Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-08-27
A Shattered
Romance
By WILLIAM FALL
q. lszI, Western Newspaper Lmoa-J

country girl in the Pullman brought
tears to Miss Agnes Dare's eyes the
latter could not imagine. 1t was only
after she knew how deeply She was
moved that she discovered the reason.
Il was her glrlhood story over again.
Il was because Miss Dare is 50 we'll
known that / have called her by this
nom lie plume Her married life has
been presented to the attention Of
scandal-loyIng readers on the front
pages Of the most popular journals
nct once or twice, but at least ten
times.
Just now she was travelling alone
across the continent to open in Los
Angeles. thankful enough for the brief
respite from popularity which enabled
her TO assume her real name. But
for us she is still Miss Dare
And this simple country girl had got
on with some man whose face Miss
Dare had not seen at Fort Tyson. and
She was travelling 10 Denver. Miss
Dare, seeing that she was distressed.
had sat beside her and the girl had lit
tie By little told her the whole story,
She was a rancher's daughter, and ii
was the old tale of a monotonous farm
life with no distraction and the bril-
liant actor. Charles Montford, whose
fancy she had caught while his troupe
played two nights at the county cap
ital And they We're to be married at
Denver. Wasn't IL a wonderful ro-
nance!
Clarence had met some friends
Of his and he had told her to sit still
and not 10 speak to anyone and she
knew that She was doing very wrong
10 disobey him and talk as she was
talking now. But Clarence had some
important business affairs to settle in
the end car he said And when. after
an hours obedience the girl had gone
timldly back 10 the end car TO look
for Clarence, she found him drinking.
Then Miss Dare found that there
were tears in her eyes, too. Her mind
went back for nearly 20 years to a
little farm house in Iowa, and an old
father and mother, and a travelling
tro2pe and a man. Well, she
had discovered about his marriage
long afterward. And it was years since
he had crossed her life. He must be
forty now.
She took the girls hand between
her own and began to talk to her
But my father would never let me
marry au actor" exclaimed the girl.
You know, we folks have strange
IDEAS out on the ranches" And Clar-
euce had been the first 10 explain to
her the imposSibility Of that.
Then Miss Dare began explaining
heg views until she saw the scared
look that came in the girls face
then she tried to console her. And just
then, happening to look up, she saw
somebody at the end Of the car. walk
ing rather indirectly, and hastily she
excused herself and hurried toward
him
The man looked down Hello"
he said, smiling stupidity Hello
Why Why -" Suddenly his face
bianehed ana he sat down heavily
upon seat
Miss Dare did not let 90 his arm for
an instant
Listen to me, YOU" she could not
find suitable term of address. lis
ten to me" She said. You know me.
don't your Well you are going to
that little girl in No. 3, and you are
going TO tell her that you have made
mistake. DO you underestimate And
then-we shall be at Dry Lake in
i've minutes. You get of at Dry
Lake"
He swore at her. 'What has It to
do with your he sncered.
Nou-so-now," she whispered
hoarSely. You know the abduction
laws of Colorado2 Yes. you 20
She watched him pass along the
aisle and saw him bend over the girl
and speak. She saw the girl start up.
clinging to the velvet cushions of the
Pullman. Then the train slowed down.
and the train was pulling into Dry
Lake. The girl was going to scream.
Miss Agnes Dare got there in time.
ana a moment later she was knocking
Clarence Montford ali over the car.
That was the latest of the Dare
scandals and Miss Agnes photograph
was prominently displayed as usual on
the front pages OF the newspapers,
from New York to San Francisco.
Miss Agnes read it and smiled. Life
has its compenSatlons and there is
a letter in her handbag which She
reads sometimes when things have
gone badly with her 1t is from girl
in Tyson and she reflects that II she
has ruined her own life She may have
saved another
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