The Ely miner., 1924-07-25
That Promised
Blessing Came
in Good Time
By MILDRED GooDRIDGE

Wv pretty wife adopted little Dot, an
orphan child thrown on the world with
out 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 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, even 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 disfguring scars.
1t was told that in another part of
the country, handsome, young, rich, he
had loved a beautiful girl. A dark
beauty whom he had never encouraged
but who was mad after his love, in
fit of jealous rage flung bottle of cor
rosive liquid in his face and then
drowned herself.
One evening Mrs. Crandall sent little
Dot over to the place with dish OF
the first strawberries Of the season,
newly-picked from their own home gar
den.
A sharp scream caused Mrs. Cralr
dali TO rush to the street minute or
two after little Dot had started on her
errand.
"Oh, my darling! my darling" she
screamed, as she saw amid cloud of
dust a great touring car and an ex-
cited crowd gathering.
"She is safel" called out a voice
suddenly, and the speaker and some
others drew back as there emerged
from amid the confusion the masked
man.
He carried little Dot in his arms.
She was white with fright, but smil-
ing up at him murmuring lovingly.
"Oh, you good man-to come just ss
l was being runned over"
A little lad followed with the dish
filled with dust and berries. Then
there were explanations. The auto
mobile had borne down Unexpectedly.
the masked man chanced to be at his
garden gate. He shrank from the
staring crowd, without 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 go and see her friend, as she
recognized debt of gratitude to the
stranger.
That was the beginning of rare
companionship between the loyable lit
tie Dot and. the lonely world-weary
recluse. All through the golden month
of June, hour after hour, the strange
ly matched twain would wander over
the garden. Then one day Dot came
home in tears.
HE is going away" she sobbed,
land 1 shall be so lonely!"
At the barred gate that evening Mr..
Thorne met Mr.. Crandall and told him
that business would call him away for
month to distant city. He ex-
pressed his gratitude for the company
of the little child who had brought so
much sunshine into his dreary life.
1t was joyful evening when Dot
saw a light once more in the 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 and
amid great terror she gasped out:
"Oh, papa oh, mamma! 1t isn't Mr..
Thorne!''
"What is that, my child7' inquired
Mrs. Crandal 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 then suspicion awoke in the mind
of her auditors and then investiga-
tion.
"a little child shall lead them," and
the quick instinct of the precocious
Dots mind did not go astray. 1t was
true-an impostsr was personating
Mr.. Thorne, drawing checks in his
name, getting ready to sell the prop
erty and decamp.
1t was clever plot of shrewd scoun-
drels soon unmasked, the real ThOrne
rescued from an unhappy imprison-
ment, and then the old delight Of Dot
In regaining the afflicted friend whose
life was made endurable and even
happy through her joyful presence.
That was not all of it. The great
burden that oppressed the Crandalls
the mortgage, was lifted. for Mr.
Thorne could not do enough to express
his gratitude for his delivery from
cruel hands. Then, week by week, he
was drawn from the old solitude; h
became guest and then a regular
visitor at the Crandall home. and
finally permanent member of happy
family circle.