The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-05-23
THIS BEGINS THE STORY


 by revolution, comes to this country as Peter Nichols, and on the eStae of Jonathan K. Nc (iufre takes charge of men whose duty it is to see that nobody ap- breaches the house by day or night. At dinner given in hon. or of Peggy McGuDire, daughter of Jonathan IA. a stranger, who has managed to make his way unsuspected through the guards, holds conversation with Mrs. Ber- zen, the housekeeper, and fright ems her badly. Peter aI first thinks the visitor is the ne'er- do-elI father of Beth Cameron, a beautiful girl in the neighbor- hood, but later dismisses the thought as he talks to her. They discuss Shad Wells, one of the guards, in love with Beth.
 AND HERE IT CONTINUES They approached curiousIy. With ironic impudence the message was scrawled in red crayon upon the re- verse of one of Jonathan McGuire's g neat trespass signs, and nailed to the tree by an old hasp-knife. Side by side, and intensely interested, they read:
 TO MIKE MCGUIRE
 I've come back.
 You know what I've got and I know what you've goat. Act pronto. I'll come for my an swer at il Friday night-at this tree. No tricks. If there's no answer-you know what I'll O.
 HAWK.
 Hawk" muttered Beth, "who on earth-?''
 "Another-" said Peter crypti- caIly.
 You see," cried Beth triumphant 1y. T knew it couldn't be Jack Brayl" This chap seems to be rather in earnest. doesn't he? Pronto! That means haste.'
 But it's only a joke. It must be- cried Beth.
 Peter loosened the knife, took the pIacard down and turned it over, ex- amining it critically.
 T wonder" And then, thought fully NO, I don't believe 1t is. It's addressed to Mcclure. I'm going to take it to hlm.''
 Mike McGuire,' corrected Beth. And then, But it really does look queer"
 Ut does" assented Peter; "lt ap- pears to me as if this message must have come from the person McGuire saw last night Beth looked bewildered
 ''But what has Aunt Ti1he got to do with-with Hawk? She never knew anybody of that name"
 Probably not. It isn't real name, of course.'
 Then why should it frighten Mir, McGuire?" she asked logically.
 Peter shook his head. All the props had fallen from under h:s the ories
 Whether it's real to Mcclure or not is what 1 want to know. And I'm gonig to find out,'' he finished. When they reached a path which cut through the trees toward the creek. Beth stopped, and held out her hand.
 I'm not goin' up to the house with vou and I don't think I'll see Aunt TiIIie just now" she said. ''Good-by, Mr.
 'Peter-'' he put it.
 "Good-by, Mir. Peter"
 "Good-by. MT Just Peter. Thanks for the pIayin'. Will you let me come again ?''
 ..Yes. And I'm going to get you ''singin' muster" she gasped-
 He nodded.
 And you'll let me know if I can help-Aunt Tillie or you?'
 She bobbed her head and was gone. Peter stood for a while watching the path down which she had dis appeared, wondering at her abrupt deDarture which for a moment drove from his mind all thought of Me Guire's troubles It was difficult to associate Beth with the idea of prud- cry or affectation. Her visit proved that She had come to the cabin be- cause she had wanted to hear him play, because she had wanted to sing for him, because too his promises had excited her curiosity about him. and inspired a hope of his assistance. But the visit had ffattered Peter. He wasn't fnured to this sort of fra nk- ness It was perhaps the greatest single gift of tribute and confidence that had ever been paid hin-at least bx q woman A visit of this sort from person like Anastasie Galitzin or indeed from almost any woman in the world of forms and precedents in which he had lived would have been equivalent to unconditional surren- der.
 The girl had not stopped to ques- ton the propriety of her actions. That rhe cabin was Peters bedroom, that she had only see him twice, that he might not have understood the head long impulse that brought her, had never occurred to Beth The self consciousness of the first few mo- ments had been waited away on the melody of the music he had played, and after that he knew they were to be friends There seeemed to be no doubt in Peters mind that she could have thought they would be anything else.
 And Peter was sure that he had hardly been able. even if he had wished, to conceal his warm admira- tion for her physical beauty. She had been very near him. All he would have had to do was to reach out and take her. That he hadn done so seemed rather curious now, A.. vel he ex1sAznced a sort of nlild satisfac ction that he had resisted SC trying a temptation If she hadn't been so sure of him Idealisrn? Perhaps. The same sort of ideaIism that had made Peter be- at Z11lSnN-n fir z