The Glenwood post., 1923-02-08
The Romilly
Roadhouse
By MARTHA M. WILLIAMS
sS.SS~SSSSSSCS
90 by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicatel

W. - A~SSiuic newspaper SyndlCRte,1
A high-powered but dusty automo-
Die slowed down on the main street
OF the little village of Brompton, The
owner and driver elaborately removed
his goggles and halted the only citizen
who happened to be in sight, Bob
ThOrold.
Say, young feller," called he, what
sort OF a place is it out there on the
turnpike! Can you get a decent meal,
hey?"
"On the turnpike?" queried Bob
Thorold. ITO tell you the truth,
didn't know there was a decent place
to eat anywhere around here. Motor
lists usually go on to Burton"
The driver-owner consulted the guide
book that had been thrust at him by
one OF the occupants of the tonneau.
White house at first turn to right on
Romilly turnpike after leaving Bromp-
ton," he read slowly.
"Why, that would be the Romilly
house. Are you sure that is what the
book says?"
4nose are the Words
That's surprising" murmured Thor.
old. 1t can't be right"
Drive on" came voice from the
tonneau. Il guess the young Teller
hasn't woke up yet. Look the place
over and il it looks o. X. we'll try"
And the man at the wheel obeyed.
leaving Bob ThoroIu sui murmuriug
that Something must be wrong some
where.
Bob Thorold, who kept up his an
cestral home in Brompton and spent
his vacations there, walked on and
presently encountered Mr.. jenkins,
postmaster of Brompton.
Funny thing" said Bob; 81 met
some people who spoke about having
meals at white house at the first
turn to the right on Romilly turnpike
after leaving Brompton. That's the
Romillys, isn't it?"
"Cartain sure" quoth the postmas-
ter. "Cartain sure. You've heard how
It's, han't your"
"They haven't sold the place, have
they?" inquired Bob. Il thought Miss
Susan had vowed never to leave the
old place; she isn't dead, is she?
Dead, nothing. The how and the
wherefore is, SO folks say, that they've
lost their money-every burned cent
of 1t, and Miss Jane had to open up
the place as a kind of roadhouse for
motorists. Ought to make a good
thing out of it, seems to me, being as
there's no other sich place hereabouts
and the autos are as thick as spatter
along the turnpike. It's kinder too
bad, though, losing all their pile l
expect 1t was fool investment. I'll
tell you. Mr.. Robert Thorold, what
them ladies need and needed a long
time ago was good business man
in the family, eh?"
Bob Thorold was annoyed at the
postmaster's rather facetious left.
handed allusion to the affair, now
ten years past, between Jane Romilly
and himself, but greater than his an
noyance at this was his concern over
the loss Of the Romilly fortune that
had made 1t necessary for Jane Romil-
ly, proud daughter of the always
proud Romillys, to turn her house
into u roadhouse and to spend her
strength supervising meals for mo-
torists-rude, uncouth, parvenues,
thought Bob Thorold, like the one he
had just encountered.
Bob Thorold spent the afternoon in
a long, slow ramble through the oods
around Brompton. He was not much
given to solitary ramblings and when
he did indulge in one it was when he
had much thinking to do. Toward
the close of the afternoon he turned
his steps toward the Romilly turn
pike, down the first turn to the right
and up the pathway that led to the
IMPOSING white house built by the
Romillys four generations ago. The
1oor stood open and the screen was
unlocked. Within he could see that
small tables had been arranged In the
front and back drawing rooms-ten
,r fifteen In all. OF these five were
,ccupied-five cars were parked In
the spacious driveway that circled
lround the house.
Bob entered and took his seat al
1 small table. Presently white clad
waitress approached him with list
Of dishes offered for that days din
aer. Bob took 1t with queer thrill
1T was Enthusiastically written by Jane
Romilly. The solitary meal followed,
but Jane Romilly did not appear.
After 1t was over Bob offered his
card to the maid, and asked her to
take 1t to Miss Romilly. He wished
to see her.
The answer was that Miss Romilly
would see him In the old dining room
across the hall. She never appeared
before the regular diners. said the
maid. and her aunt remained In her
room. This, thought Bob. was quite
n keeping with the proud spirit of
the Romillys even in the hour Of theil
misfortune.
Jane was alone In the old dining
room, and she rose from her desk at
one side Of tho rom and IN mo c,vlFflv