The Van Buren press., 1912-05-18

the house among the trees
once within the old gardens his an.
ger against Iris returned. Why shoula
any girl want more than this beautifuI
| home that he had bought for herr
They had gone over every stick and
stone of it in fond anticipation OF il
A sense OF outraged love kept him
from doing the thing he knew TO be
right, and Iris departed for New YORK.
In an attempt to forget his shat.
tered romance Blair went about with
all of the girls in the village. And
most OF all he found his way into the
and Iris had spent many happy eve
nings.
I'm sorry, old man." Lane had said
to him when he learned OF the broken
engagement. Iris is q mighty fine
little girl" and Blair turned away un-
accountably irritated.
You should have humored her"
Mrs. Lane put In. Iris, being above
the average type, needs delicate han
ding. | hope she will not marry
some New Yorker and leave u.s. she
had added by way OF helping the
cause of Iris. The little matron knew
that Iris would never marry any one
save Evan Blair, but that he should
be taught to appreciate the girl was
also a part of Mrs. Lanes scheme.
So it was, from time to time, Blair
heard of the splendid times Iris was
! having in the city. knowing 1t to
have been the cause OF the trouble,
Mrs. Lane wisely refrained from
speaking of the progress Iris was
making in her dramatic work.
After six months of study Iris had
been given an afternoon at one OF the
larger hotels and the newspapers had
given her great praise,
Blair would have given much for
glimpse OF those letters which his
hostess read excerpts. from, but he
only sat back with gloomy eyes.
81 got a peach OF record today,
Blair" Lane suggested in an effort to
lit the shadows from his friends
| eyes.
Lets have it, said Blair and they
| repaired to the room where the talk
! ing machine gave forth its fund OF en-
tertainment. Blair sank into the
chair that had become his.
Mrs Lane ensconced herself and
| turned to Blair. You are to listen
to both of these records before you
Judge them. They are both by the
same person and Harry and ! think
them splendid"
The machine burst forth into mon
ologue. The voice was the high raj
setto of a Broadway dandy whose ex'
periences along the great White Way
were told in an inimtable, drawing
! manner that brought the hrst hearty
! laush to Blair that he had had In
months.
That fellows all right" he laughed,
lets have the other!"
Remember" reminded Mrs. Lane.
this Is the same fellow,
Blair sat back and prepared him.
self for another funny record When
Lane drew away from the machine
Blair leaned forward In his chair,
gripping the arms. The voice that
came from the cabinet was that OF
Iris
Dear" 1t said, Il have found tLat
there are other things In life besides
the study OF dramatic art. ! have
taken all the prizes here and have re-
ceiyed offers for stage work, but
there was an effective pause-"you
are not here and nothing else counts
When | said that life with you would
| be monotonous-l had not tried 10
live without you-so II you still
care" the voice from the cabinet
trembled, 81 will be in the sumner
house tonight, and"
Blair jumped up to adjust the rec
ord, thinking something had happened,
but that was all OF t. He looked about
and realized that his hos, and hostess
had left him to hear the message from
Iris lie took Off the precious record
ond went into the hail for his hat and
walking stick In daze OF happiness
When he left the house, still In that
semiconscious state OF mind, Mrs
Lane ran TO the telephone.
"Ile has left the house. dear" she
called out to the person at the other
end OF the line, "and ! think perhaps
you had better fly or he will be In
the summer house first Run IN TO
morrow and tell me oil about It, dear
| Good.by"
Lane turned to his wife, puzzled
look on his face Everything worked
beautifully, but hV Blair lost bis
mind? Ho was talking away about
some platform in n drawing room
or"
A merry laugh tinklod from Mrs
Lnno's lips, 1T only means that 10
In planning stage In the house no
has bought for Iris 30 that sho can
have all tho amateur thoatricals she
wants"
! Happy lrisl" said Lane,