The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-11-13

business ldu detained Hiiii. b''i
loye,l him with all her girlish heart
ana as she sat there in the sweet
earS spring air after he had leit her'
feeling alone as though on u desert
island, she realized that she vas De
rii ling TO understand more OF her
Noplans nature, TO make excuses anu
forgive without knowing why.
The day passed slowly. and sne
f,li She could scarcely wait until eve
.ing. The dreariness OF the house DE-
came more pronounced because OF the
call, from many of her girl iriends'
wao came so openly 10 question her
Al nee from the dance, that she felt
.hi her endurance WAS almost gone
TO them all she replied gaily. hiding
ber worry beneath smile.
Why. there's nothing in 1t. Surely
TED and | ought to be allowed the
ljy.ic.e of choosing our way OF spend
;ng an evening. You see. Ted is a bit
i.alous. and honestly believe he
doesn't like me to dance with any one
Use" And with this palpable but IN
nocent fiction. smiiingly given, she
djsarmed even her chum who was to
i. maid of honor at the wedding.
The latter laughed teasingly as she
cried:
And to think that you'd be so mucn
in love. Neil, that you'd be willing to
rive np dance like that last night.
:u, Nell only smiled beck:
Just wait. Grace. until your turn
comes, and then you'll know how dear
the right one can be-" and there was
a catch in her throat as she spoke. for
surely Ted was dearer than even her
sense of Justice, and she felt she could
still trust him.
At last, when the cleaning OF the
spring evening wrapped the world in
It's cloud, with trembling fingers Helen
dressed for Ted. her heart beating SO
rapidly that she could scarcely get
her breath. Long before eight she was
ready for him, but it was after nine
before she heard his ring and ran to
let him in. Somehow she could not re-
proach him, he seemed SO tired and
worn. His eyes were deep with fatigue
and ring encirc.ed, and SO she only
put her arms up and drew his head
down, saying gently:
My poor boy. how tired he looks;
come. sit down and rest"
You darling!" he whispered. and
.or moment he rested his aching
head on the little shoulder lovingly
offered for his support, and then ne
broke out with:
Thank God, it's all over" and drew
Nor closer to him. All curiosity sud
,lcnly left Helen No longer was she
Z pctulant girl. jealous of her rights
III; strong, courageous woman, with
! deep trust in the integrity of the
man she WAS going to marry, and she
laid her firm, cool hand on his burn
Ing one so coniidingly that he raised
il to his lips before he began:
II wonder, Nellie, If | were to ask
you to keep on trusting me without
any explanation. you'd do it,"
Without any hesitation. she re
turned:
I've been thinking about that pic
ture. Ted. and | believe the man wal
right; he could not have loved thu
girl as he ought, If he had not beef
true to his honor. If you can't tell me
it is all right"
It was worth good deal to him
this simple confession of her faith. bu
fortunately Ted did not have to taxi
advantage of 1t. With a little laugl
| of pure joy. he sat with his arm
about her and told her the story
which after all was simple. once sh
understood An employers son. VIII
had fallen into bad company. had bee
driven to forging his fathers name
The check was presented and dis
puted. and then Ted had been sen
to find the missing wrong-doer
II spent the whole of last night lool
ing for him. and most of today in gel
ting him to go back home. had prom
Used not to breathe word OF it unit
I landed him safely and l couldn
break my word. not even for 20,
sweetheart" and he spoke earnestl!
"Oh. Ted. how good you are" sh
said softly.
mo, 1t was the only thing to d,
Rob's father has been pretty good
me. and now that he and Bob unde
stand each other. the boy will be a
right So no harms done II you don
mind being loved second to homo
That's your only rival"
"You could not have loved me a
much as you do il you had not give
me that rival" was Nell's reply.