Graham guardian., 1908-08-21

wise-and maybe come to see daddy
some time-after dark. And you can
tell the superfne Lawrence that we are
away - for daddy's health. The poor
dear certainly needs a change"
"But--people will talk So" Bernice
began.
Susan put hand over her lips and
ran on. "They won't have the chance
You won't be having tea fights and din
ners when you're staying alone except
Ifor old Miss Joe Jenkins. You can get
her to chaperon you for even half ask.
ing. And TIL let my customers think
I've moved out so as to keep daddy
quiet. Your gayety and company wen
too much for his poor nerves. So run
along and let me get to doing things,
I've got to do them all In whirlwind-
it's 10 now. Six hours is a mighty lit.
tie while to hatch conspiracy and
turn it into reality"
Susan had certainly the gift of proph.
ecy. Aunt Patrick approved highly OF
her plan. Dear Lawrence, her stepson
she was sure would have been disgust.
ed beyond measure at the thought OF
alliance with family that demeaned
itself to manual labor. If she had
dreamed things were going so i'll with
her brother-in-law and her nieces she
would have seen to 1t that the marke,
garden scheme had been nipped in the
bud. Since it was established and pay
ing, let 1t 60 ON through the season
Next year there might be changes
Lawrence would, she was sure, re
spond nobly to all legitimate claims
And the property was all his. She her
self had only life interest. Other
wise her nleces- Susan had stopped
her there with q caressing pat on the
fat hands overloaded with diamonds
saying she quite understood, but Aunt
Patrick need not worry. Once Bernice
was well settled, the house and garden
and the little remnant of money would
be more than enough for daddy and
his garden girl.
Bernice got through the first week
fairly, although she was in torment
Of trembling and impatient hope Law,
renee seemed fascinated. If only Aunt
Patrick would go on to the mountains
and insist upon taking her lonely niece
along everything would arrange itself
beautifully. But Aunt Patrick had nc
thought OF such nything, She was much
too comfortable where she was. Be
sides, in the mountains there was o
danger she had not limited to Bernlce-
namely, the Granger girl, whom Aunt
Patrick hated, but with whom dear
Lawrence had been, last winter, at
least half in love. Better, much better
keep that desirable young man here in
Crofton, where the Stanley establish.
ment put him and Berry very nearly IN
a solitude Of two. They rode or drove
or walked together through the most
part Of the daylight and spent moon.
light and twilight hours either at the
piano or on the piazza.
Susan could hear them slnging-famt
ly, to be sure-while she sat almost
nodding, and scrawling the letters thai
We're to help in keeping up the mas
querade. At first she had mailed them
but by and by that seemed to her use.
less, also risky, so she took to slipping
up to the piazza in the earliest dawn
and sliding her missives between stats
Of the shutters.
But there fell morning when, aftel
a long hard day, she ovsrslept. Still,
since it was not much after sunrise, she
ran out with the letter IN her hand
never stopping to put up her long
braids or to shroud herself in her bis
sunbonnet. And thus 1t fell out that
she came full upon dear Lawrence,
whom mlschievous fate had awakened
early upon this morning Of all in the
year.
1t was certainly fate's doing. Law.
renee had not slept all night, because
he was uncertain as to his own heart
With part of 1t he loved Bernice dearly,
but there was another part, which was
somehow hungry, no less afraid. Pos.
slbly 1t was this side Of him that leaped
through his eyes as they rested upon
Susan's enchalting freshness, her sweet
simplicity and innocent courage. InI
quick confusion she let fall the letter
AS he stopped to pick 1t up SO did she,
and then somehow their hands touched
and he found himself thrilling through
and through. And then, involuntarily,
he read the superscription and, recall.
ing Susan's picture intuitively, under.
stood.
he took her hand between both his
own, wishing madly that he dared kiss
each callous on the pink palm Of it, and
said, smiling and shaking his head
1.-THE Ogre has got you, Princess Susan,
If you did run away from him. He will
eat you up bodily unless you promise to
come straight home"
"But-but what will Berry say-and
Aunt Patrlckf" Susan faltered, letting
her hand lie In his clasp. She also was
thrilling with quite unreasonable hap
piness.
Lawrence smiled down at her conf
IDENTIFY and took her other hand, saying
'"Theres just one thing they can say