The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1912-10-24

settle down now. Aunt. Celia, ein't you
| glad?"
Phemie sat alone in her room few
minutes later. Her worst fears were
realized; she had indeed made great
| mistake Not only was she not need
ed now in Miss Benefits home, but
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
bounty? How might he misconstrue
her motives? Well, 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
in the presence of this fascinating
newcomer. At no times however, could
| she overcome the feeling she had that
he secretly resented her coming to the
house.
Sometimes she cnught him looking
at her in way she could not under
stand. He seemed to be probing be-
meath 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-
ton 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. Well, she would not wait
for him to speak to her. She would
escape ouch humiliation.
Quickly her small trunk was packed
and preparations made for hasty de-
parture. She wrote a 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 rot
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, oh p"
| cried a masculine voice. whats your
hurry? Why, Miss Ravens, what's the
| matter? Wait, wait, little woman, you
I CANT run away from me like this,
Theses something in the wind, and
I'm COINS TO know about it,
you can't. so5hed Picnic, wildly
| struggling to escapS> Let me 60
I'm going away. knew I'd be misun-
| derstood! You-you don't have to adj
wise her not to adopt me. Oh, please.
please let me go!"
Oliver Benefits wits were working
quickly. He drew the trembling fig
ure he held to a nearby seat and
spoke soothingly, but firmly.
Miss Havens-Phemie Ravens
listen to me. You didn't hear all ]
said. l told my aunt she shouldn't
keep you here because II wanted to
adopt you myself! There, the cats
out of the bag. You're the finest lit
tie woman I've ever seen, to my no,
ton, and I'm going to marry you il
you'll have me. I was waiting for a
chance - tell you, but, of course, il
you want 10 run away-if you want
to go-now-Phemie, you go right
along and I'll live here with Aunt Ces
liza and PickNick."
He opened Ills arms wide, and Phe,
mie-well, aftes an instant of dazed
silence, Phemie just save a happy,
fiuttering, long-drawn sigh and set
tied back without thought of the
new pink rose on her turban.
"I-I guess I'll stay-Oliver!"
Copyright, 1912, by Associated Literary
Press,)