The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-11-26
THERESA'S PLAN won
py HARMONY WELLER.

/
Tawny of hair and with great smol
dering brown eyes. the girl could b
either a saint or a sinner. but -
happened Theresa had chosen the for
mer
But now" muttered Theresa while
she watched . great automobile whirl
ing out Of sight along the dusty road
Il en- going to turn sinner. simply
must know that good-looking man
who has just passed by In his motor
It IL positively wicked that . nrascu'
line person should be 20 much alone
not to mention feminine ones" Their
ga sighed. and her eyes absorbed the
vast beauty OF the farm upon which
she had been spending the summer.
II believe" she ruminated. with q
shy. sweet smile. that I could really
love-him. II I only knew him"
Then. out Of her strong desire to BE-
come acquainted with the man who
twice daily whizzed past the farm
house on bis way to business in the
city. Theresa formed a plan.
During the afternoon when every.
one about the farm was either sleep.
ing or busily engaged. Theresa made
her way to the thicket Of fir trees.
Once within the shelter she drew from
her ample pocket three empty ale bot.
ties which she had secured from the
kitchen. A moment later she had
broken them into Jagged pieces and
put them into n cigar box. Making
her way stealth!ly toward the barn
she next added a score Of thin rusty
nails to her box aud some sharp steel
filings.
".nrnly some Of these will pune.
turc ~ least one tire" was the thought
centcrcd in Thcresa's mind while she
mad" h"r way back to the house. She
put her treasure within the tlilc!et OF
vines Chat clustered over the porch
then swWs herself Into the big ham.
noes 10 await the twilight hour.
Gle generally passes about 1890"
she 1rcid'd before slipping Off into
81 art nap.
1t was The too: Of the motor horn
far in the distance that awakened
Thee 4, She jumped up hurriedly,
pickcl NJ her hoy Of evil looking
glars r~i's and filings and stole swift
~ Gown 10 ,he roadside With trem.
blinp ., rrs she strcwcd tho con.
tents Of her box across the width Of
tn d and tossed The box into the
he'd
A. n triumrhant little glance at
her f,utiwc"k she sped quickly up
tho raih aud into ,hc house. Breath.
less and guilty she watched the ap.
preaching motor from her window
aiaulg the roses.
As the car drew nearer Theresa
fclt cold chill run down her spine.
What II anything should happen
and he should be hurt?" she whispered
to the roses. she had prepared her.
self in a way for the report Of a
punctured tire but was not listening
for the terrible explosion Of all four
ri them.
She fell back against the wardrobe
in her room and could not summon
courage to look out and see the result
Of her endeavor.
Down in the road a man was NUT.
,ering short, improper words. He was
standing beside his big motor car. the
tires Of which were all az fiat as q
piece Of linen. Twilight had fallen
with swift wings and the road was
no more than road.
And through the soft twilight
Theresa heard her fathers voice in
conversation with the man Of the
motor.
I'VE have f.od and Beds to spare"
her father wa saying "Come in and
spend the night with ~. We are al
ways glad to welcome a stranger at
our table"
20, how glad" murmured Theresa.
Her heart was beating now with the
success Of her scheme and her cheeks
were flushed. There was something
hidden in the depths Of her eyes and
as she descended the stairs perhaps
the saint and the sinner were oddly
combined. Theresa felt very much
like the sinner az she found herself
looking into John Ridgeway's eyes.
1T 10 strange" he was saying.
that I have gone over this road twice
a day for two years and this is the
first time" He stopped short, wheth.
er from the effect Of Theresa's blush
or the curve Of her lips he knew not.
IT have not lived here 30 long" she
said and the meaning beneath was
Of course lost to John Ridgeway. 1T
is fortunate that the accident to your
tires happened when you were near
. house." she added.
VERY. very fortunate" Ridgeway
said and the true meaning was not
lost upon Theresa.
II knew I would like him." she told
herself with an inward chuckle.
II suppose you will never use this
road again." Theresa suggested with a
demure raising Of the lashes.
"On the contrary" laughed Ridge.
way. ut may be that I will give up
business entirely and take to driv.
ing beck and forth in front Of this