The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1920-07-31
CHAPTER ".

1 Hdu Twice tdVefSeu TIC GLOSS tttHe
near McGowan's Pass tavern waiting
for Barbara Bradford. Although 1t
had been my intention to ride thither
| was amazed to learn on applying at
! two of the stables near the park en-
trance to hire a horse that the few
| they had there either were owned prl-
vately or had been already engaged
There was nothing for me to do but |
to 60 to my rendezvous on foot. had
almost despaired of Miss Bradfords
coming when / spied her Cantering !
slowly along the lane, followed at
decorous distance by q groom. She
was looking right and left and when |
she saw me her face frightened but
she rode a few steps past me with no
sign of recognition. I was wondering
what to make of this new slight when
she suddenly refined in and allowed
the groom to come up with her.
James" l heard her say to the
groom, my head aches, and the rid
ing is making it worse. Take the
horses back to the stable, and l will
walk the rest of the way home"
every well, Miss Bradford" he said,
touching his cap, as he assisted her
to alight.
She waited until he had vanished
and then fastened to the bench where
I was seated, one / had purposely Sc
lected because it was half hidden by
a turn in the road and the branches
Of wide-spreading tree.
She colored wildly as l rose to
greet her with outstretched hand.
ooh Mr.. Nelson" she cried, II don't
know what you will think Of me, ask
ing you to meet me here. l am in
. trouble. l must tell someone. l don't
know what to dol"
1.-THE only thing to do" l suggested
"is to begin at the beginning and tell
me the whole story. I've sisters Of my
own. Just pretend you are one of my
SISTERS anu lSI LhS uSip SOu'
ef She looked at me thoughtfully,
studying me as if questioning wheth-
er or not was to be trusted, and ap-
parently deciding in the affirmative,
told me an amazing story.
s 'Its all about my sister, Claire" she
\ began. "She's five years older than
l. She's a lovely girl, but she's-that
is, she used to be-impulsive, roman
j tic, and headstrong. She and my
y mother never got along well together,
and she was sent away to boarding
school. One winter, it was six years
ago, mother was in Europe and only
Dad and I were at home :"
n She sighed sadly. Evidently her
5 words were bringing back to her mo-
v ments of heartache.
"To make a long story short, Claire
ran away from the school and mar
ried-married French chauffeur en-
ployed by a family in the neighbor'
: hood. She took me into her conf
s dence week later. and well, | told
7 dad. There was u terrible time about
& II all. Dad found out that her hus'
a band was already married, had wife
8 and child right here in this city. He
M had the marriage annulled and man
n aged to keep everything out Of the pa.
III pers. He threatened Claire's husband
a with prison and made him 60 back to
y France Dad was simply wonderful
7. No one knew anything about Claire's
escapade except ourselves, the prin
. cipal of the school, and the judge
down in Nassau county, who ordered
''' the marriage annulled. Dad kept moth
n. err abroad until after 1t was all over
W and to this day she never has heard
III word about It."
"Your father must be wonderful
w man." / said enthusiastically.
at "He was" she said simply. He ha
~ been dead two years"
w "Oh, I'm so sorry" cried, di
not know"
as "If Dad we're alive he would knoN
,r- what to do. You see, when he diet
ne there was not much money left. Wer
er really little better than pauper
or We've been living from day to day O
in our tiny capital, and Mother has bee
to working every wire to arrange goo
Io1, fn i nj IN n
; l something, to 60 out and earn livir
ny for myself, but she never would CO..
eel sent. She insisted I'd be damagir
m. Claires prospects If I went into trad
le- as she calls it, and promised her l
is do nothing until after Claire is safe
I married"
q "And is she to be married." aske
st A troubled expression came into h
Ike face.
to "She was to be, but now dor
lis know. She is engaged to marry youl
md Harry D. Thayer, who Is worth |
ex- Of money, but someone has found O
vas about her secret"
les "How did they find OutT ask
ing eagerly. | understood now the myst
ion rious meeting in the park that hi
my brought me first into touch with Ba
rst bara Bradford. Some band of rasca
was trying to blackmail Claire Bra
De ford, and her sister was trying to sa
ext her.
of "That's the greatest mystery Of al
mt exclaimed Miss Bradford "Befo
on Dad died he turned over to me all Il
slip papers about the annulment Of Claire