The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-06-26
be card was the name Of Isabel Doug

tne card was the name OF Isabel Dou
las.
MACPHERSON, instantly in revol
meditated flight for an instant. the
realized how impossible that was. an
that there vas nothing to do but 6
downstairs and meet her. Never I
his life had he entertained such
violent prejudice for any woman's 81
ciety IS he now felt for hers. He wa
entirely blind to her innocence Of tn
manner in which her name had beel
rung In his ears till he hated tn
sound Of 1t. At any rate. she shoul'
not add him to the list Of victims re
port said strewed her path.
He entered the big drawing room
and greeted his hostess.
I've favored you tonight" that lady
said. smiling. I've given you the pref
.iest and incest girl here to take Out
to dinner. Do you know Miss Doug
las Of Kentucky"
4 DO not" said the hapless John
Macpherson. crisply. and mentally set
ais teeth. In two minutes It was oil
over and he was properly introduced
10 her. Just what he had expected
Miss Douglas to do was hard to say
he had braced himself for resist
ance. But to his bewilderment. like
dash Of cold water In his face. he re.
allied there was absolutely nothing
10 resist.
Miss Douglas. far lovelier than her
picture. had given him one rare. cor.
dial smile which revealed the secret
Of her power for 1t was smile speak
ING sympathetic interest In the indi-
vidual addressed. and then had not
paid very much more attention to him.
being interested in the conversation
OF a returned arctic explorer.
MACPHERSON studied her at his leis-
ure and as the moments passed found
himself grasping wildly at all his In
prejudices against her. lie
had wits enough to reflect In a panic.
way that II the mere sight Of
her was SO disarming. acquaintance
with her might work marvellous
changes IN mans feelings. When
they passed out to the dining room
MACPHERSON found himself hating for
to say, a new experience
'0r him.
The girl herself broke the ice by re.
marking that she thought she knew
lis sister-was not Nan Ransom out
vest that relative? She had mention.
ID her brother so often.
By the end of that dinner John Mac.
'herson was miserable, Apologize, at
sea. lie did not know why he should
re SO upset. All he realized was that
he had Il desire to explain to Miss
Douglas how sorry he was for dislik-
ng her before he had met her.
She certainly got In her special
rand of hypnotic work on me, all
light" he told his reflection grimly
hat night as he took OF his cravat
efore the mirror. but. then, she's
n exception"
John MACPHERSON was q man who
vent out after what he wanted when
9 got his mind made up. He never
eally made up his mind about Isabel
douglas. however-that 10, deliberate
=. He did not have time. II was .
atal attack from tho very frst sight |
her. And when he asked her to |
larry him. after she had been In
lew York two weeks only. and she
cry properly protested at bic haste.
plunged him into despair 10 deep
lat he made life unbearable for his
ervants.
But Miss Douglas knew her own
cart. too. after several years OF e.
erience In refusing numerous suit.
rs. and she did not keep the man she
'und she really cared for waiting too
my before she promised to marry
I'm.
Il don't understand It In the least"
&c laughed. blushing and shaking her
cad when she had said yes.
Neither do l." agreed John Mac.
herson promptly. And l intend to
AIRY you as soon as | wheedle you
to naming the day. for fear you'll
lange your mind"
Then no telegraphed his sister out
est. who knew nothing OF what had
zen going on In New York Mrs. Ran.
I'm laughed and cried alternately
hen she got the laconic message. II
i'd:
Il have at last met Isabel. You
n buy your gown to wear to the
edding."
HINGES WE 0llEh1 IN CAVE