The Meeker herald., 1913-09-13
the CLOSED
eENTIAN !
A Flower That Played a Part
In a Love Episode.
sy VIRGINIA LEILA wEMrz.

8
3 Dy VIRGINIA LEILA WENrz. g
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Tho serious business Of settling up
hsr brothers estate was about finished.
Miss Morton leaned wearily back In her
invalid's chair and sighed. After all.
she was sorry. Doubtless It would
mean q cessation Of her lawyers FIRE
quent and periodic visits. and-well. be
bad been something new under her sun.
" leave for Bar Harbor tomorrow, to
bs gone a week. On my return I'll send
you a telegram and arrange for our
nnal interview" Howell Orchards
crisp, staccato sentences punctured her
reverie. He was picking up his gloves.
A high cart had just driven under the
porte cochere, and Miss Mortoo's liv.
cried groom was busy quieting the an
tics Of = pair Of brown cobs.
Miss Morton CROPPED for q pretext to
spin out the call Of her lawyer. II only
for i've minutes. It was stupid Of Pc
ter to have driven up 70 early. and 20
bourgeois. Her eye fell ON the nearest
object. Z bowl Of orchids.
Exquisite. are they notT' she said.
with slight indicating motion OF her
patriclan, blue veined hand. Orchards
keen glance noted them. at the same
time ranging the extravagant refine
ment Of the room.
I'm keeping with their surrounding,
Miss Norton" be rejoined. pulling on
his left hand glove: ''artistically cor.
rect"
She made NO further pretext. 1t was
fatuous, but 1t answered her purpose.
"what 10 your favorits nowerr' she
asked.
1t was an inane question. and she bit
her lip; but to her relieved surprise.
Orchard gave her inquiry bis cousid-
Grafton.
..The closed sentian." hs said after =
slight pause
wynchell. Miss Morton's country
home, with it, ancestral acres. was
about far enough from Jersey City to
leave time on the suburban train for
comfortable perusai Of the paper and
a vawn or two besides. Orchard spread
out his .beet mechanically. But even
the stock market news didn't seem to
intarest him. and he looked far beyond
81, psner, That was only natural. He
was looking hack through ,eysrai sea.
SONS Of blossoms and SNOW. this man.
who. young % be was. had already BE-
nm 10 Be called 4 woman hatsr. The
whaling telegraph wires and poles
uasped unseen. The noise Of the en-
zine. the rumble Of the wheels. dwip-
dled into silence. In their stead came
the low. exquisite voice Of airl:
.Ita such = beautiful little flower in.
sida. Hovell"-
The day Ind been full OF late Sep
tsmber elixir. then ~ now. The tread
Of loveltness had been on the neids Of
grass and. fodder ripeued By August
suns and tanned BY early frosts to an
autumpal bronze. Somewhere from
among the hedges of sumac had come
the call Of quail. Then presently the
cir, had STONED near q silvery stream
and plucked a plain enough looking
dark blue fiower and pinned It on bis
coat.
.sIt's cloeed gentian. you know.
dear" she had explained. while the
soft tendrils Of her hair had uncon-
scioualy brushed his strong chin. "You
see." she went on. stooping to pluck
smother. ..they're not 70 very handsome
outside. but inyide-look: Delicately
n spring zephyr she had pricked
the portals open. "lt puts the flaming
goldenrod nnd all the staring purple
daisies here to shame. doesn't itT' She
lifted her face to him-the face Of q
ciri mt ma rficularly heautiful hut 1i0-