The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-09-12
little solemn. You might 60 along.

a little solemn. You might 60 along.
Steve"
The boy bowed with mock ceremony
to his mother. I'm not wanted.
Auntie loves her own company. Be-
sides. il makes me feel like a silly
little boy to be nephew to a girl 80
pretty that everybody turns to look
at her II she wants me to follow
as a bodyguard I'll go"
Orpha. already on the way. laughed
him to scorn over her shoulder. mo,
| | don't want you. You're too young
and silly. Besides"
besides, she has other fish to fry.
mother. She is not the only sunset.
lover that dawdles about the cliffs Of
summers evening! Most romantic.
call it," She fed his impudence.
her sister and Mrs. Healy. and took
refuge across the garden. down the
path through the woods toward the
pretty lake. This time she hoped
Stanley would not be there. She
wished that she herself did not know
she loved him before he had in words
declared his love for her. Sure at
heart of him, she wondered wistfully
at his silence, her maidenly dignity
up in arms the while.
AS she Strengthened back to the
brisk lake breeze. striding of on her
1.-THE. healthy fashion, her mind re.
yerted to Mrs. Healy and her talk,
which she hated The girls nobility
rose high and above subterfuge and
strategm. She would never help a
man with his wooing. nor hurry him.
By word or act or even by thought.
Ii love were less than free and spon-
tancous, it was not real love, and she
would have none of it.
Then at the turn Of cliff she saw
stanley, and it came to her that,
uhaskcd. she was going to meet him
Il was a little like showing her heart
lie had not seen her yet, and she
slipped back behind a great rock and
on, Of sight. ran swiftly down to the
sandy strip of beach and away from
him, her checks on fire, her heart
beating hard Ii he. did care, did
~ant her, he could seek her out and
say so, and until he did this, she
would not dawdle about alone on the
! vcranda: but neither would she stoOp
10 an attempt to make him Jealous -
She would not encourage Hal Porter.
"A she turned toward home she vowed
mental and spiritual vow OF loyalty
10 Stanley. and to him alone. She
would trust her love and leave ii to
| her heart when the fullness OF time
should have come.
The sun had quite gone down, and
the first dusk came. and with it great
peace and comfort to the girl after
the unrest Of the past few weeks. In
this mood, Orpha came hurrying up
the wood path, aware that she should
not be alone, when she heard rapid
steps b. hind her. She quickened her
own pace. little fearful. but in a
moment the steps came closer and she
heard her name.
"Orpha. Orpha wait for me-" An.
other instant and Stanley was close
at her side, little out of breath.
She turned smiling slowly at him in
the dim light looking up at the big.
fair man as he took her by the arm
with deep breath OF relief.
why are You running away from
me- he demanded Cant you see
that some day am bound to tell you
that love youo You have eluded
me TOR weeks, Orpha. Does that
mean that YOU dcn't-care?' He wait.
ed and she shook her head in denial,
JOY surgng in every vein.
Can YOU love me?-do you?" lie
caught both her hands in his and
bent over them. Kissing them gently
She did not withdraw them. There
was no prcttlH no assimilation in
love like hers.
"l-lo,e you dearly" she replied
firmly bat in low tone. He put an
arm about her shoulders and drew
her to him.
"Oh, nay dear" he said, my dear"
tCopyri-itt, 1872. hv Associated Literary
Prcss)