Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1909-09-03
MISS LAV|N|A'S LOVER
The Result of the Search For the
Man Who Went Away.
BY VIRGINIA BLAIR.

PressI
"Wcll. Of course" Miss Lavinia con-
fided. IL am glad TO have 1t, but it's
unsettling."
Mrs. Briggs shifted. 1T wouldn't
unsettle me II any one left me $4,000.
l would know what TO do with It,"
Miss Lavinia leaned forward eagerly.
"What would you do, JaneT she de.
mandcd.
"Oh. WELL" Mrs. Briggs hesitated.
I'D get some new clothes right away
and fix up the house. and entertain my
friends. and take trip and have an
automobile
II have thought OF those things, but
they don't seem to be just what |
want. after ALL Maybe I'll just put 1t
out mt interest"
"Now, look here, Lavinia Latimer."
Mrs. Briggs said solemnly, don't you
do any such thing. You've got enough
TO live on. such as 1t is. and my advice
IL to take some OF the money and have
good time. Goodness only knows
you haven't had many good times"
"No, haven't" Miss Lavinia admit
ted somewhat wlstfully. well, III
think Il over. Jane"
And after Mrs. Briggs had gone Miss
Lavinia picked up her big yellow cat
and told him her lnnermost wish. Pm
going to use some Of that money to
find out where John Forbes Is" she
whispered. but wouldn't tell Jane"
But to look for the man who had left
town ten years ago was not an easy
matter. And Lavinla Latimer was not
wise In methods. But she wanted TO
know the fate OF her old lover, and so
II happened that ten days after her
talk with Jane Briggs, Miss Lavinia
went to town.
I'm going TO buy clothes" was the
reason she gave. but when she came
to the big town 1t was not to the
stores that she made her way, but to
a dusty. musty little office in a squalid
street
"McDermott. private detective" sale
the sign.
Miss Lavinia was all pink and white
and pretty as she stated her case. But
Mr.. McDermott set her at once mt her
ease. Tie was n brisk little man with
curly white hair and red cheeks.
$50 you want to find John Forbes"
he said as he relativeY
"Oh, nor' And Miss Lavinia blush
ed.
lowe you any money! McDermott
demanded.
"Oh. no. no." Miss Latimer cried dis
tressfully. I'VE were engaged fifteen
years ago. and | couldn't marry him.
because had to stay with my old
away-and promised that when l
was free | would let him know.
"Oh." McDermott calculated. and
after a pause. Were you expecting to
find him still single?'
I-Im not sure"
McDermott tugged ut his mustache.
"rhe chances are that he'll be mar
ried."
"Of COURSE" Miss Lavinia agreed.
"but should like to be sure"
Surely" said McDermott. You just
let ME have the case, and Ill bring
you news of John Forbes before you
know it,
McDermott reported regularly once
week by letter TO Miss Lavinia and
as regularly received her answers.
Miss Lavinia wrote ON pale violet
paper that gave forth perfume Of
fresh flowers In the stuffy little Office.
McDermott found himself laying those
letters In little drawer by themselves,
and one day I'm early spring, when he
had travelled out into the country on a
case, he spied some violets by the way
side. He picked them and brought
them home and laid them with the let
tiers In the drawer.
McDermott had money of his own.
so that Miss Lavinia's little fortune
had no charms for him, but the
thought of her delicate presence In his
home often came to him with sense
Of irresistible attraction.
"But IL she finds John Forbes single
she will marry him." he would say
with sigh. and the temptation to
overlook clews was great.
In June he called on her and found
her In her garden with little low
table In front of her on which was set
forth a lemonade service. Miss La
vinia was In pale mauve with a hat
wreathed with violets. when you
wrote you were coming" she said TO
McDermott, II thought you would en-
Joy 1t better here In the garden--it's
cooler
swell. II you knew what nice
change Il was from that Office In
town." sighed the little man.
After that he came often. and grad
ually 1t began TO be rumored I'm the
town that Miss Lavinia was Excepting
company" with n man from the city.
"well. l must say that l like his
looks" Mrs. Briggs told Miss Lavinia
when she came over one morning after
McDermott had called.
"He is just a business acquaint-
ance," Miss I.avinia protested.