The Holly chieftain., 1907-01-04
Che Closed
Gentlan
By Virginia Leila Wentz
Copyright, 1906. by NJ. NJ. Cunningham

The serious business of settling up
her brothers. estate was about finish
ed. Miss Morton leaned wearlly back
in her invalid's chair and sighed. Aft
er all, she was sorry. Doubtless 1t
would mean n cessation of her law
yer's frequent and periodic visits.
AnG-well, he had been something new
under her sun.
Il leave for Bar Harbor tomorrow,
to be gone week. On my return I'll
send you telegram and arrange for
our final interview" Howell Or
chard's crisp. staccata sentences pune
tured her rererie. He was picking up
his gloves. A high cart had just driv-
en- under the porte-cochere and Miss
Mortons liveried groom was busy
quietng the antics of a pair of brown
cobs.
Miss Morton groped for pretext to
spin out the call Of her lawyer-if only
for five minutes. 1t was stupid Of Pc.
ter to have driven up so early-and so
bourgeois. Her eye fell on the near
est object-a bowl of orchids.
Exquisite. are they not?" she said,
with slight indicating motion Of her
patrician. blue veined hand. Orchards
keen glance noted them, at the same
time ranging the extravagant refine
mcnt of the room.
"In keeping with their surroundings,
Miss Norton he rejoned. pulling on
his left hand glove. "Artistically cor
rect
fatuous, hut 1t answered her purpose.
"What is your favorite fiower?" she
asked
1t was an inane question, and she bit
her lip. But. to her relieved surprise.
Orchard gave her inquiry his consider
alton.
'The closed gentan," he said after n
slight pause
Wynche,l Miss Morton's country
home, with its ancestral acres, was
about far enough from Jersey City to
leave time on the suburban train for a
comfortable perusal Of the paper and n
yawn or two besides.
Orchard spread out his sheet mechan-
ically. But even the stock market news
didn't seem to interest him. and he
looked far beyond his paper. That was
only natural He was looking back
through several seasons of blossoms
and snow, this man, who, young as lie
| was, had already begun to be called
q woman hater. The whiZzing tele-
graph wires and poles passed unseen.
the wheels, dwindled into silence. In
their stead. came the low, exquisite
voice Of a girl:
ITS such a beautiful little flower in,
side. Howell
The day had been full Of late Sep.
tember elixir. then as now. The tread
of loveliness had been on the fields Of
grass and fodder ripened by August
suns and tanned by early frosts to an
autumnal bronze Somewhere from
among the hedges Of sumac had come
the call of quail. Then presently the
girl i:ad stopped near n silvery stream
and plucked plain enough looking
dark blue flower and pinned it on his
coat.
"It's closed gentian, you know,
dear" she had explained, while the
soft tendrils of her hair had uncon.
sciously brushed his strong chin. You
see," she went on. STOPPING to pluck an
other, they're not so very handsome
outside but inside-look!" Delicately
as a spring zephyr she had prcked the
portals open. 1T puts the flaming
goldenrod and all the staring purple
daisies here to shame, doesn't it," She
lifted her face to him-the face of a
girl not particularly beautiful. but glo
rified by dazzling smile.
He had left her at the gate of hel
| little western home and, leaning over
the rustic fence in the privacy of the
broad oak, had bid her goodby. for he
was going to the big eastern metropo
Yis for Il year or two to win fame and
fortune for them both. He went away
with the sweetness Of her kiss upon his
lips. her tear upon his cheek. her flow
or in his coat.
Later there had come misunder
standing. of the slight, Insignificant
sort that most young lovers have; but