The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-11-18
CHAPTER II
Miss Van Gorder

Miss Van Gorder
Miss Cornelia Van Gorder, indomi-
table spinster, last bearer of name
which had been great in New York
when New York was red-roofed
Nieuw Amsterdam and Peter Stuyve-
SAINT a parvenu, sat propped up in bed
in the green room Of her newly rented
country house. reading the morning
newspaper. Patrician to her finger
tips, Independent to the roots of her
hair, she preserved, at sixty-five, a
humorous and quenchless curiosity in
regard to every side of life, which
even the full and crowded years that
already lay behind her had not entire
ly satisfied. She was an Age and an
Attitude, but she was more than that
she had grown old without growing
dull or losing touch with youth-her
face had the delicate strength of
fine cameo-and her mild and youth
full heart preserved an innocent zest
for adventure.
Wide travel, social leadership, the
world of art and books, dozen chari-
ties, an existence rich with diverse eX-
perience-all these she had enjoyed,
energetically and to the full-but she
felt, with ingenious vanity, that there
were still sides to her character which
even these had not brought to light.
AS little girl she had hesitated be-
tween wishing to be a locomotive en-
gineer or famous bandit-and when
she had found, at seven, that the acct
dent of sex would probably debar her
from either occupation, she had re-
solved, fiercely, that some time before
she died she would show the world in
general and the Van Gorder clan in
particular that woman was quite as
capable of dangerous exploits as
man.
She threw down the morning paper
disgustedly. Here she was at sixty-five
in a delightful country-place-a good
cook - excellent servants - beautiful
gardens and grounds-everything as
respectable and comfortable as-as
limousine! And out in the world
people were numbering and robbing
each other-foating over Niagara
falls in Misunderstanding children
from burning DEMONSTRATING tigers
going to Africa to hunt gorillas-doing
all sorts of exciting things! She
could not float over Niagara falls in
barrel-Lizzie Allen, her faithful old
maid, would never let her! She could
not go to Africa to hunt gorillas-
Sally Ogden, her sister, would never
let her hear the last of it. She could
not even, as she certainly would If she
were man, try and track down this
terrible creature, the Bat!
She smiled disgustedly. Things
came to her much too easily. Take
this very house she was living in. Ten
days ago she had decided, on the spur
of the moment, to take a place in the
country for the summer. 1t was late
in the renting season-even the ordi-
nary difficulties of finding a suitable
spot would have added some spice to
the quest-but this ideal place had
practically fallen into her lap, with
no trouble or search at all. Court
leigh Fleming, president of the Union
bank, who had built the house on
scale of comfortable magnificence-
Courtleigh Fleming had died suddenly
in the West, when Miss Van Gorder
was beginning her house-hunting. The
day after his death her agent had
called her up-Richard Fleming
Courtleigh Flemings nephew and
heir. was anxious to rent the Fleming
house at once-if she made quick
decision it was hers for the summer,
at bargain. Miss Van Gorder had de-
cided at once-she took an innocent
pleasure in bargains. The next day
the KEYS were herS-the servants en-
gagged to stay on-within week she
had moved. All very pleasant and
easy no doubtful adventure-pooh!
And yet she could not really say
that her move to the country had
brought her no adventures at all.
There had been-things. Last night
the lights had gone off Unexpectedly,
and Billy, the japanese butler and
handy-man, had said that he had
seen a face at the kitchen window.
Servants nonsense, prObably--but the
servants seemed unusually nervous for
people who were used to the country.
And Lizzie, of course, had sworn that
she had seen man trying to get up
the stairs-but Lizzie could grow hys-
terical over a creaking door. Still
it was queer! And what had that af-
fable Doctor Wells said to her-"I re-
spect your courage. Miss Van Cor
der-moving out into the Bats home
country, you known She picked up
the paper again-there was map of
the scene of the Bats most recent
exploits and-yes-three of his recent
crimes had been within a twenty-mile
radius of this very spot. She thought
it over and gave little shudder OF
pleasurable fear. Then she dismissed
the thought with shrug. No chance
She might live in lonely house, two
miles from the railroad station, all
summer long-and the Bat would
never disturb her-nothing ever did.
(To BE CONTINUED.)