The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-12-02
CUPID wins AGAIN
Aunt FideIity's Uitimatum MOI
0beyed by Little
Love God.
By SUSANNA GLENN.

swerd Mary Ellen with laugh.
though she felt her courage oos-
ing rapidly at sight Of her sunts
sustere look.
We'll. It 20 happens that saw you
And the sight was one that would
have made your father weep for
shame!"
Mary Ellen closed her Mps in .
determined line and remained D.
lent.
you must take It from your moth
! er: she was always Fostering about Do
Ing friends with Putnams."
Il have been told. Aunt Fidelity.
that the loneliness here killed her.
and-I can believe IT,"
There 10 no call for anyone who
10 interested In her work to be lone
some. And l would rather be lone
some than associate with those dis'
honest Putnams!"
Are you prepared to prove such an
assertion?" The girls voice shook
with feeling. Those are strong words.
Aunt Fidelity"
What do you call 1t but dishonest
when people move line fence. hire
help away from neighbOr. steal the
hens eggs, and empty out the sap
buckets In sugar time? You'll do well
to leave that young Putnam alone. !
hope there will not be occasion to say
anything more about IT,"
And now" continued Miss Fidel'
ity Green, after waiting in vain for
some response from her indignant
niece, they have raised my bid for
the CASTER Woods that they know
we've been trying for years to buy.
But what do you want with that
great tract of woods, Aunt Fidelity? 1t
was different when father was here to
look after It,"
THAT woods was never worth what
1t is now, and l guess can look after
It as we'll as any man! I'm going
down in the morning and raise my bid,
but the Putnams shall never beat
mel"
During the hour Of Miss Fidelity's
absence. Mary Ellen sped up the lane
to the old Eastwood tree with q
hastily scrawled letter which she
concealed In the pocket-like hole In ita
huge side.
Next day she escaped Miss Green's
eye long enough to secure the an
swer she knew she would find. II
said:
Dearest: Meet me tonight al
nine by the old Eastwood in the lane
b."
Mary Ellen watched the paper turn
to ashes In the kitchen stove with
wildly beating heart. For her reso
luton was taken--she would meet bel
lover.
What are you burning up?" ques
toned Miss Fidelity suspiciously.
Some old papers," answered thu
girl laconically.
Pretty particular to see the last
Of them, seems to me-" shrewdly.
II was thinking" said Mary Ellen
about the different kinds Of wood II
the big tract" And she put the stove
lid back in place emphatically.
At exactly eight that evening Mis-:
Fidelity wound the kitchen clock. pu
old Rover in the woodhouse, and lock
ed the kitchen door. Mary Ellen''
heart sank as she observed that sht
slipped the key into the pocket Of bel
dress.
Arrived In her room. the girl moved
about softly preparing for bed. He1
belief that she was being watched wal
verified when her aunt presently look
ed In with some. unwonted question
ncernlng the chickens. But Mar.
Ellen was covered snugly in bed, ant
Miss Fidelity went away. evidently
satisfied with her experiment.
, During the space when the oil
clock was slowly striking nine. {
white-faced girl dropped softly from
her window to the grass not far be
meath and stole stealthily away in thu
shadow.
Could she ever brave the mysterie,
Of the gloomy lane! What II Aun
Fidelity should discover her absence
What II Ben should be detained? Sup
pose she had read the note wrongly !?
|, MARY Ellen, was afraid 20,
wouldn't dare eome!"
ben, l don't know how I dared to
But she made me % angry with thu
things she said that couldn't hell
H."
Tell me, Mary Ellen" The youn,
man wrapped her In q warm coat b
had provided, and walked slowly be
side her over the crisp, dead grass
There isn't anything l want to tel
you. Ben; It 10 all 20 unkind. And nov
that the CASTER Woods deal has com
up again, she 10 worse than ever. Sh,
VOWS she will own them at an,
cost"
And father IL Just % determined
Mary Ellen"
Il am scared to death to think
came, Ben. What II she discovers M
empty room?"
Ben Putnam stopped resofutely.
See here, Mary Ellen, we are bot