Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1925-02-06
STARTING
WITH A CLEAN
SLATE
By SELMA HIGGINS
20. 1924. Western Newspaper Union)

n with great sign ol Salls-
faction and relief. 81 begin
life all over again"
"You are foolv growled Samuel
Boyden.
81 hope Cleora does not share in
the same sentiment" observed Bliss,
hopefully.
"She will when she knows the de-
tails!" stormed Boyden. "Why, what
sense or reason was there In your
shouldering the Evans claims. That
$4,000 was charged as debt due the
company, not you. It's shame, an
outraged That was your individual
money, and it would have set you and
Cleora up at housekeeping, 1t would
have furnished capital to start up
again. and now"
Mr.. Boyden choked up at memory
of the fearful blunder Bliss had com
mitted in being honest and proving
the true man.
81 did just what was right" replied
Bliss very quietly, but with implaca-
BILE conviction. when 1 sold my best
friend, Ross Evans, $4,000 worth Of
material to build the dam at Moreton
knew 1t was risk. l could not con
sent to charge the company for line
of credit that might not be met. |
guaranteed the bill. The dam was Il
failure. The money is gone. | paid
It. That ends it-pald dollar for dol
lar, and I'm glad I could do I'll"
"Humbugi" snorted old Boyden
Sentiment !" spoke up a new voice,
and Warren Bliss stood fairly electrl-
fed as the woman to whom he was
engaged appeared at the door of the
room. The mask was down now. 1t
was the cruel contempt In that dark
siren face that told Bliss that he had
escaped a precipice.
"You will understand, think" she
said frigidly, extending their engage
ment ring. "Slnce you think more Of
others in divesting yourself Of your
means than of me, you show your shall
low regard"
"CleOra Cleora p cried Bliss poign-
antly. hurt to the soul, but she turned
from him. There was no sympathy In
the malignant face of John Boyden.
The young man sighed. Then with a
bow he silently left the house.
II seemed as II amid that terrible
blow to his pride, his hopes, his 10y
atty he was crushed, blinded, stunned
He was sick at heart He could not
vet face the world. Bliss turned at
the doorway and struck out, not for
the public street, but to reach the
quiet, shady lane at the side Of the
garden reach. He wished to be alone,
to think. to recover from the rude
shock that had revealed Cleora Boy
den in her true cOlOrs
A light form had crossed the gar
den moment previous, but he was
too absorbed to note its presence. Out
In the deserted lane he chose a grassy
spot beside the hedge and buried his
face in his hands in painful thought.
In q single day he had seen the
business Of years go by the board.
There had been the consolation, how
ever that the assets had paid Off ev-
cry dollar Of debt that Is, with his
own private Inherited fortune thrown
IN lie believed In Cleora. He had
anticluated that, like a true woman,
she would sympathize with him in his
affection. comfort and encourage him.
How cruelty was he disappointed
Suddenly Bliss lifted his head In
SHARP surprise. Some one was sob
hing on the other side Of the hedge
Then came the words:
"And OH Midget How cold and
cruel they were. After all his love
for Cleora and his noble loyalty 10 his
friend! They have thrown him out on
the cold world Just as Uncle John said
would have to go. Oh, cruel cruel
And Mr. Bliss was so kind to us"
Peerlng through the hedge Bliss
made out a young girl caressing pet
kitten and confiding to the purring an
imal her hearts grief. He knew Dor
Othy Lane well-a poor relative OF the
naughty Cleora. He had ptled her
life Of drudgery, and once when Miss
Boyden was AWAY had thoughtfully
strolled up to the place with a box
Of caramels for Dorothy and a pretty
new ribbon for Midgets snowy neck.
II had been pleasant hour and he
had not forgotten. Now vast sorrow
and pity oppressed him as he realized
that the hard-hearted selfishness Of
the BOydens was to be wreaked on
this helpless, innocent orphan.
It was two weeks later when new
surprise came to Bliss. He had rent
ed a vacant store in the village, and
his clear business record enabled him
to secure limited stock Of goods.
CleorH was dead issue with him now,
but his business pride was left. He
resolved to build anew among those
who knew and respected him.
Its only Dorothy and Midget, Mr..
Bliss" announced q sweet, cOnfidlng
voice, and, looking up from his desk,
Bliss recognized Dorothy. In one arm
she bore a bundle, In the other her
pet kitten.
"They are going away to the sea-
side. Cleora and her father" she ex-
planned. "All the money my mother
left me is gone, he says, so they
turned me out. But ! came straight
to you" cried the little walf brightly,
as II that fact solved all troubles In
her path.
"Ob. you want advice, little oneT
said Bliss In kindly tone.
NO, / don't" dlssented Dorothy
rpnuously ~ know what n great.