The Bozeman courier., 1927-11-11
published by special arrangement with The
Chicago Tribune Syndicate)
IN TWO PARTs-PART ONE

only last year in Northgield
whenever there was a guest of
honor or an important new
conner at the bridge tables or the tea
tables of the Franklin County COun-
try club, some one would be sure to
point out the Victorian turrets of the
old Sloan mansion just visible over
the top of GOrdon's hill.
"That," the visitor would be told,
'Fis where Julia Sloan lived. The
Countess Danzietti now, you know! |!
Yes, a Mortified girl. Oh, quite the
most romantic affair! Of course, my
dear, we were all children together
we all knew Julia Sloan!"
Only the last statement wasn't quite
true. For no one in Mortified ever
really knew Julia SlOan-except, per-
haps, Alec Farraday. And that is
ahead of the story. But at all odds
it wasn't Julia Sloan's fault that she
hadn't known the Lucy Smiths and
Mary Merkles of Mortified. And
that isn't ahead of the story.
From childhood Julia Sloan had had
her role thrust upon her. She was the
proud little princess of Northf1eld, Ohio,
fortune. Yes, even as a youngSter its
shadow and the shadow Of the great
turreted mansion on the hill had dark
ened her play days. She would have
loved to mother dolls and make mud pies
with the little girls on Center street;
but of course, it wasn't the thing for
Julia Sloan to do. Although often pass
ing along with her stiffly starched nurse,
she had thrust timid smiles between the
palings Of white fences at little girls who
were probably so overwhelmed that they
stared open mouthed, or baShfully turned
their small backs. And then Julia, flush
| ing family, lifting her little head trif1e
higher, passed on. And home again, in
her nursery, head still high, she gazed
with a bold pretense Of satisfaction on q
French doll. That early, you see, kind
| Of pride became her refuge. But even
as She grew older, went off to her aunt
| in Baltimore-to New York and Europe
came back to Northfeld and drove along
Center street in her motor car, the head
lamps burning yellow disks like gold
coins into the enchanting dark, she still
heard, with faint wistfulness, the cal
Of the three shaded white houses. The
call now changed from dolls and muc
| pies to the music Of mandolins, girls
laughter, and boys singing voicesl
About that time she began to think o.
which had grown out Of it as a wall;
grim, gray wall-that shut her of from
the very lovely, simple things which sh'
really wanted. But a wall, nevertheless
which she couldn't quite break through
Then the summer Julia was nineteen
the summer her father was so sick, sh
accidentally met Alec Farraday. Alec
father was carpenter, but Alec wa
working his way through the state uni
; versity. Good looking, too-Alec Farra
day. Tall as a Viking, fair haired AM
blue eyed and gentle voiced. They me
out on Summit road when Julia's moto
stalled. Alec got it started again an
rode back to town with her. few day
: later he went up to the Sloan courts fo
! some tennis. And after that he wen
back pretty often. Sometimes in tn
evening. August evenings. Sweet, COO
August evenings with the perfume c
n midsummer heavy in the still air. The
used to sit on the side veranda, over
: looking the lawn with the fOuntat
! where a pale little marble boy was fol
{ ever wading. Small wonder that thoS
], evenings after terrible days Of fadin
n furnished room where her father lay
4 days when doctors and nurses voice
:, were gravely lowered and the ineVitab
p end shadowed everything.
- But even then, in spite OF the angus
/ in her heart, there was a lightness,
y I happiness there, beyond her control. 81
q knew that something very wonderful ar
Il true and beyond money price was almo
t. within her grasp, if she could let herse
l. reach over the wall to take It'll And the
- the night before Alec went back to scho
a there was a mOment-a still, whit
= mOonlit moment-their hands light
touching, the sweet midsummer magic
L youth and love casting its age old spe
H. when Julia was ready, quite ready to tt
Alec Farraday that nothing mattered
'n for each otherI But at that nome
: Alec Farraday lifted his fine young ia
=. with a little jerk upwards, as If to S
more clearly the outline Of the bla
: turrets Of the big house against the SIC
oT AssAYERs. CHEMISTS. ETo.