The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-04-03

into garden of flowers, palms and
growing plants. Sid Venner, the pop
ular young lawyer of Stillville, stood
IN the shadows apart from the group,
nervously pulling his mustache and
looking somewhat out of sorts. He
started and Strengthened up as man
and a woman entered the church and
came down one of the dimly-lighted
aisles. The lady-a tall, beautiful girl.
with reed4ilSe grace of movement
was in advance AS she passed close to
Sid she recognized him and stopped.
"Oh, Mr.. Venner. isn't it a shame?"
she broke out, in Il charmingly impul-
sive way. "The Easter lilies ordered
from the city did not come. ] am so
disappointed; and mortified, too, for all
the other ladies have furnished some
thing for the church decorations, and 4
promised the lilies. you know, and now
! can do nothing at all. Mr.. Macgrcgor
has been searching the town for flow
ers, but can find none. Dear! dear! if
one of you gentlemen could get some
Easter lilies somehow-somewher e-I
would-well, I'd be eternally CRATE
full" This half-laughing, half-despair-
ing outburst was addressed both to Sid
and her stylishly dressed escort, who
had stopped just behind her. but it
seemed to the lawyer that the appeal
was specially directed to him. His
heart was humping like n trip-ham-
mer. but he spoke quite calmly:
Il shall be glad to win even your graft
itude. Miss Lloyd. will get the lilies,
for you"
"Ob. will you truly? Can you!?"
IL can and will
"You need not trouble yourself, sir,"
spoke up the other man, in a voice as
cold and cutting as steel. If Miss
LLOYD wants, Easter lilies | wild get
them for her-provided they are to- be
had"
The significance of the tone and
words was, not to be mistaken. There
was a moment of profound silence:
then Sid Veaner. with admirable self
control. said:
II have given you my word, Miss
Lloyd. My offer has no pcoriso at
tached to it." He smiled au6aciously
in the flushed, scowling face of Bruce
Macgregor: then bowed easily to Helen
Lloyd. as he added: THE lilies will
be here in good season. promise You.
Put to fulfill my mission, must be off
at once. Good night" He strobe
down the aisle to the church door. and
was gone.
Just as the town clock struck nine
Sid Nenner, seated in a piano-box
buggy behind a quick-stepping horse,
went spinning ont of Stillville along
the road leading eastward. Fifteen
miles to Princeton he unused, with a
grim smile. "a drive of 30 miles be-
fore 1 sleep. But happen to know
Squire Wymple has a lot of Easter lilies
on his place, and must have them at
all hazards. Wonder if Bruce Mac
gregor will dare to follow me- saw
him watching me as drove out of the
stable"
Sid. it need scarcely be said, was
over head and ears in love with Helen
Lloyd. His suit had seemed to pro-
gress favorably enough until Bruce
Macgregor appeared on the scene.
Then there was change Macgregor
was the city cousin of Alice Hartley,
and Alice was the particular friend of
Helen Lloyd; SO it was but natural
that the young man and Helen should
be thrown much together. In fact, he
all but monopoIized that young lady's
society. During the entire period of
Lent-a most propitious season for
coy tete-a-tetes-he had been Alice's
guest and Helen's devoted slave. Sid
had sternly held himself under control