with me. please
The man insisted on knowing who you
were and told him you were my
mother"