The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-02-19

him after the others had been dis.
missed.
In a moment a thoroughly readiust-
ed Hoffman ushered in dainty little
lady barely out Of her teens. who
crossed the room and sank into the
indicated chair with an air Of conf.
dence belied BY the hesitant tones OF
her answer to the bankers demand
| for the reason Why she and the Others
had insisted upon admittance to his
house At this. or any other time. He
vas informed that she had come in
answer to bis advertisement In the
/ paper He had placed no advertise
ment IN the paper. He had. He
hadn't He had-and there It vas.
marked With an X. IN the newspaper
she was holding out to him.
Staring up at him from the printed
page Vas = two-inch. double column
advertisement over bis name and id.
dress. and informing the public that
LONESOME BACHELOR. retired
banker Of considerable means. desires
to legally adopt young lady Of refine
| ment and culture 60 - to brighten
the later years Of his life. Only those
whose birth and breeding qualify
them for . considerable social posi-.
ton will be considered. Apply In per.
son to the address given below.
After reading this Abner Burchell
was in turn astonished. indignant,
amused and curious. To the little lady
before him he rasped out his opinion
that It was the effort Of some prac.
teal joker. She nodded her under
standing and without saying word
Immediately rose to 90. That was
when the banker became curious: for
b. It known Abner Burchell was
close student Of human nature. and
the fact that the girl. whose every &C.
ton bespoke refinement should an.
swer An obviously ridiculous adver.
tisement, puzsled him.
Putting It down to the ignorance OF
youth. he asked her pardon for his
gruffness. and courteously invited her
to remain for a sociable chat: where.
upon he was again amazed at the
subtly distinctive air with which she
accepted the invitation. Certainly
this young woman possessed more
than ordinary refinement Among
other things he determined to dis.
cover her Identity.
Three hours later several facts
dawned upon the mind o; one exceed.
ingly interested old bachelor: First.
that even his most skillful questioning
had failed to disclose her name: sec.
ond, that he could not remember hav.
ing listened to more spirited. yet sen.
sitle comments on score or more
subjects. nor had he ever dreamed
that little ladies Of tender years could
prove such excellent company. He
wished he might have had a daughter
like that Then the idea came
During luncheon. for which she
stayed. he was for the most part 81.
lent. and scarcely once raised his eyes
from his plate Finally he reached
decision. and with characteristic brew.
ity came at once to the point. He ex-
planned to her that he had raised
from infancy the orphaned child Of his
sister. hid dearly loved and tenderly
cared for the boy through many years.
n y, Ia 10 oh II hpI
away and married some girl of indef.
mite antectdents he imagined, for he
had never investigated the matter.
Nor would he ever do so; the young
man had married without so much as
asking his consent and, and-well,
that settled the matter. Now the fact
was, he was lonesome. His extended
talk with her had shown him that. and
had set him thinking about the terms
OF that ridiculous advertisement and,
In q word, would she consent to carry
out a similar idea and become his
adopted daughter
She would. gladly. for she thought
him a perfectly adorable old gentle.
man. Whereupon he launched forth
into a discussion OF the future, and
made plan after plan for the little girl
he already loved as his own. So inter.
ested did old Abner Burchell become
In the new order Of things that It was
two hours later before he thought to
ask:
by the way, little girl. what Is your
name!"
"A very familiar one to you." came
the hesitant renly. "it's-woll. that is
to say am Mrs Tommy Burchell."
MY nerhews-"
"Wife. And want you to know that
you are a darling old uncle, that al
ready love you dearly. that Tommy
loves you too. and that you love him: |
and. although yen may not know it,
you want him back. in fact you want
US both. | am going TO send for him
right away-and that's all there is to
IT,"
As the establishment gradually left
his face. Abner Burchell slowly drew
the girl toward him. end a faint ex.
preston Of understanding twinkled
from his eyes
Il guess you know where Tommy
can be found along about this time"
he murmured. The telephone is over