The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-12-09
CHAPTER v.
Introducing Mr.. Flint.

introducing mT. TIIUts
Whatever it might have been that
Rudolph Van Vechten wanted to pom
der in connection with the mornings
happenings, he had no thought for the
hourly procession of strange men into
Number 1913, nor for the yelled lady
(as much as her appearance had agi,
tated him), nor yet for the murder
If murder there had been.
His mind was flooded with dissolv-
ing images of a fair girls face. He
saw her shrinking in dread before an
unspeakable terror from which he
could not shield her; he saw her cob
bling out her heart in bitter distress,
and it was not his privilege to comfort
her. And then, most vivid Of all, were
the scorn and reproach of her hand
some dark eyes, against whose silent
accusation he could not defend him.
self.
His fruitless mental effort was chat
ing and fretting him almost to dis
traction; his head ached and throbbed:
his nerves felt as if they stood stripped
In sleet storm And beautiful face,
as luminous as dawn, floated elusively
before him, pleading, rebuking, teas.
Ing, coaxing, hating, but constantly
and always leaving him more and more
mystified and hopelessly perplexed.
AS far advanced as the season was.
there still remained several weeks
which, earlier, he had planned to spend
with the Carterets. Fred Carteret
owned a pleasant summer home on the
north shore of Long island, and a com.
Portable sailing-yacht which Tom Phin.
ney delighted to navigate up and down
the sound, while the other dined, made
merry or took advantage of the cool
breezes to sleep. He even regretted
that he must forego Tommy's cheerful
habit of every now and then poking
his head in at the cabin skylight and
shouting directions to the bridge play.
ers below-who, as everyone knows.
always enjoy that sort of thing. He
would invariably vanish before the
only available missiles could annihi.
late him, and become immersed in
some profundity of his self.imposed
duties.
And then would have followed a
journey in his own trim steam.yacht
ct. Phinney, master), down to the
chesapeake. to wait for the autumn
hegira of ducks. His cousins pros
pectlve arrival from abroad had al.
tered all these pleasant arrangements.
Paige Carew had completed her mu.
Steal studies in July; some day she
would enchant the world-or at least
that elect portion of it which she
would condescend to favor-with her
violin; her career at the conservatory
assured this prophecy. Was not that
honor and glory enough for a girl not
yet twenty?
Then why should she and Mrs. Dew
ereaux go off to London for the sea,
son, instead Of coming home to meet
the people with whom she would have
to mingle after they were married
and receive their laudations and con.
Van Vechten paused at this reflec-
ton.
After they were married! Ever
since he could remember, this contin.
gency had been taken so for granted
that he had never thought to question
It. 1t was SO much the proper thing |
for them to do, such a logical union
SO desirable from every point of view
that he and Paige had always regarded
1t as settled thing-an assured fact |
awaiting only the ripe moment |,
True, neither of them seemed eager to
hasten the time, but if that time was
ever to come it must now be near 81
hand; they could not much longer hs
content with some time"
He frowned with annoyance WIN
couldn't such a sensible girl coma
home at the proper time, when all ar,
rangements had been made for her re-
tIontlnued on Page 81