Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-12-12
By Henry c. Rowland

I Sne nHu IOl II ktlll VA A4O4lCl
On Memorial day her sisters flance
had taken some of them down the river
for a picnic III his motor boat. They
had landed on the shore of the old
tidewater colonial properties. Roxie
had wandered of by herself to explore.
and she had come or what appeared
to be q snug shooting box, or cabin,
in a clump of cedars on the edge of
the marsh.
Here might be a temporary sanctu-
arv. Roxie thought now if
she could get there. Roxie knew that
Mrs. Lee with her son and daughter
were in Europe for the summer, the
premises closed and in charge of a
caretaker.
The distance to the town to where
they had picnicked on the shore near
the cabin wa about five miles, which
would make it about eight miles from
The House of Guidance. By the road
across the river it should be less, not
more than six or seven miles. The
best strategic move was now to get
across the river as quickly as possible.
then to take the road that in due
course bordered the Lee property, when
she could strike through the woods
for the cabin.
Roxie could swim like an otter and
decided Immediately to cross the stream
in the manne Of that animal. AS there
seemed no use in drenching her clothes
she slipped out of them except for her
slip, rolled them into a snug bundle,
and secured the parcel on top of her
curly head by her stockings, which she
knotted under her chin. He canvas
sneakers did not matter, SO she put
them on again.
The water was soft and warm as
new milk. Roxie set herself to a rapid
stroke.
AS she reached midchannel a dim red
light and a blush green one appeared
around the bend. Under them was the
OpaQue mass Of a boat, and as ROXie
watched it there emerged in view IN
other and bulkier dark shape, some dis
lance aStern. She discovered that a
tubby motor boat was towing down
a deep laden ScoW.
Then she discovered something else
Trailing at a considerable distance
astern of the scow was a long, low
sided boat. like a grabbing skiff. The
tow had slowed and the launch swung
in a little toward the left bank thal
Roxie had left, so that this skiff would
drift close to her.
Roxie took a few strong stroke.
toward the trailing skiff. She timeC
it nicely and gripped its square sterl
as it moved past. But even at sucI
slow progress the jerk it gave her wa.
surprising. The bundle of clothes OF
her head was dislodged, Topped int
the river, and sank.
The tow drifted slowly past the shift
ing bar and started ahead again.
Roxie decided then to get aboard
and without great effort for a girl 0
her supple strength raised herself will
"a vigorous tug abreast over the low
stern of the skitf and got her kne'
into it, this maneuver entirely screened
from the motor boat by the loaded
ScoW.
The tow swung into the bay an(
made across for the southern shore
where there was a swash channel clos
to the beach.
1t occurred then to Roxie that ther'
was no time like the present for al
effort to supply immediate needs. With
the landing directly abeam and only
a few hundred feet away she slipped
over the stern of the skiff and lowered
herself into the warm water.
II.
Roxie grounded on the smooth flint
sandy beach beside the boat house
went up the steps and followed a patti
that led across a sweep of neglected
lawn to what was actually the side O
the fine old Lee home.
She crossed the porch to the lon&
glass double door-Window and tried i
gently. 1t was locked, but gave I'M
certainly in the center. RoXie threy
the fullness of her bare shoulde
against the union, when with a sof
reluctant crunching of rOtted wood tn
lock tore out to liberate the latch, an,
the doors swung in.
y She entered a spacious room an
x paused to listen. The interior gave he
h the impression as of chuckling softl
e at its violation.
y The girl found then on a marbl
L topped hall stand some candles il
heavy metal holders and a box c
matches. She lighted a candle an
: went up the stairs, which did nc
h creak.
h After a little exploration she locate
the attic stairs. Mounting them, sh
found herself in a huge loft like ths
. of an antique shop.
Roxie opened a big foreign lookin
trunk. There were lingerie and dresst
and shoes and in a box of the ira
a ~rettv hat OF the style of severe
" years before, and not too demodee.
She stripped off her wet, soiled sli
is and dressed throughout, finding to h
as relief that the clothes and shoes migf
= have been made for her. This did NJ
S. surprise her greatly, for she had see
! Mrs. Lee, a widow of middle age, WI
1T preserved her girlish shapeliness
SIS physical dimensions similar to Roxie
r own.
: The benefactress of The House
IS Guidance had come into the office ear
in June, just before sailing for Eurol
to spend the summer. Mrs. Lee hi
promised the establishment a mot
or bus, and she had come to arrange f
DIS the construction of a garage to hou
the vehicle.
I'd Replacing things as she found thel
s, except for her requisitioned clotht
~ Roxie went to Mrs. Lees room.
An escritoire by the window dire
her. She found it to be unlocked.
r the central aperture an envelope rest,
against an inkwell. Roxie picked
- up and found it to be a letter that h:
81 evidently been overlooked by the chat
N laine at the moment of her departm
IS. 1t was unsealed, but stamped and a
.Se. dressed: Mr.. Thomas Calvert Ii
N. University Club, Fifth Avenue, Ne
Y, York.
b With none of those compunctio