The Red Cloud chief., 1922-11-16
BERNlCE
BY JANE JORDAN

/
60, 1922. BY Western Newspaper Union)
Gordon hated the name of Bernice.
He. had his reason. Back in the i'm
questionable days Of infancy, Gordon
had known a Berhice, a mischlevous,
spite-enjoying playmate who knew
how to make him vince in painful
embarrassment, in the presence of
grownups, and. who later, defeated
him shamefully in athletic games.
"When, I'm dead" she told him with
great satisfaction, "Ill come back and
haunt you"
Her gipsy-black eyes had shone de-
lightedly over his own wide-eyed ter
ror.
Gordon, leaning back in a Pullman
chair, fancled that Bernlce was not
dead. Only the good are said to die
young he thought it likely that the
persistent and energetic young woman
was now making some submissive hus-
bands life miserable. SO, Gordon told
himself, as he stopped to pick up the
card before him, which had recalled
unpleasant memories. "Bernice" was
written on this card in neat script.
The detested name at least was bound
to haunt him. Quizzically he turned
the card over in his hand, then bent
to offer II TO n young woman In the
chair in front.
"Not mine" she answered cOldly.
Gordon laid the card on the window
sill.
pnpl thnrn I'm fhn nfipa his nnrypS
had been worn 10 edge: he anticipated
X enjoynbly the long drive to the Inn,
and gratefully he drew in the frag-
rance of the pines, as they drove
through the Inn gardens.
lie had donned his white flannels
and was crossing the lawn later, when
n second white card attracted his at
tention. He had determined to pass
so trifing an object by when he
turned again ~ pick up the small
square. "Bernicc," he read, with this
tigIo the added name of Barton. Then
this person was not his despised play
mate of old. Wen, there was relief
In that, he would not be brought up
:. forcibly to face her in the social sea-
!, side inn.
A very beautiful girl sat watching
the tennis players. She glanced up
, abSently ut Gordon then resumed her
) interest in the game. Gordon was Ell.
tranced. Palmer came up to him
amusedly.
: "Bewitched GordonT" he asked, and
. sat down. "Bernice is a good locker.
\ TN aJp,tt. hat ~, hnun hnnn aiftinO
here without blinking, your gaze fast.
] ened on her features for the last half
hour. 1t wal funny. I've been watch.
Ing you"
"Bernice!" muttered Gordon, "Oh,
come on away" he added disgustedly'
!: But meeting with the beauty who
: thereafter filed his thoughts was un'
: avoidable. Sc
: When he passed the fair Bernice
one day in the road where she stood
: p~erpleXedly beside her stalled motor
u car, it was his part to offer assistance
and hers to return the courtesy by
driving him back to the inn. AS the
day was delightful, the drive was TAX
Ell in n roundabout way. Gordon and
MS ulNllllAN VI NlC iNHIA''i ii'hiN
progressed quickly from chance &c
4 Quaintance TO friendship.
L%aughingly, he told her of the haunt
ing cards which had confronted him
and smilingly she agreed that they hat
been her own.
4 After his third moonlight walk will
the enchanting Bernice, he was 81
deeply and hopelessly in love tina
even she secretly Compassioned him
She was not quite sure what she wa.
going to do about 1t, and she took Il
, The high rest In the tree, to think ]
!. over. This tree had a protecting arm
to lean against and leafy bOughs Il
screen one. so Bernice sat, when sh'
saw Gordon come, looking for her
and In u manner OF Bernice Of lonl
- ago, tossed a locket out on the lawn
: Gordon stopped to pick the object UP
Then, standing beneath the tree, h.
examined 1t.
The golden letters on the cover rea,
Bernice,' and inside, beneath a child
" lovely face was inscribed. 'Bernice tn
second The baby face was a SINAI
replica OF the face Of the m tina
p Gordon loved. Long, he stood wor
10 dering. He had seen a pretty chill
romping with Bernlce, out where tn
swings were beneath the trees, o
ht dancing at her side down the roat
He had supposed the child to be
I'd younger guest of the inn. She ha
not sat Mt table where the lovely on
usually ate her meals in compRn
with several other women.
Well, he had been IN idiot. He wa
most miserable as he strobe back b,