The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-04-29
Her MIDNIGHT APPEAL


Stanhope was startled from hls
sleep BY . sharp. imperative mp On
the door Of his bedroom window. He
sprang mp. donned dressing.gown and
slippers and hurried out 1t once with
Ia lighted candle. Al he threw open
the door. the pickering glare quavered
grotesquely across.a woman's tense.
pallid features.
; "Kathleen!" The name broke from
him involuhtarl,y, .!'is tone was sharp
almost to harshness.
"Dlck-Mr. stauhope-forgive my
intrusion at such an hour. but the
telephone will not work, and lin
afraid my husband Is dying. He has
had three attacks with his heart be.
fore. but never so bad 40 this. I
thought II l could get a doctor right
away there might still be some hope"
Stanhope steeled himself % he
looked at her and replied reassur.
insly:
I'll 20 for the doctor Immediately.
Don't worry 20 much. Perhaps things
aren't a. bad - you fear"
"Thank you. Dick" she breathsd
earnestly.
Then see drew her hood close. and
turning abruptly. disappeared into the
darkness.
stanhope went back to bic room
and exchanged his night clothes for .
riding.suit ~ quickly ~ possibfs.
Then he went out to the stables ana
saddled his fastest horse.
In less than i've minutes he had
covered over q mile Of the ok that
must b traversed.
Could It be possible that barely
three years had elapsed since Claver'
Ing had come and robbed him OF
everything that made existence worth
while! his love. his happiness-hts
all!
And Kathleen? She had unhesitat'
ingly made her choice, and only God
and Clavering and herself could have
told the rest.
But something in her face. IN the
very atmosphere Of her tonight had
stirred his blood strangely.
A sudden wild thought flashed
through Stanhope's mind. What II
Clavering should die! What II the
girl he had worshipped with the one
great passion Of his life were to be
free once more! All at once. he was
conscious that his breath ceased: thu
blood pounded and surged In his tenn
pies: his heart leaped guilty. What
IL! But he dashed away the thought
and dug his heels into the horses
sides almost viciously. II anything
happened. It must be by the will OF
God. and not through his volition.
The ride was over at last. His horse
was drenched and shaking as he dis
mounted and ran quickly up the steps
to the front door to the big, dark
ened house where the great doctor
lived.
you must come at oncc-yes, at
once" he called excitedly through the
speaking.tube. This Is no hysterical
nonsense. but a case Of life and death.
Charles Clavering, at the Heights. you
know. Has those attacks with his
heart. Mans dying. I'm afraid"
When he had elected the doctors
promise to follow Immediately. he
went back to his horse and flung him.
self YEARLY into the saddle. almost
staggering under the whirl Of emo
tons that held him in grip. He dared
not think. fer to think meant to hope.
and hoping might mean almost any
thing.
The return journey was made me
chanically. To Stanhope's dazed brain
Il might have been six eMiles or It
might have been sixty-or only one.
He rode through the darkness with
bowed head and deliberately vacant
senses. The draught upon his self.
control left him physically weak, so
rat when. by some inexplicable
sance. he found himself in front OF
- Clayerings', he hall reeled in his
.iie.
,fter all, it was only natural that
he should step here to learn the re-
suit Kathleen would expect It, sinca
he It had been to whom she had ap-
pealed!
Soon the doctor came out and stood
for . moment In the doorway talking
to Mrs. Claver:ng. His face was grav-
er than lts won't and he shook hia
head from time to time as he talked.
OenuhnoA r,ns,lA Aisflnrt1v enA tina