The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-10-25
SYNOPSIS

SYNOPSIS
Matt Broughton leaves the service oil
John Mort on Pacific island to return tc
, America Mort gives him valuable ring
broughtOn promises to say nothing abont
the mysterious Mort and his woman com.
panion He is shipwrecked and must
realize In San Francisco on the ring
Raising $1,000 on the ring, TO he reno,d
Broughton returns to his old home nj
Manaswan He thinks Of going into the
mule business with Victor Daggancourt
a colored garage keeper Rroughton is
visited by the local >ditor, who calls him
skiing
The king Is due to a fake" newspa.
per story about Brought0n's adventures IN
the Pacific AT church fair he meets
Christine Marshall daughter OF loca,
maSnate
Matt falls In love with Chris, who asks
him to call on her Du%gancourt is anx-
ious to MAKE the start in the mule BUSH
ness in Kentucky.
On RS way to The Narshalls' Matt Ia
detained by an importunate stranger. but
Matt is late and cannot listen to him. He
tells his love TO Chris
"So must l." returned Matt angrily.
"Tell me what You want in two words
and I'll give you an answer in one
and let go my wheel"
Matt fully thought the stranger would
take fire ut this. but he did not. In
stead anxiety spread over his upturned
face.
where are you going?" he asked.
"a short drive-to pay a call"
''Then let me take his place." plead
ed the stranger. indicating the driver.
We can talk on the way and on the
way back For Gods sake. young man,
don't 20 on thwarting me like this. |
can't tell you how pressing 1t all Is,
how perenlptory and urgent. Only half
an hour-if you knew what WAS ut stake
you could not refuse half aD hour"
Matt was thundclstruck Such i'm
porlunity was startling, yet he had not
a moment to spare if he We're to be on
time at Fair Oaks. Nothing should
come between him and Fair Oaks. and
the delay already incurred put him in
a fever go on" he cried to the
driver. and with that tine eXpostulating
gentleman waS drSerted-in the middle
of the road. With his message still un,
said and his arms waving madly after
the retreating carriage.
Matt was very much thrilled nd
but ut last came to ne
conclusion that he had been mist; IN
for some one else N0bndy could r,.nt
to see him on Il matter 50 secret tat
1t could not be divulgrd except in mi
vate Though possibly -and -lele rs
an idea he WAS again the victil ot
those newspaper lies. the "Kal IA
king" and Ill the rest Of 1t He lut
his visitur ont of his mind and sc.t:ed
back to dream of Miss Marshall with
mingled torment and JOY
They passed through Il stone gate
way of massive and towering design
that reared its head like mauSoleum
in the lonely woods. The winding road
led through more. and was SO narrow
that the trees met overhead and the
air turned chill in the detle below, It
was Il very biz place. the driver said
miles and miles of 1t, and he tlicked
his whip in the direction Of unintel
iigible local landmarks. 1t hadn't been
worth taxes till the wood pulp bust
ness began. and now even the stump
age would bring all of $40 an acre
~ stroke of luck for the general
wasn't il. what with pulp getting
dearer every lay-though he Just let
ii lie like /! was. and did nothing
and thousands of dollars in
wood pulp and stumpage, and as good
as money in the bank"
Matt suffered under these reflections;
1t made him feel more of an intruder
than ever. poorer ana of less account
Who WAS he TO he driving through such
acres of wood pulp and
daring TO lift his eyes. however tim
lilly. 10 its owners daughter? 1t em'
phaSized his presumption. and every
tree Er,.ame Il new barrier. ahhorrynt !
TO look upnn II was in a very crushed |
humor. indeed. that he approached the |
lawns and Strawberries. the tortuouS |
brick walks and II last the house itself |
n stately old colonial structure. with /
that dicniiied frontage nf classic white |
columns so dear to our forefathers and |
SO expressive Of their lives and aspira-
tons.
Matt descended. dismissed the con.
veyance with the thrifty intention Of