Omaha daily bee., 1922-05-14
The Romance of Million Dollars By Elisabeth nsn~
, Elisabeth DejeanS

spent 40 much time in tbs city.
Certainly Il was q strange family. between
Bella and Mrs. punbaFton.kent there vas
almost no conversation, and certainly Breck
vas entirely apart from his family. West
Dunbartonskent was tho only one who
seemed 10 have q smile In his eyes. but abe
had not seen him since the nrst day. aOd
Marie thought he must live In the city. for
his roadster had disappeared from the garage
at the same time that no had disappeared
from Kent House. Perhaps the reason he
was able 10 smile was because he did not
have TO live In Kent House.
Marie decided that there was some bittsr
family quarrel over property; Il was 90 often
the case In families where there was much
money 10 quarrel over. Certainly there was
q quarrel with Allen Collar over property.
and quito likely Breck had taken soms part
In II which displcascd his family 40 much
that he was In deep Disgrace with them;
perhaps NJ some time he had been . spend
thrift.
Tho result Of Mario's puzzled and indie.
nant meditations was . desperate eaxerneas
70 prove her worth to these people. She
scrubbed and cleaned. oiled and polished.
She was proud Of all her cars. but she loved
best the splendid new seven passenger car.
which was not used much now the weather
was bad. As one must love something. Marie
hxed her affections upon the big car; IL run.
ming board was her favorite seat; she pattsd
II sometimes and talked to II. When the
rain spattered on the garage windows or the
March wind whistled under the big doors her
favorits car was q comfort. Being young
twenty.three and aching for amusement. she
tried To regard her cars a. people. She gave
them names; West Dunbarton-Kents road.
ster, which he had taken away with him.
she called "The Unknown -; Mrs. Dunbar
tonKent's roadster she called " Bella 1T
was such . cold gray. Tho Limousine was
MY Lady,; II was q fashionable equipaso
and did not interest her particularly. Her
big car she called "Breck": II interested
her greatly. in spite Of its immobile and
severely disnined appearance.
One evening" when darkness had settled
without, Marie amused herself BY lying on
her back and chalking on the under side OF
tho running board Of each car its name.
When she had returned from the station
that evening she had found Vests roadster
in the garage. 80 all the cars were there.
She was unconscious Of being observed.
though q man was watching her intently
through one Of tho narrow windows up near
the ceiling Of the garage. These windows
were used as ventilators In the summer; now
they were closed. but through any ono OF
them the entire floor Of the garage could be
seen. They were just above the sloping roof
Of the store room. and by climbing to the
roof and crawling up to the windows one
could lie nat and look down into the garage.
BY sliding the windows back little one
could hear AZ well a. see.
It was Breck who was watching her. He
had taken roundabout way through the
park which had brought him to the back Of
the garage.
He had used caution in coming: he had
even crawled on his hands and knees across
the shrub dotted space behind the garage and
had crept beneath the cedar tree which grew
against the corner Of the store room. Here
the roof sloped to about twelve feet from the
ground. and after listening intently for
few minutes he had removed his boots and
had climbed up the corner a. nimbly a.
cat When his hands gripped the caves
he had lifted himself clear Of the wall and
had swung himself up on the roof with the
skill Of an acrobat: he was tall and broad
shouldered man, but he did 1t with an ease
that suggested practice. Then he had crawied
up the roof to the row Of windows apd lain
prone: he had opened one Of the windows
slightly 30 he could both hear and zee.
ne 6AW MAIl0, CI8lA III nouup C&oWh 0sE
der each car, then saw her get to her feet
and bow deeply to each car in turn. calling
1t by name. With each bow. her loosened
curls fell over her face. then were fung
back for another effort. But for her half
yard of hair, she might have been taken
for q boy soldier doing stage turn. A
Cossack dance taught Mario by Russian
soldier, q great clicking Of heels and leaps
into the air, and rapid whirls, completed
the ceremony. She looked live, 1.-the little
thing, brim full Of fun, grace, and energy.
Flushed and smiling, she sat down then
on the running board Of tho big car. Then,
gradually. flush and smile faded, her lips
began to quiver, and her eyes filed and.
suddenly, she nung herself down on the
running board and began to sob, perfect
passion Of weeping. OF what good were
cars as companions?
Breck had watched her throughout, but
also with his attention given to the garage
doors. When they parted he drew back.
but still watching and listening: some one
was coming into the garage.
It was West Dunbarton-Kent Evidently
from the door he had seen Marie doubled
up on the running board Of the car, for he
tiptoed over and stood looking down at her.
She was q woebegone figure, given over to
grief. For three weeks she had been hold
ing back her tears. now they were q deluge.
West waited for some time, until she
.quieted, then he said with concern. What's
the matter, Little Chauneuress?"
Marie came upright with a start and
thrust back her hair. When she saw who
1t was she was utterly confused. Mon
sieur-." she gasped
What is It? What has happened?"
at is not a-happening," Marie returned
with an attempt at dignity. Tit is
continuous, and I do not understand" She
set her teeth on 4 quivering lip and gath.
cred up her hair. Her hairpins being scat.
tered over the garage. she twisted 1t up In
a knot. Then, finding her handkerchief.
she rubbed the tears from her face. terribly
ashamed at having been caught weeping.
Everything all wrong, Of course. I was
a1raid it would be 10. its shame!' he de.
clared.
They were the first kindly words Marie
had heard since she came to Kent House
and her heart overnowed. II do not under
stand the strangeness Of your people, that u
my trouble, Monsieur she said passionate
ly. Am I a criminal that your people
speak to mo with eyes turned away and even
the servants run from me? Monsieur, you
have been away, 80 you have not seen, but
indeed I have done my work WE'LL have
tried in every way to please-yet / am
treated as If I were in deep disgrace. II
only knew the reason? II only could un-
derstand what 1t is about myself that dis.