Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-06-01

Pllnp TelapSeu 1uIo SIoouiy slleHSe;
from which Jenifer tried in vain to rouse
him. plying him with questions on sub
iects likely to turn his thoughts away
from .he memory of his lost riches, and
looking wistfully and anxiously into his
handsome, sullen face as she did so.
The autumn had been unusually mild
and sunny, but now the wind had sud
denly veered to the northeast, and the
dav broke clear and frosty. Towards
evening keen wind arose, freezing the
pools and blaekening the foliage The
felds and hedges, lately so fresh and
green, looked gray and parched, and the
Weather-wise grimly foretold an ''uncom-
mon hard night" And so it proved. The
roads became as hard as iron, the water
pipes froze, fields were thickly powdered
with frost, ice was on the ponds-ice
was everywhere. All Nature shivered at
the first touch of Winters hand.
The weather having put stop to all
outdoor work, Philip Truell had remained
at home, and. to Jenifer's great delight,
was more himself; indeed, as the day
wore on, his spirits rose perceptibly He
helped his mother, and conversed brightly
with the customers, who went away mar
yelling at the difference between Mrs.
Truells boy an gel.'
Would zee like to look at The News ?"
asked an old woman, who had been par
ticularly charmed by Philips genial man
ner. my mans read 'un, an | can't
read, so you're welcome. It's today's; he
bought 'un in the town."
No, thank 'ee" said Philip hurriedly.
eagerly. Eyes, Mrs. Williams-Pll have
paper sometimes" And, taking the rath-
er dilapidated sheet, Jenifer was soon
absorbed in its contents, reading out
scraps of intelligence for the benefit of
Mrs. Truell, who took much interest in
newspaper tragedies.
Suddenly a startled exclamation broke
from Jenifer's lips, causing her mother
to look up from her sewing with a GEES
ture of inquiry.
Just listen, mother! Isn't it a pity
"'Wilful Destruction.-We are sorry
to report the destruction of a choice col
lection of orchids at Mr.. David Lowry
nursery, in Elms Road 1t appears that
the house was secured as usual, and the
fires banked up at closing time yester-
day, additional precautions being taken
on account of the frost. This morning,
however, on the foreman, Mr.. John Trus-
colt, entering the nursery, he discovered
all the ventilators of the orchid house
wide open, the fires also having been
hastily raked out. 1t is feared that near
ly the whole of the plants are ruined.
The plants were valued at $3.50. The
matter has been placed in the hands of
the police, who will, we have no doubt,
speedily track out the offender, who,
however, is at the present moment I'M
known"
We'll, | never!" calculated Mrs Truell.
whoever could be so wicked as that =?
And such civil-spoken young man, too I
/ shouldn't a. thought he had an enemy
In the world"
ooh, rubbish" said Philip harshly. 81
dare say it's all a mistake. Perhaps old
Jan forgot to shut the ventilators him
self"
"No-that couldn't be-" said Jenifer;
for, don't you see, they wouldn't open
them on a frosty day; and besides the
fires were raked out by some one They'd
sure to be careful in such weather You
know you said yourself that if the frost
were to get in they would all be spoiled,
when you were telling me about them
When did | tell you about them ?
You're dreaming, Jenifer!" her brother
interrupted sharply, and the expression
on his face prevented his sister from
completing her sentence.
Quickly changing the conversation,
Philip declared his intention of going
out for a bit" Long after her mother
and Philip were in bed and asleep that
night, however, Jenifer sat in her little
room thinking.
What did it mean-Philip's look. half
OF fear and half of triumph? And why
had he been out so late last night? Oh,
he could never do so mean thing-nev-
er! He could not! And yet, why had
she thought it possible?
The girl slept little, and she felt weary
and miserable when she heard her moth
er voice announcing the fact that it
was "half-past 6, an freezing harder than
ever" Her first thought on waking was
OF her brother, but she was drawer with
the morning light. She was sure it could
not be-she had been mad to think of it !!
Trusting the idea from her, Jenifer be-
gan her daily duties, bustling about more
nrlskly than usual to keep her mind free
rom the haunting anxiety of the night
before.
A'iNtC were lleT bTOIHeT clOJ1eS thrown
hastily down in the back kitchen; she
would put them away. How careless he
was His boots too we're just where he
mad taken them off. Jenifer took them
UP rather impatiently, then turned pale
and let them fall again with little
gasp. Sticking to one of them was the
crushed lilac petal of an orchids
But what of that? What nonsense to
connect it with the crime! OF course he
worked at the nursery! Yet did he not
+" fer that he had not been there that
aay-it was too frostyg But might not
the flower have adhered to his boot the
previous day? No; for she had cleaned
li's boots herself Jenfer looked fearful
a tale
Halo, Jenifer! What are you staring
al and she knew that Phil was look
petal
found it sticking to your boot. Phil
p How did it get there ;" asked Jenifer