The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-03-29
THE PURPLE BUS Bye

Published By Special Advancement with The
Trtbune-New York News Syndicate. Inc.
Copyright: 1885: BY E. L. WHITE
(PART ONE)
LUCY, ABOARD THE PURPLE
BUS, is UNAWARE OF SINISTER
FORCES WORKING TO PREVENT
HER FROM REACHING
HER JOURNEYS END.
Lucy Tree had been warned not to
60 on her journey. She had received
three successive anonymous letters,
each containing the same message:
"Stay at home. You will not reach
your journeys end"
In spite of the hint her heart beat
faster when the Royal Purple bus, by
which she was travelling, left the CHS
wick High road and swung round the
curve into the Great west road.
Lucy took off her beret, revealing
water waved hair, and sank deeper in
to the padded violet seat. She was
under the spell of motion, gliding on
and on through a muffled countryside
which held the unreal quality of a
cream. Before her unrolled the map of
Old England, hiding small towns and
ancient villages in its fold.
She wished the journey would last
forever. For she vas not only return
ing to work but she was faced with the
threat of a painful ordeal at its end.
Although she looked a typical smart,
modern girl of attractive appearance,
in respect her character was dis
tinctive. She held rigid principles in an
oo0 nf 0NrNrrorosr4 n 4-ac~->
envitable that she should clash with
n of the old gang at the school where
she was a sports mistress.
The atmosphere of the place was
soaked with snobbery and its head was
dominated by her lifelong friend, Miss
Yaxley-M Moore, a lady of aristocratic
birth and terrific personality, who
filled the post of matron.
Miss Yaxley-Moore was arrogant,
and infallible in her judgment, which
no n dared to oppose. She was re-
sponsible for the health of the school.
But, although she took temperatures
with the Importance of a Harley street
specialist and splashed her conversation
with medical terms. Lucy soon discov-
cred that she was both incompetent
and lazy.
After a few minor scraps they came
to grips W a fat pupil, the daughter
of a very important man. Just before
the school broke up Lucy ordered this
girl off the hocky field on the grounds
Of physical unfitness. Miss Yaxley-
Moore chung to the creed that noblemen
must be flogged to demonstrate their
superior caste to the soft youth of the
L. c. c.. and she brought up her heavy
guns.
In spite of her opposition the young
games mistress won the battle and d
doctor was called to examine the fat
girl. He diagnosed chest complaint,
complicated by a weak heart. AS a
trained nurse could not be procured
until the following day he instructed
the icy matron how to sustain the
girls strength during the night.
Morning, however, found the patient
in a state of inexplicable collapse.
When she was revived she asked for
Lucy, on whom she lavished the usual
schoolgirl worship.
Darling" she whispered, "let my
people know. Old Glaxo"-she referred
to Miss NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. to the
doctor she'd given me drops and things
every two hours. But I got nix. I call
ed and called, and she only snored."
Leave it to me, dear" promised Lucy
Don't worry, just get we'll"
Acting on impulse, she opened the
medicine chest which was the private
property of the matron. Almost the
first thing she saw was a small bottle,
The fat pupils name was written on
the paper, while the wax which sealed
it was unbroken.
In a white heat of indignation she
rushed to Miss Yaxley-Moore and de-
livered her ultimatum.
I'm keeping this" she said, clutching
the bottle. "But if I find you here
when I return after the holidays
shall show it to the DOCTOR"
Then Lucy went out to Switzerland
for the winter sports, and, with the
residence of youth, forgot the affair
On her return to England she was
shocked to read in an unforwarded let
ter that the fat pupil had died before
Christmas.
She worried ceaselessly over the news,
for her principles would not let her
ignore its gravity. She boarded the
Purple bus with the determination tc
stir up a scandal which would per-
manently remove the matron from the
scholastic sphere.
But in reality she had done more
than that, for she had stirred up the
lowest, muddiest, strata of buried hui
man nature. Ever since Miss Yaxley-
Moore had brought home news of the
impending scandal her half sister, Miss
Bat, had brooded ceaselessly over the
threat of disgrace to her name.
Miss Bat was a lady of means and
long pedigree of which she was In
ordinately proud. For forty years she
MODERN WOMEN