The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-09-11
That Promised
Blessing Came
in Good Time
BY MILDRED GooDRIDGE


90, 1924, Western Newspaper Union.)
WHEN Robert Crandall and his
w pretty wife adopted little Dot, an
orphan child thrown on the world with
out a friend or relative, good old Doc
tor Bross, the minister, told them that
a blessing would surely come to them.
A high stone wall separated the
humble Crandall homestead from the
grand Thorne mansion next door, the
home Of an afflicted and lonely re-
cluse.
Reuben Thorne was the mystery OF
Brocton. He was known as the man
with the gray mask" He had lived
entirely alone. Once a week a man
come from the village to set the place
in order. Thorne passed most OF his
time reading. He never left the walled
In grounds until after dusk. Then he
wore a gray silk mask that completely
covered his face.
Those who met him, ever when dark
ness partially obscured his strange
; ness of appearance, were startled.
Nervous women watched him as they
would a bogie. Children shrank from
him. Then the story came out that his
face was a mass of d%isfiguring scars.
It was told tina in another part OF
the country, handsome, young, rich, ne
had loved a beautiful girl. A dark
beauty whom he had never encouraged
but who was mad after his love, in a
~ sz.Jo,n .o oo A11nn q hottie of COR
rosive liquid in his face and then
drowned herself.
One evening Mrs. Crandall sent little
Dot over to the place with a dish OF
the first strawberries of the season,
newIy-picked from their own home gar
den.
A sharp scream caused Mrs. Gran
dali to rush to the street a minute or
two after little Dot had started on her
.errand.
"Oh, my darling! my darlingl" she
screamed, as she saw amid a cloud of
dust a great touring car and an ex-
cited crowd gathering.
"She is safe I" called out a voice
suddenly, and the speaker and some
Others drew back as there emerged
from amid the confusion the maske
man.
He carried little Dot in his arms.
She was white with fright, but smil-
ing up at him m%urmuring lovingly.
"Oh, you good man-to come just as
/ was being ruined over!'
A little lad followed with the dish
filed with dust and berries. Then
,there were explanations. The auto
mobile had borne down Unexpectedly,
the masked man CHANGED to be at his
garden gate. He shrank from the
staring crowd, without a word, placed
Dot in the arms of her adopted mother
and disappeared, followed by the ar
dent thanks of Mrs. Crandall.
The next day Dot insisted that she
must 20 and see her friend, as n
: recognized a debt of gratitude to the
stranger.
That was the beginning Of a rare
companionship between the lovable lit
tie Dot and the lonely world-weary
recluse. All through the golden month
of June. hour after hour, The strange
iy matched twain would wander over
the garden. Then n day Dot came
home in tears.
HE is going away" she sobbed,
land L shall be so lonely y
It the barred gate that evening Mr..
Thorne met Mr.. Crandan and told him
that business would call him away for
a month to a distant city. BE ex-
pressed his gratitude for the company
of the little child who had brought 80
much sunshine into his dreary life.
1t was a joyful evening when Dot
saw a light once more in he solitary
old house. She could scarcely sleep,
so anxious was she to regain her old
friend. The barred gate was kept
locked, however. For fully a week
the recluse was not seen about the
grounds. At dusk one evening he
passed the house. Dot ran out I'M
petuously to greet him.
She returned with a white, fright
ened face. She was trembling n
amid great terror she gasped out:
"Oh, papal oh, mamma 1t isn't MT
Thornel !"
"What is that, my child?' inquired
Mrs. Crandall quickly.
No. the clothing was the same, the
mask was the same, but oh she knew :
the gruff voice, the touch of the hand
And Their suspicion awoke in the min
of her auditors and then investlga'
ton.
"a little child shall lead them,' mi
the quick instinct of the precoclous
Dots mind did not go astray. Ii was
true-an imposter was pe~rsonatlne
Mr.. Thorne, drawing checks In his
name, getting ready to sell the prop
nrty and decamp.