The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-09-30
The Mystery Man
and Little Dot
BY MILDRED GOODRIDGE

wen NODert Cranuall ana MS
pretty wife adopted little Dot, an
orphan child thrown on the world
without friend or relative, good
old Doctor Bross. the minister, told
them that 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 aud
lonely recluse.
Reuben Thorne was the mystery
OF Brocton. He was known as 1.-The
man Nth the gray mask" He
Hvef entirely alone. Once O week
man came from the village to set
the place in order. Thorne passed
most Of his time reading. He never
lett the walled-in grounds until af.
ter dusk. Then he wore gray
SILK mask that completely covered
his face.
Those who met him. even when
darkness partially obscured his
strangeness Of appearance. were
startled. Nervous women watched
MIN as they would bogie. Chill.
dren shrank from him. Then the
story came out that his face was q
mass OF disf1guring scars. It 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 en-.
couraged but -who was mad after
his love, In a fit Of jealous rage
hung bottle Of corrosive LIQUID In
his face and then crowned herself.
One evening Mrs. Crandall sent
little Dot over to the place with a
dish OF the first Strawberries from
their own home garden.
A sharp scream caused Mrs.
Crandall to rush to the street
minute or two after Dot had start.
ed on her errand.
"Oh. my darling! my d6sling!"
she screamed, as she saw amid a
cloud OF dust a. great touring car
and an excited crowd gathering.
She Is safe!" called out q 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
smiling up at him, murmuring low
ingly.
"Oh. you good man-to come lust
Ms was being ruined Over!
A little lad followed with the dish
hlled with dust and berries. Then
there were explanations. The auto
mobile had borne down unexpected.
". the masked man CHANGED to he
ut 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 ardent thanks Of
Mrs. Crandull.
The next day Dot insisted that
she must so and see her friend. as
she recognized q debt Of gratitude
to the stranger.
That was the beginning Of rare
companiOnship between the lovable
little Dot and the lonely world
weary recluse. All through the
golden month Of June, hour after
hour, the strangely matched twain
would wander over the garden.
Then one day Dot came home In
tears
"He is going away" she sobbed.
land shall be SO lonely!"
At the barred gate that evening
Mr.. Thorne met Mr.. Crantlail anil
told him that business would call
him away for month to dis
tnnt city. He expressed his graft
tude for the company Of the little
child who had brought 40 much
sunshine into his dreary life.
1t was joyful evening when Dot
saw light once more in the soil.
tary old house. She could scarcely
sleep. so anxious was she to re-
gain her old friend. The barred gate
was kept locked. however. For
fully week the recluse was not
seen about the grounds. At dusk
one evening he passed the house.
Dot ran out impetuously to greet
him.
She returned with q white, fright.
ened face. She was trembling and
amid great terror she gasped out
"Oh. papa! Oh. mamma! It isn't
Mr.. Thorne!"
"What is that, my child2" In
Quired 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 then suspicion
awoke in the mind Of her auditors
and then investigation.
"A little child shall lead them"
and the quick instinct of the pre-
cOciOus Dots mind did not 70
astray. 1t was true-an imposter
was personating Mr.. Thorne, draw
Ing checks In his name, getting
ready to sell the property and de-
camp.
It was clever plot Of shrewd
scOundrels, soon uhmasked, the real
Thorue rescued from an unhappy
Imprisonment. 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 II. The great
burden that oppressed the Gran
dalls, the mortgage. was lifted, for
Mr.. Thorne could not do enough to
express his gratitude for his de-
livery from cruel hands. Then,
week by week. he was drawn from
the old solitude; he became guest
and then regular visitor at the
Crandall home. and finally per.
manent member Of q happy family
circle.
@. 1894. Western Newspaper Union.)
DOG RINGS BELL
Gregory, S. D.-City firemen are