The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-01-28
HIS BLESSED DAMOZEL
BY iZOLA FORESTER.

Creston discovered the little book
on the lower left hand shelf In the
back OF the shop He had been hunt
ing secondhand copy Of "Vieux
Paris" and here on top of the dusty
calf-bcund folos lay the fragile. fra.
grant volume.
1t was fragrant. He lifted It eau
tiously to his face TIE soft hand
fooled faNn leather was odorous with
some indeinable scent that stole along
the nerves ana stirred old dreams.
Creston half closed H.; eyes and
thought Of wide desert reaches and a
little purple silhouette of moving
camcls splashed UP against the golden
sky
lie stood a moment. crushing 1t
lrroSolutely in his hand rolling the
lelrety leather fucling the exquisite
zlare Of the rarer. r9nriag his eyes
oftg the CID .a.siliar li.os,
re blessed na'ua2sl 'ooned ont,
From the sold bar OF heaven"
How under the licht cf NanhIuan's
Sht he'd Rosotti's ethereal laiv q no
deep llue found her way on those
hnsa dusty archi cc,nral tones In
fuckers hoOhshop?
t,~Vuckcr, Yen might put this in
viii the rest" erosion remarked quito
casually. when he had finished his
sctections.
Old Tucker glanced sidelong from
the book lie was enjoying
That one, Mr.. Creston?" he asked.
sitting up suddenly
~ his little book OF Rosetti selec-
ticns
Not for sale" returned Tucker.
Tha book docs not belong to me"
'eos'eu locked at the inner blank
lcsf 1t bore name, Wanda
philipps" 1t sang in his brain as he
went out.
Every time he came back to the
shop he found tho little book in its
place On top of Nuremberg etchings
and cid Munich studies. And each
time he held it, he would look at the
u@'ar and turn tie pages over with
"A curious thrill Of expectancy.
"nuw long will you wait for her to
cnr4 hltk?" he asked one day.
Tucker glanced up sharply as II
someone Nd broken lock on a very
ptieatc drawer in his life.
she may come any day" he told
him rrutl.y. 1T stays there until sho
des,
i would be willing to return 1t to
m if YOU know where she lives?
Tucker considered the request,
,troking his white beard thoughtfully
Suddenly the old fellow tilted his
head to one side and chucklcd.
She left In a tiff, Mr.. Creston
She had been dropping in here off and
on for a year, picking up one book
after another. One day ! found that
volume of Rosetti and it seemed to be-
long to her. The day she left 1t, she
came to sell me back two or three
books, and would not take them >
you've wasted time waiting for her
to come back. Tell me where she
lives, and will take the book back
Let me take the book with me now.
Take it," said Tucker, slowly.
Cresion went down Lexington ave
nue. straight towards his own home
square. But it is curious square
One short block makes all the differ
ence in its caste environment. Ores
ton occupied verY comfortable bach
elor suite on its south side. The old
studio building was east OF Third
avenue.
He was bending over the narrow
line of name plates at tho press
buttons when he caught the scent
and turned. She WIS slinping her key
into the lock of the door, a splendcl
girl with a mass of wind blown red
dish hair, and an eager, ivory white
face. 1t was his Blessed Damozel Will
New York snow ilakes on her little
fur toque and even in the narrow
marble vestibule he knew that fam
fragrance that had clung about thu
III Il. 49, l.. IL fpf,t In
pocket and held it out to her.
"Oh, where did you get it?' Jus
the least emphasis on the pronoun.
Mr. Tucker was certain you ha,
been i'll, or you would have come TO
It,"
"He sent you with it?" He like
the little ring of challenge in the tom
CT this. Il thought had lost it some
where else"
Il tried to buy it from the old man
but he would not sell of course" h
stumbled on recElessly. You see |
/ Is very rare little book. | wante
to copy one or two bits from it il
might I would return it soon"
( She held it out TO him quickly.
! IF you are friend of Mr.. Tucker,
I don't mind"
II am a friend" said Creston. grav,
~. and more, am your neighbor.
live just over in Gramercv park"
You might mail it." she suggested
Il don't want to mail it."
Tucker hardly seemed to motto
either OF them the nex: day. He 81