The Coolidge examiner., 1932-09-09
Her Way of
Escape
Ey CLARISSA MACKIE

I
broken her engagement to Mark
Allen and her brother Roger had in
formed her that it was good luck.
He is a rotter," muttered Roger
from his book.
The others all murmured some
thing or other, and her mother had
smiled synpathetically. None of
them had liked Mark Allen.
THAT was not the reason she had
broken her engagement. She had
received a letter from a broken.
hearted girl in another city who
had told her of Marks perfdy.
Eleanor thought she was breaking
her own heart when she decided to
let him go; now. to her surprise,
she did not care.
The next day she spoke to her
mother about taking a trip West, to
visit an uncle who had a ranch.
The ranch won EleanOr's heart.
She learned TO ride. and soon the
hluk-ODGu Di0inS hNAG ilCi wv III
playground. 81 wish, Uncle Alfred"
said Eleanor, that you had some
hopeless bachelor cowboy who
would ride around with met is
pokey riding alone, and all of your
cowboys are too gallant"
Uncle Alfred thought for a long
time. Then, he removed his pipe
from between his lips and smiled.
81 believe I know just the man to
go about with you. Eleanor" he
said slowly. "Over on the next
place to the south lives a man whom
l have known for a long time-his
name is Walter Jamieson-a bach
elor-sort Of a recluse-lives there
alone with a Chinese cook and one
man of all work, reads and writes
and rides all day the year around,
excepting when he is travelling.
heard that he was disappointed In
love once upon time. Has lots
Of money. Is perfectly bullet-proof
where women are concerned He
is your future escort!'
The next day when Eleanor came
downstairs with the morning in her
blue eyes, her uncle called across
the table,
"Be ready at nine O'clock, FL
eanor. Walter Jameson is coming
to ride with you"
Eleanor talked to her aunt about
various matters. but they did not
speak OF Walter Jameson again.
Eleanor believed that he was prob
ably some tired old bachelor and
Uncle Alfred was really making fun
of her, but presently when she was
ready to go out she took a last look
at herself In a trim khaki riding
outfit. her soft hat on her ruddy
hair framing her piquant face.
Aunt Laura sat on the veranda
talking 10 a young man in riding
things-very correct as to texture
and cut. with a wide hat swinging
from one shapely brown hand. The
sun shone on the golden tan OF his
skin and pronounced him a hand
some young man-perhaps thirty
three. with very nice brown eyes
and hair 70 match.
Eleanor. dear" said Aunt Laura.
may present Mr.. Jameson, our
very good friend and neighbOro,"
and then Eleanor found herself
shaking hands with Walter jamie
son. Soon the two of them were
riding out of the yard Eleanor was
sure that her aunt enjoyed the joke
as much as Uncle Alfred had done.
but she soon found that there would
be no time for retrospectiOn with
Mr. Jameson. he wanted to talk
and he wanted her to talk. He could
ride well and he was the incest.
friendliest sort of young mani
They were good friends before
the ride was over. They had can
fessed at being completely fooled
by Uncle Alfred. and Eleanor
blamed herself for forgetting so
soon that she would never love an
other man after Mark Allen. Her
good sense told her that perhaps
Mark Allen was not the perfect
man.
She and Walter Jameson agreed
that they would not permit Uncle
Alfred to believe that his jest had
succeeded. so when they came back
to the ranch each maintained a puz-
zled solemnity that quite devas-
tated Uncle Alfred.
"Gosh, Eleanor" said her uncle
frankly, 81 just believed that you
two would eat each other up! Hes
writing a book. yep. he sells lot
of them. too. so they say. But you're
so young and pretty-gee whiz-
the young men of today have no
pep at all |"
When Eleanor reached her own
room she sat down and laughed and
laughed, and then, after awhile, a
tender little smile curled her lips.
AS for Jameson. he smoked
three pipes one after the other that
first night, and then lie locked up
all the sheets of his latest story