The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-04-18

Scroope, turning upon her. where Is
my daughter?"
"Dad!"
The d~isheveied psrlor maid darted In
through the door. Aimee's cap was
awry, her face was pale, her eyes very
bright; the top of her apron heaved
unanimously. She stopped short, as
Lady Erythea glazed speeches. at this
irruption.
Don't cry, Georgia" said Aimee "it
wasn't your fault"
Have l been transported into Bed
lamY" asked Lord Scroope, dizzily. "Or
are you rehearsing a eharade? What
is she doing in this costume?"
Lady Erythea struggled for breath.
This" she said grimly. as nv par
Tor maid, Shocks, whom I foolishly en-
gagged on your recommendation. She
has engaged herself again, however, TO
my chauffeur
Lord Scroope looked at his sister-in.
law with confederation.
This" he said, in the soothing tone
with which n would address a de-
lirious person, SIS my daughter. Aimee.
l am rather glad to find her-in any
costume. l began to wonder what YOU
had done with her"
Lady E~rythea's frame slowly stiff
ened. Her fingers clenched the ear
trumpet as though ii were the handle
of a club. Her eyes were terrible. Be-
fore the storm could break, Aimee in
tervened.
1T wasn't Aunt's fault, Dad" she
said breathlessly, NOR Georgle's-nor
~Alexander's. 1t was all mine. And if
you all van to beat somebody, il had
better be me- I'm here to explain ~
Some explanation said Lord
Scroope quietly, seems TO be called
for 3.
Aimee, avoiding her aunt's eyes. ad.
dressed herself TO the quivering ear.
trumpet.
Il didn't wan to come here. Dad
made me. l was-frightened of you.
Anyway, l didn't think Jervaulx would
suit me. and that you'd hate me. So
skipped the car at Burn Ash" said
Aimee, her speech pouring from her like
a torrent, ''and made Sthe chauffeur
bring Georgina on here. And l went
off on my own!
"Georgina arrived here. and you
took her for me. You insisted she was
me. And she didn't dare explain, for
fear of getting me into a row. That's
what George is! She can't lie-she
aonft ovnn nnf hYtt .HNfI - =.
her in pieces before she'd get me INTO
troubled
81 got here the same night, and
climbed into her room. And George
begged me to OWL up, and l wouldn't.
And l came the ext night; George
was ready to give it all away-and
then the burglars got in. l was nearly
caught, all the household chased me,
the butler tore a great piece out of my
skirt. But l got away, and at last
right down by the crossroads. | ran into
Bil-Mr. Spencer"
Aimee paused for breath.
"Who," inquired Lord Scroope, in the
hush that followed. sis Mr.. Spencer?"
"A m~otorcyclist. He had come across
the thieves getting away, had a fight
with them-they were too many for
him, but he got back some of the jew
els. I told him the awful mess | vas
in. OF course, the police were after
me-Pd seen their car already. If they
got hold of me, they'd know the-the
silly thing I'd done" said Aimee with
a gulp. 1T would mi out that | was
your daughter-it would be all over the
country, and in all the newspapers !"
Lord Scroope, very pale, drew a deep
breath, and gave a prolonged shudder.
"B-Mr. Spencer told me I'd got to
90 back and make a clean breast of il
all. He wanted to tell you. But I didn't
dare. l refused TO let him say any
thing- made him swear he wouldn't.
1t was my trouble, not his. So he did
what l asked; even though it meant
the police would suspect him, too. So
he took the jewels to Aunt Erythea.
and never said a word about me and
when she offered him the job as chauf-
feur he took it; so that the police
wouldn't suspect him-or me- He
Cullle lt4G anu uAbhC u IdiS
And you?" said her father quietly.
"What happened to you?"
Il went back to Scroope next day. I
found Amy Shocks was coming here as
maid-I made her go to Seabridge. and
took her place, Dad. Just TO be safe
from those beastly police-in the hope
they'd catch the thieves, if we gave
them time-and then they wouldn't
catch me and make me explain. And
It's just what happened; Billy-Mr.
Spencer-caught one of them yester-
day, and the police have got him. No
body knows anything about me, except
you here!'
Aimee painted like a deer at bay.
"And Billy's asked me to marry him,
and I'm going to-" she said desperate
ly. Il love himi There's nobody like
Billy-he's been splendid He isn't a