Liberty High School - Lion Yearbook (Brentwood, CA)

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collection ot' women's clothes. He picked up ii wrapper of hright crimson -cashmere with trimmings of coarse 'black lace. Is this the best you could do? he ask- ed with a queer smile. 'tlt is, said Howard. Pye interviewed every woman within a radius of ten miles. l've ot't'ered small fortunes and told the most heart-weakening lies, hut not one of them would come to the 'Cove-they say it's haunted. l've begged, borrowed and stolen those dudsf' She seems rather limp. said Philip inspecting the wrapper, As it' she needed stuffing. ,Have we the material? We have,', said Howard, with a drama- tic wave of the hand that included the three of them. Oh, I say-it's a would hardly accommodate the three of us. observed Philip. Well draw for it, said Howard, You 'fellows get some slips ot' paper. Lincoln and Philip went into and soon returned with three slips of pa- per in a hat. The one who draws the paper with the cross marked on it takes the handle and becomes Aunt Jerusha. Aunt Jerusha will only he visible to the naked eye of the ladies occasionally, and at a good safe distance . In the meantime she will he sut- fering from some feminine complaint which keeps her confined to her room most of tlie time. Lo'ckjaw, suggested Philip, Then she won't 'he expected to talk. No woman ever had that, objected good size, but it the den adjoining, Lincoln. t'Housemaid's knee, said Howard, 'ta man can't possible have that. That will do fine, said Lincoln. Here boys. take youir draw. Lincoln held out his hat and the three gravely drew out the slips of paper. lloward was the first to hold his out. There was a tiny cross on it. He groaned, Hlleavensl What luck, to travel ten miles for those instrrrnents ot' torture, and then have to wear them, shave twice a day. Boys. see that a good supply ot' cigars are sent to my room, and dont forget the port: it's a sure cure for honsemaid's knee. ln less than halt' an hour the rattle ot' wheels came through the din of the storm. and Lincoln and Philip opened the door and let the light flood out into the night, show- ing one solitary figure, drenched and shivering. with a sweet, tired face that wore a. smile in defiance of wind and weather. - You're-you're not alone? gasped Lincoln, hy way of greeting. Miss 'Bernice slipped out of her dripping uilster, and shook the rain from her hat. All alone except for the driver. who haS gone to heg shelter from your man. Miss Louise could not come. Her mother-U Lincoln heard no more. He retired into a dark corner to say things to himself. To have two unchaperoned ladies under his rood seemed-had-very had, hut to have one. alone, on a night into which it would he cruel to turn gi dog for half an hour, was ot' that variety ot' hadness which t'orhids audible mention. I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Lincoln's aunt, said Bernice to Philip. who was doing his hest for her comfort. 'tl hope she is well. Well-er-no. stannnered Philip. Perhaps to-morrow-she is Suffering f1'0II1'-LJ, Philip looked wildy around for Lincoln to help him out. Ilonsen1aid's knee, said Lincoln, with desperate promptness. Oh, commented Bernice in a startled voice, then the corners of her mouth sank into two pretty dimples. and her eyes puckered in a very unsynipathetic way. Aunt Jerusha hegs that you will ex- cuse her this evening, said Lincoln. The weather has a had effect on her ailment. A queer little gurgling laugh hroke from Miss Bernice's pretty lips, as she turned her head to the tire, and Howard, in the next room, struggling with the red wrap- per. in case he would he nee-ded, gave a sigh of relief that hurst oft' a hutton. as the reprieve reached his ears: his opinion as to who was getting the worst ot it was changing. U U O Ulf' the weather clears we'll send her honie to-morrow. said Lincoln. gloovnily, as, Miss Bernice, having retired, the three stricken conspirators sat in lloward'-: room, viewing the situation. Howard. with a queer little hlack cap,

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A LUCKY CHAPERON liv Hl,AX't'lll'l Jlfl'lT'l', '15 A groan ol' deepest consternation broke from Lincoln as he let the last of his three letters flutter down into his plate of ham and eggs. His two companions paused in the perusal uf their mail with a simul- taneous. What's happened The worst, said Lincoln in a voice of gloom, That bunch of letters represents a combination of circumstances calculated to be the cause of any rnan's downfall. Isn't Miss Bernice coming? asked Philip and Howard in a breath. She is, said Lin-coln with a significant grimace, It's worse than that. lmpossible. choruised Philip and How- a1'd in tones of relief. Aunt Jerusha can't come, explained Lincoln. Her husband has contracted an untimely attack of gout and they are both tied up in Liverpoolf' 'fOh, is that alltl' said Philip turning to his delayed coffee. Alll iVhy, fellow, do you know what it means? There will be no chaperon to meet Miss Bernice and Miss Louise when they come, and it isn't just the thing. even in this advanced age, for two young ladies to stay in a shooting lodg'e in the heart of the llighlands alone with three young men, however well intentioned they may be, without a married female of some des- cription in sight. The worst is that they ma yarrive at any time. Miss Bernice writes me thus: 'Wie will be with you on the 4th or Sth, Pm not sure which. so do not trouble to meet ins: we can get a conveyance ot' some kind at iil2I!llll0l'0 Village. I suppose. As for myself. you will haYe to keep me a month for our house is sold and Aunt and Uncle have gone to London to start afresh. We are poor now, you know. I don't mind telling' people for it's fashion- on able in our circle, since that slump in the cotton ma1'ket. I have enough gowns to last me a month in Scotland and then l'm to become governess to Hrs. Roger's twin. It is possible that some of my friends may regard me as a has been. lf you think so I shall not blame you, it's the way of the world, only hint gently and l'll vanish.' Now what in thunder shall we do? appealed Lincoln. l'hilip's dark eyes were suspiciously moist. Ile brought his clenched fist down on the table with a thud that made the china dance and shiver. They've got to come, he said savage- ly. lf we made any excuse now Bernice- Bliss Bernice-miglit take it for the hint She speaks of, Poor girl, she's having a. hard time of it, for all her cheerfutlness. Fancy her a governess to those snobs. But what about a chaperon? Surely you don't propose- lloward's emotions had reached the point ol' explosion. lle jump-ed to his feet. a wildy excited young man. l'm going to scour the countryside with your consent. till l find a female of some kind to take the place ot' your Aunt Jerusha. There must be some women of some kind within twenty miles. A whole month. Heaven knows what might not happen- The rest of his agitated speech was cut off by the closing of the door behind him as he rushed into the hall after his hat and coat. llc thrust his head in a mo- ment to say: lf they should arrive before I return tell them l'm taking a drive with your Aunt Jerusha. l'Il bring home-some- thing. tlut in the blackness of a wet llighland night lloward stepped dripping and dis- consulate. with a great parcel in his arms -and alone. Where is the chaperon? asked Lin- coln and Philip anxiously. lloward dump- ed the parcel on the floor and kicked it over to Lincoln. There she is, he said. as he sank wearily into a chair before the fire. Lin- coln ripped the parcel open. displaying a

