The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-05-30
BELINDA'S
WAY
BY CLARISSA MACKIE
Copyright. 1872. hy Associated Itararv
press)

VII ala after Ter tenth meeting Ut
resolved 20 ask her the all-impOrtant
question that nust precede an en-
sagement. Int his courage was not
/ equal to his desire
! III ask her tomorrow" was al
ways his desperate promise when his
courage Jailed. and many tOmOrrOws
had become todays and yesterdays.
and still the question was unasked.
yet he almost knew. without being
conce!ted about the matter. that Be
linda cared and that her affirmative
answer would be forthcoming when
he asked her.
Time and again he had gathered
bis courage and on each occasion his
tongue had Glove to the roof OF his
, mouth when Relindas brown ewes had
shyly dropped before the love light
in his.
occasionally he ragged II himself for
MS stupidity. If she only knew what
consummatc ass | am she wouldn't
4 "i' 'hi"S ~ 10 viii me, ut
groaned one day.
Perhaps Belinda kneW--or guessed
the state OF affairs.
I'll ask her tomorrow sure" he
said one evening after he had re.
turned from dirner party where he
had taken Belinda in to dinner. and
sat beside her in ecstatic wonder at
his great good luck.
tomorrow came and with ii q note
from Belinda saying that they were
all going down to Sea Sands that day
for the weekend and she hoped MIR.
Owen would be sure to accent her
mothers invitation to accompany
them
Mrs Howe's invitation came In the
same mail and Jack accepted 1t de-
lightedly. Then he made hurried prep
arations for the journey because he
wanted TO he sure and catch the same
rain that Belinda was going ON. lie
@ent to the station and engaged a
seat, trusting to his customary good
fortune to find it placed next to Be
linda chair.
II was next to Belindas seat, but
on the other side OF belinda sat a new
mana foolishly ginning idiot with
his hair parted in the middle and "A
dimpr in his chin This was Jacks
summary of the masculine charms OF
Mr.. Harry Brompton
belinda was interested In Mr.
RromptOn SO deeply interested tina.
she only spared an occasional smile
Tor Jack. who sulked openly and de-
'ermined to ask her the fatal question
that very night--if he got a chance.
When they reached Sea Sands and
the Howe's motor vehicles were filled
with the expected guests 1t was found
that Mr., Nrompton was seated beside
Belinda In one car while Jack Owen
WAS squeezed between Mrs. Howe and
her private secretary. little pale
black-eyed being who shivered with
the excitement Of the coming week
end gaities. OF which she would only
snatch an occasional glimpse.
III show him. sputtered Jack
fercely as he noted the devoted att
tude of Mr. Rrompton's by no means
Unlocking head.
Ii was an added irritation to find
that Mr. Brompt0n was 10 occupy the
pleasant room which Jack Owen had
always occupied on his frequent visits
at Sea Sands The room now ap.
pointed to Jack was pleasanter than
the other, but jealousy Is led by 1T |
tie things like this and Mr.. Owen be- |
came positively unhappy over the
matter.
by the time Jack was ready for dln- |
ner the situation looked very bleak
He was positive that MIR. Brompton
had been a dark horse In the race for |
Belinda's heart and hand and he was
sure that gentleman had won out. and
that the engagement would be an
nounced tonight.
He hoped 1t would not be announced
at the dinner table-he was positive
that he would be unable to control
his features. Yet it looked ominogs
enough. AS he tailed the guests who
would be there he realized that ihey
consisted of old and intimate friends
Of the Howe family.
Harry Brompton was the only
stranger to him. He wondered vague
" II any OF these friends were related
to Mr. Brompton or was the prospec
tive bridegroom an orphan like HIN
self?
He went down TO dinner In a u.ooe
4 black despair.
Dear boy" murmured Mrs How,
10 he stopped for word with t"r
We are SO delighted about little -
infa!"
Then It is decided he asked il :
hollow voice
She looked at him In puzzled ~
You mean about announcing 1t - :
light?"
He nodded grimly. He could 70;
;peak.
"Oh. yes-of course you do be- I
nind?" q
Jacks face hardened OF course I
hey had thrust the knife In. but TIE: &
leednt twist 1t around.
4