The Green Forest tribune., 1912-10-04

said Oliver Bennett, decisively Yes sir-eel Going to quit my rowing and settle down now. Aunt Celia, ain't you glad?"
 1 Phemie sat alone in her room a few minutes later. Her worst fears were realized; she had indeed made great mistake. Not only was she not need | ed now in Miss Bennett's home, but l her presence would be undesirable. And, when the elder woman had told her story, what would this stranger think of her acceptance of his aunt's l bounty? How might he misconstrue her motives? We'll she would have to stay awhile and see what happened. What happened was that Oliver Bennett took complete possession of the little cottage and it's gentle occu- | pants. Never before had their lives | been so full, so gay, so interesting. | When they were not "faring forth on | pleasure bent" he was telling them vivid tales of the strange places and people he had seen and the wonders | of his travels.
 Phemie thought it was the excite ment of these stories of adventure that made her heart beat faster when | in the presence of this fascinating newcomer. At no time, however could she overcome the feeling she had that he secretly resented her coming to the 1 house.
 Sometimes she caught him looking at her in way she could not under stand. He seemed to be probing be- heath the surface of her social man. ners and questioning her inner helf. At such times she felt almost guilty. The climax came on Saturday eve ming, just three weeks after Phemie's | arrival. She was coming in through the rear doorway when a bass voice drifted down the hall from the piazza where Miss Bennett and her nephew were sitting.
 But, Aunt Celia, this talk of adop- | tion is nonsense. You don't want her to stay here with you after all I've said! I'll speak to her tonight, my self"
 Poor Phemie grasped the railing with trembling fingers and the hot tears gushed to her eyes The blow had fallen-this was the end! Oliver Bennett himself had pronounced her sentence We'll, she would not wait for him to speak to her. She would escape such humiliation.
 Quickly her small trunk was packed md c.. L. parture. She wrote brief note to Miss Bennett, and, fastening on her gray turban and cape, stole down the rear stairway again, out into the shadows of the summer night. Tears blinded her so she could not see the obstacle in the path against which her flying feet carried her. A pair of stalwart arms caught her as she staggered from the impact.
 Ginger! Running me down, eh?" cried a masculine voice. Whats your hurry? Why, Miss Havens, what's the matter? Wait, wait, little woman, you cant run away from me like this. There's something in the wind, and | Pm going to know about it."
 You can't" sobbed Phemie, wildly struggling to escape. Let me go I'm going away. I knew I'd be misun- derstood! You-you don't have to ad- wise her not to adopt me. Oh, please, please let me go!"
 Oliver Bennett's wits were working quickly. He drew the trembling fig ure he held to a nearby seat and spoke soothingly, but firmly Miss Havens-Phemie Havens- listen to me. You didn't hear all said. I told my aunt she shouldn't keep you here because IT wanted to adopt you myself! There, the cats out of the bag. You're the finest lit l tie woman I've ever seen, to my no tion, and Pm going to marry you if 1 you'll have me. 1 was waiting for a chance .o tell you, but, of course, if you want to run away-if you want to go-now-Phemie, you go right along and I'll live here with Aunt Ce- l lia and Pickwick."
 | He opened his arms wide, and Phe- mie-well, after an instant of dazed silence, Phemie just gave a happy, futtering, long-drawn sigh and set tied back without a thought of the | new pink rose on her turban.
 TT guess I'll stay-Oliver!" l Copyright, 1912, by Associated Literary Press.)