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edged with gray eurls, pushed baek on his well shaped head, and a red wrapper eom- t'ortably unbnttoned at the neek and waist, sat with his t'eet up on the dresser. Lin- eoln and l'hilip had laughed themselves into tears at the first. sight of him. and then the reaetion had left them in des- pair. For l'leaven's sake do, said Iloward. Un: day ibuttoned up in this thing, big' as it is. would ent me in two. lt' you have the breakfast room good and dark in the morning, l'll make my appearance- postively one appearanee only. You fel- lows elear out and I will explain how nu- expeeted eomplieations have set in my knee. necessitating my removal to the hos- pital to have my leg amputated-that soinnds all right, doesn't it? Ot' eourse being' a lady of rare pereeption she will see the situation at ont-e and take her depar- ture. lt' Miss Louise had eome we eonld have managed some way. but it is eruel kindness to keep her-here alone. As she is to spend one night here. it will be 'better for her peaee ot' mind to let her go away without knowing the truth. Breakfast next morning' was eaten in a dim religious light. At its c-lose Aunt Jerushav hobibled with a most melancholy the wrapper limp into the room, with straining dangerously at the waist blnttons. and the gray eurls bobbing into her eyes from beneath the silken eap. The mittened hand almost erushed Miss Bernie-e's slim fingers, and Aunt Jerusha's voiee was alarmingly faint as she bade her guest welcome. Miss Rerniee's eyes t'lew open to their widest extent for a mo- ment, then her long lashes hid the light within them-a light that made the men turn hot all over and long' to answer with a shout of laughter. There was no laugh- ter. however, at that meal.. The nearest ap- proaeh to it was the deepening' of the dim- ples at the earners of Miss Berniee's mouth. Lim-oln and Philip kept up a des- perate c-hatti. r that betrayed the anxiety of their souls and Aunt .lsrusha groaned oe- easionally as she earefully lifted one leg over the other. liineoln and Philip got through their breakfast with surprisinu' rapidity and ex- eused themselves, leaving' Aunt Jernsha to :idirst things with Miss Berniee. fWhatever may have been said over the eot't'ee eups was not ot' a nature to hurt Miss l5erniee's feelings. That mneh Lineoln gathered from the brightness ot' her far-e as slle joined them in the hall a half hour after. She spoke pleasantly about the prospec-ts for a fine day. but said no word anbont leaving the Clove. The men were puzzled but dared not broaeh the su-bjeet. not knowing' what turn lIoward's plans might have taken. As an opening for her eontidenee l.ineoln invited her to take a walk after hun-h. but she thanked him and der-lined. saying she had promised to drive with Aunt Jerusha. Howard is going' to see her to the train himself. eonehnded Lineoln. Ile always was a good one to get a fellow out ot' a hole. Hut won't Miss Berniee be suspieions after the tale he told her about his knee being worse? said Philip, who would have weleomed an earthquake if it would keep Miss Berniee under the same root' as him- self. . ossibly, but what matters that. so long as he gets her safely and happily away? Ile should have told her the truth in the first plaee. U U I lfll Aunt Jerusha might have been taken for a woman disguised for a man or a man for a woman. aeeording to eirenxnstanr-es. as she eame down the stairs dressed in a long' eoat and a deer skin eap. Miss Berniee eame down direetlv after. and they elimbed up into the rattling old dog eart and drove away, leaving two very lonely, and very mueh puzzled, yontng men behind them. Strange she didn't say good-bye to us, said Philip. as they watehed the eart growing dim in the foggy distanee. Evidently lloward hasn't told her yet. and is going to dn so on the way to the station. reasoned Lineoln. But Miss Berniee did not go away that day. 'Instead she was bar-k in time to ap- pear at dinner. looking' very bright and lovely in a gown ot' pure white. with a white flower in her hair. The hearts ot' her two eompanions glowed within them, in spite ol' previous misgivings, at sight ot' her. There was a subdued buoyanev ahout her-a llfllf-!'0l'll ,'2lll'4i. hilt'-em