Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-09-24

came ITOm lI' tuHGic VI WIFI Nh'N'
and underbrush on a little hillside and
approached him.
You are Just the fellow I'm looking
! FOR" said Frank. Miss Dolly's over
there in a hammock, and | want tc
| leave somebody with her. Old mar
| Morley promised me the biggest water
melon in his patch If I'd come over fol-
it. I won't be long"
"Oh. I don't care how long you are
smiled Alan. you can stay all day II
| you want to-
81 thought you wouldn't mind,'
grinned Frank. 81 used to think you
were the one man had to fight, but
( reckon | was mistaken. \ Teller II
love imagince everybody in creation is
against him."
Alan made no reply to this but hur
ried away to where Dolly sat, new
magazine in her hands and box OF
candies on the grass at her feet. 81
saw you riding down the hill" she
said. with a pretty flush and no little
excitement "To tell the truth. I sent
Frank after the melon when I vecog
nized you. He's been threatening &c
70 all the afternoon. but l insisted or
it. You may he surprised, but | have
a business message for you, and
would have made Frank drive me past
your house on the way home if you
hadn't come"
Cuisines" Alan laughed merrily
He felt very happy in her presence un
der all her assurances of welcome
THE idea of your having a business
message. That's really funny"
"Well, that's what it is. Sit down.
She made room for him in the ham
mock, and he sat beside her, his fool.
ish brain in whrl. "Why, yes, 1t IL
business, and it concerns you. fancy
1t is important. Anyway it may take
you to town tonight
You don't mean it," he laughed.
She looked very pretty in her light Or
candle gown and big rustic hat, with
its wide, flowing ribbons.
Yes, it is a message from Rayhurn
Miller about that railroad idea of
yours'
Really? Then he told you about
that
Yes. He was down to see me last
week. He didn't seem to think much
of it then, but"-she hesitated and
smiled as if over the memory of some
thing amusing been thinking of
it since. AS Frank and drove
through the main street thu; morning
Frank had gone IN store to get a
basket of fruit he came to me on his
way to the train for Atlanta. lie
hadn't time to say much, but he said
if you were out here today to ;ell you
to come in town tonight without fail.
30 as to meet him ut his office early in
the morning. iIc'll be back on the
midnight train. | asked him If it was
about the railroad. and he said it was;
that he had discovered something that
looked cncoura ging."
I'm glad of that" said Alan. thrill
Of excitement passing over him. Ray
burn threw cold water Oh my ideas the
other day and
II know he did, and it was a shame,
said Dolly warmly. "Thc idea of his
thinking he is the only man in Georgia
with originality. Anyway, hope il
will come to something"
81 certainly do" responded Alan. Its
the only thing | could think of to help
my people, and am willing to stake
all I have on it-which is, after ALL
nothing but time and energy"
'Well, don't you let him or any one
else discourage YOU" said the girl her
eyes flashing. "A man who listens tc
other people and puts his own ideas
aside is unworthy of the brain God
gave him. There is another thing
her voice sank lower and her eyes
sought the ground-"Rayburn Miller is
a fine, all round man, but he is not per.
feet by any means. He talks freely tc
me. you know; he's known me since
was knee high. Well, he told me--he
told me of the talk he had with you al
the dance that night. Oh, that hurt
me-hurt me-
"IIe told you that.' exclaimed Alar
In surprise.
Yes, and II actually disgusted me
Does he think all men ought to act or
that sort of advice? He might, for he
has made an unnatural man of him
self, with all his fnncies for new faces
but you are not that kind, Alan, ant
I'm sorry you and ne are so intimate
not that he can influence you much
but he has already in way, and thai
has panied me deeply"
HE has Influenced me?" cried Altar
in surprise. Il think you are mis-
taken
You may not realize it. but he has.
said Dolly. with gentle and yet un
yielding earnestnesS. You see. yol
are so very sensitive that it would no
be hard to make you believe that t
Young man ought not TO keep on cairns
for girl whose parents object to hi
attentions
"Ahw He had caught her drift.
There was pause. At the foot o
the hill little brook ran merrily owe
the water Drowned stones. and III
monotonous tapping could be heard dis
tinctly. Under the trees across tn
open some of the couples had draw
together and were singing:
81 see the boat go round the bend.
Goodby my lover goodby.'
Dolly had said exactly what he haC
never hoped to hear her say, and th'
fact of her broaching such IA subject il
such frank, determined way sent
glow of happiness all over him,
Il don't think" he began thought