Ellsworth American., 1920-05-05
A SHADOWY
BRIDE.
BY oTILLIA c. PFEIFFER

The pale, tall and thin young man In
the outer Office OF Evans. Denton 4
Bliss. leading city Ewyers, hetokened
a shadow Of anxiety and tlisappoint-
ment as the head clerk reappeared
after taking from bin package con.
tanning his weeks giisf of copied teal
documents
Worry. Mr.. Trescott." he said "bnt
there viii be no more work for you."
rs there dissatisfacti0u?" interro-
gated Vance Treseott quickly. Il have
been III. Perhaps my hund has been
trifie unsteady. but | am growing
stronger daily"
Your work has been uniformly
clear and correct. and there Is not the
vestige of fault to find with yuu.
Here is your pay for the week. You
see, Mr.. Evans has employed regular
secretary. son of valuable client.
believe, and we will not send any copy
work out of the office hereafter You
might speak TO Mr.. Evans. If you like"
Thank you" bowed Trescott. hnt
dlspiritedly. He entered the private
office Of Robert Evans The latter
nodded pleasantly to him.
81 suppose Wilbur has told your" he
spoke. Sorry, for you have a good
record with US.
~ good record and no entansIe-
| ments." he murmured thouChtfuIly
Gould you come here tomorrow at
| ten? You need money and rest. Tres
colt, and think / can make you n
proposition that will put you in posi-.
ton where worry and overwork will
| disappear"
Vance Trescott slept little that night
He was at point in his experience
where his resources were drained to
| the utmost limit. To be deprived
Of work Just now. In his weakened CON
| dillon. was to fnce deprivation and suf-
fering. He supported crippled sister
and, despite restricted earnings. ne had
| been able TO furnish her sufficient 70
keep her from want
Trescott was on time to the minute
when he reached the Law Offices the
next morning. He sat In the outer
room. awaiting the summons from Mr..
Evans. He was apparently unobserved
by an old gentleman and veiled com
panion who entered and spoke to the
chief clerk As the latter retired. tho
| Young lady removed the veil she wore
| For a tleeting moment her face was
revealed, for an instant only Vance
| Prescott Viewed the most beautiful
woman he had ever met. The young
lady doubled the veil and replaced IL.
! into the private Office of Mr.. Fv9ns.
| A few minutes later he reappeared,
beckoned to Trescott and ushered him
| also into the same private sanctum.
81 am engaged for an hour" spoke
Mr. Evans. Gould you return later?"
"Oh. surely" replied Tresco't md
bowed himself out. and the pose Of the
girl behind the veil suggested that she
was regarding him closely. When he
returned at IL o'clock the lawyer was
alone.
prescott" he spoke at once. al have
n proposition TO make to you. know
you are man who can keep his own
counsel and that | can trust you. The
strange necessity has arisen with a
/ client of mine that his daughter be
come married. Ii means her protec-
tlon and the defiance and defeat of
thousand dollars" md IN" speaker
+ placed his hand on sealed envelope
at Is yours If you will consent to wed
an estimabie young woman. depart.
forget her. and promise you that
within two years you shat! become
legally free"
Vance Trescott WAS spellbound at
the strange proposition. Nr. Evans
went into no further details. but the
result was that Trescott that evening,
I'm dimly lighted room in the presence
of clergyman, her father and two
witnesses whom Trescott did not know.
WAS married 10 girl whose name and
history he was totally ignorant Of.
Within the m2n;h lie had purchased
a pretty little home for his sister in
a suburb and devoted his energies to
literary pursuits, line In which he
had been always ambitious. The pos
SESSION Of money amid peaceful sur
roundlngs soon restored his health,
and except for constant thought of the
stranger he had welded his life was
an enjoyable one.
THE postmaster sent lady boarder
10 us today" spoke his sister one even
ing. and Vance Prescott marveIed
when he recognized in this new conner
the girl he hnd so mysteriously mar
ried She must have recognized him.
nut II so. she made no sign. She told
Vance's sister that her father had died
recently, that his estate had been
found sadly complicated, and that she
was seeking retirement and rest until
II was settled.
Then began a strange experience for
Trescott. Viola West. as their guest
called herself, became welcome