Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1920-03-05
CHAPTER ~.


had twice traversed the cross lane
near McGowan's Pass tavern waiting
for Barbara Bradford. Although IL
had been my intention to ride thither
I 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 pri-
vately or had been already engaged.
There was nothing for me to do but
to 20 to my rendezvous on foot. l had
almost despaired Of Miss Bradfords
coming when spied her cantering
slowly along the lane, followed at
decorous distance by a groom. She
was looking right and left and when
she saw me her face frightened but
she rode few steps past me with no
sign of recognition. l 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"
"very 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
was seated, one l had purposely Sc
lected because it was half hidden by
a turn in the road and the branches
Of a wide-spreading tree.
She colored wildly as i rose to
greet her with outstretched hand.
"Oh, Mr.. Nelson" she cried, II don't
know what you will think of me, ask
ing you to meet me here. am In
trouble must tell someone. I don't
know what to dol"
1.-THE only thing to do" 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 and let me help YOU"
She looked at me thoughtfully,
studying me as If questioning wheth-
er or not / was to be trusted, and APP
parently deciding ins the affirmative.
told me an amazing story.
"It's all about my sister, Claire" she
began. "She's five years older than
1. She's a lovely girl, but she's--that
| is, she used to be--impulsive, roman
tic, and headstrong. She and my
mother never got along well together,
and she was sent away to boarding
school. One winter, 1t was six years
ago, mother was In Europe and only
Dad and / were at home
She sighed sadly. Evidently her
words were bringing back to her mo-
ments Of heartache.
ITO make a long story short, Claire
ran away from the school and mar
ried---married French chauffeur en-
ployed by family In the neighbor-
hood. She took me into her conf
dence a week later. and I-wefl, told
dad. There was a terrible time about
| Il all. Dad found out that her hus-
band was already married, had a wife
and child right here in this city. He
had the marriage annulled and man
aged to keep everything out Of the pa
pers. He threatened Claire's husband
| with prison and made him go back to
France. Dad was simply wonderful
No one knew anything about Claire's
escapsde except ourselves, the prin-
cipal OF the school, and the judge
down in Nassau county, who ordered
the marriage annnlled. Dad kept moth
er abroad until after It was all over,
and to this day she never has heard
a word about It."
"Your father must be wonderful
man." / said enthusiastically.
"He was" she said simply. "He has
been dead two years."
"oh, I'm so sorry" cried, did
not know"
"If Dad were alive he would know
what to do. You 'see when he died,
there was not much money left. We're
really little better than paupers.
We've been living from day to day on
our tiny capital, and Mother has been
working every wire to arrange a good
match for Claire. wanted to do
] something, to go out and earn living
for myself but she never would con-
sent. She insisted I'd be damaging