The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-05-24
(Continued.) . Chapter XII.

% Chapter XII.
 wait for Caroline, saw her yemerg' from her room; he joined her at once He looked for his violets and his hear sank He asked her timidly why sh' had not deigned to wear them.
 T don't care to-" she said frigidlJ as he leaned over her with a tender look.
 Not after my note?' he asked, hur
 what nofer' she asked suspiciousl, Eagerly he xplained how he had peneo . missive of undying love. had crepi thrust it under her door. Caroline glanced at him with surprise. Had he lost his wits completely! She had never received any such note. And she eoldly requested him to keep his joles for some one who could ap- preciate them. Rivers absently began to wonder who 1t was that could have certain he had thrust it under some one's door, To his sudden consterna- tion. he s9w Mrs. Cleveland entering the lounge, wearing a huge bunch of violots. HlO heart sank.
 "Oh, you got my motel" he began bravely.
 .sWhat nots?' she demanded indig-
 Tt was alr . mistaike." he groaned miserably. T sec you're wearing my viOlets."
 Why Mir. Rivers, how dare you! l bought those violets myself" She turned with a whitening look. The man must bs madI" she muttered as she thrust tho violets into his hands and swept ma5estically from the hall. Rivers stood like one in a trance, star ing at the flowers he held.
 iiu the meantime Kettle, ready for breakfast. had knocked at Esie's door snd anding her in a cheerful frame of mind. he presented her with the vi- olets the clerk had brought him: She accepted them gweetly and pinning them to her bodice, accompanied Ket- tle downstairs on their way to the dinning-room- As they reached the left his watch behind, so he hurried back to got 1t. leaving Elsie to con- tfnue on down alone. As she reached the bottom of the staircase, Rivers confronted her.
 "Oh, Mrs Kettle. may I speak to you a moment? I want to tell you under your door last night. Did you think 1t was meant for you?" he ask ed gently, as she lifted her appeal ing blue eyes to his own.
 Please, don't say anything about it,'' she begged. Tt has already got ten me into a lot of trouble. If peo- pie should only suspect!'
 And you're wearing vfolets!' he ex- claimed, greatly puzzled.
 Please don't think wrong of me, she whispered sweetiy.
 Does MT. Kettle know?'' he asked, lowering his tone and moving nearer.
 or course MT. Kettle knOws!" she flashed
 And you're wearing violets.' he ex claimed again, blankly. Don't you love MT. Kettle?" he whispered, sud- denly. significantly.
 Certainly not!"-tossing her head and pouting deliciously.
 'sBut you're wearing violets!" he groaned. She stared at him mo- n1ent queerly and a look of deadly fear crept into her face. Was the creature mad. Hastily she unpinned the flowers, keeping an eye fixed on his. and thrusting the flowers into ms hands she lied wildly back to her room.
 As he stood there clutching the flow CTS between his hands and puzzllng over them, Miss Patchen returned from her morning walk. She, too. had a huge bouquet of violets pinned 10 her bodice. Discovering him standing at the foot of the staircase evidently in a state of great indecision, she walked up back of him, and pulling few violets from the bunch at her belt, she leaned over his arm and coy- iy thrust them into the buttonhole of his coat.
 .-Tbe message of the violets," she whispered sweetly, dropping her eyes shyly. from his bewildered look.
 But that was all a mistake!" he groaned-
 How about the note?" she asked with a mischievous glance.
 'T sent that to Miss Caroline, your niece."-helplessly.
 "Young mani" she cried, wild with chagrin, "the day she marries you. l shall cut her off without penny!'
 Rivers seemed to wilt and to go all to pieces. The flowers he held drop ped to the floor from nervelesS Hn- gers. Caroline herself had just come from her room whither she had flown after her recent encounter. with Rlv- ers She leaned over the balcony now, listening to his voice below, speaking in miserable accents.
 saying.
 Now I suppose you will leave on the next train," Miss Patchen sneer ed. But a strange metamorphoS1s seemed to be taking place in the young mans character. Miss Patchen could have sworn that he looked ready to bolt from the Rip Van Wrinkle Inn
 
 ed New York.
 You mean she hasn't any money Of her own?' he managed to say be- tween parched, hot lips. That's just what I mean" NO, I wont leave on the next |, ain." she heard him finally say as he seemed to breathe great sigh of relief. 'I'n stay right here and win her if I can!' With a little cry of delight, Caro- line came running down the stairs. Rivers turned to look at her. She was carrying a bunch of violets and crushing them to her lips.
 Chapter XIII. Miss Patchen had found Mrs. Cleve- 1 land in the dining-room and dragged her out to impart the awful discovery she had made the night before She | was certain there was something wrong l with those Kettles. Never in all her l life had she observed two young mar ried people act in such a peculiar manner. With her own eyes, she had | seen them stealthily sneaking out of l the doors of their rooms and sticking | notes under those doors. Most amaz- l ing proceeding! And then to add to | <he- mystery in a moment of sudden | alarm, each had dropped a note over | the banister-fatal missives which | Miss Patchen had gathered up and | preserved. She handed them now to | l,>.