The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1922-09-08
How Vera Aided
Cupid.
BY MALCOLM BROWN

~ oiA view were WIII-
Ing letters at the same hour; a grace
full, lovely young woman of twenty.
V Marcia Westbrook a gr~ave-faced.
handsome man Of thirty, Rolfe Dur.
ward. Neither knew Of the employ.
ment of the other, yet each was writ.
Ing of the other.
Thus ended the letter of Durward
to his close friend in a distant city:
A to your question of getting mar.
rled and settled down, that is far dis.
tant. do not think l am generally a
favorite with the fair sex. There is a
young lady here, a Miss Westbrook. !
have not had her out of nv mind
since first saw her, but she is rich,
l am poor, and I am as a glow-worm
coveting the star"
The letter of Miss Westbrook was.
colncidentally, also to a close friend
n 1t ended: $50, dear, do not think
have taken leave of my senses, but
tell me just what you think of a face
that presents to me a n%obleness and
attraction l cannot resist, His name
is Rolfe Durward. He has a respecta-
bic position, and. like myself, l think,
ne mas met with those buffets of fate
that make the heart mature and likely
to respond only to the real merits of
life"
The grave strain in the missive had
a basis. Marcia Westbrook had lost
father and mother in a single year.
She had been left in charge of three
young children. her sisters. She had
given her life to them and had seer
little Of social pleasure.
Il an going downtown, children,
and will be gone about an hour" said
Marcia, forgetting the letter to her
girl friend which she had slipped into
the pocket of her dress she had Just
discarded.
Little Vera clapped her hands in
rare delight as her sister left the
house.
"Now, then, we've got a whole hour
to play company! =" she announced to
her companion. "Come upstairs and
We'll dress up like real full-grown la.
dies"
Inside of five minutes a queer pro
cession came through the front door
and crossed the garden. Vera led
them past the garden, across a lane
and crept under the bars of a fence
guarding a grazing field.
"Now, this Is a fash-n'ble summer
resort, on'erstan'T said Vera. "Tl
be a princess, sitting under that tree
yonder."
Meantime ROlfe Durward, with
halliday vacation before him. pocket
ed his letter and proceeded to take q
stroll. OF course the Westbrook home
was a magnet, the way his thoughts
ran.
A whimsical smile crossed his face
as he passed by the field and caugh,
sight of the mimic court scene In
progress beyond the rail fence.
Arrayed in a red plush cape an(
seated in great grandeur under tn,
tree, Vera was receiving her compan!
in true dignifed style.
She had found the letter in Mar
cia's dress pocket.
"This is an invite from my friend
the queen" she was saying, and end
ed the %pretentious declaration in {
scream Of mortal terror.
Vera sprang to her feet. Sht
grabbed her little companions, one
with each hand.
ooh, hurry hurry!" she cried. TT,
the mad COW loose!"
In a flash Rolfe Durward took IL
the scene, turned suddenly from trav
esty to tragedy.
There was no question Of the peri
of the children; he saw that at ,
glance. He reached their side ant
tore the red cape from the shoulder,
Of the terrorized Vera.
"Run-quick Fast! he ordered
"get past the fence"
Then he turned, waving the ret
token Of defiance to the advancing ami
NAL. AS he had hoped and expected
1t diverted it's course and came lung
ing towards him.
Just leaping the fence, Rolfe wa.
grazed by the bulky head of the in
furiated animal. One sharp horn tori
q ridge clear up one forearm and HI
landed with a wrench on the grount
beyond the fence.
ROlfe saw some neighbors take tn,
children home and two men captur,
the mad animal.
The signet ring had slipped from
Vera's finger and he secured this. Al
open letter and a photograph la!
where she had abandoned it.
With a start of %incredulitv Rolft
recognized the portrait as his own. Il
must have been secured from the vii
lage photographer. And then hi.
glance fell upon the open letter Il
view his W name. a few words only
with it, but enough to instantly Al
his soul with the most %extravagant joy
He was overwhelmed with express
sions of gratitude as he reached the
house where Marcia was coddling the
frightened little Ones.
II also found these" he said, hand
ing Marcia the signet ring and the
letter, as he had discovered it, open
"You-you-read," fluttered Marcia
II could not help but see my name
and a few words with it. and-I am
glad"
She flushed crimson. He thrilled.
"Ry a strange coincidence" he said,
his voice trembling, l also wrote a let
ter today, still unmailed. 1t Is only
fair that you should see it,"
Her hands shook as she glanced