The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-10-27
DOLLY'S AUNT PRUDENCE
BY S. E. BAKER.

i Frank Horton had said to his dis
couraged partner. IF We nope TO re
man in real estate business, we mus
! never let a WOmans refusal to sci
stand in the way OF deal of the mag
! nitude of this. That weed-grown. V
shaped strip of land isn't doing hel
| the least bit of good, and yet she ties
w our sale of that North Columbus
property of the Driving Park assocla
ton through her refusal TO unload
we can't make her sell, his part
ner, Tom Haines, had answered de
spondently. And she says she won
for any amount Of money. And YOU
know there is no use reasoning wher
a woman is stubborn. She won't ever
answer my letters
who is the woman?
Prudence Grimes, and she lives II
the little town of Suffolk. An Ole
maid. guess, and with peculiar ideas
of her sort.
I'm going out there" Frank had
averred.
AT Suffolk he left his coach, almos,
collidng with a tall, pretty light-hairec
girl Just in the act Of boarding the
train.
Dolly"
"All a-bo-a-r-d.'
Suffolk is a small town. Trains stor
there for about one moment
Frank drew she natty suit case from
the half-paralyzed fingers of the girl
seized her resolutely by the arm. and
drew her away from the train.
"Why-the very idea"
The maid flushed Indignantly as the
conductor shut the door Of the vesti
bule, and the wheels beneath it began
to turn. Look what you have done
Frank Horton. You've made me miss
my train"
Undoubtedly. The young six-foot'
ers lips We're compressed. u want q
little conversation with you.
I'VE have nothing to talk about. .
The girl spoke coldly.
oh. but we have Why is it, Dolly
that you have never wrote mo? And
how comes it that YOU are here
My aunt lives here. if you must
know. And as far as writing is con-
cerned | didn't write-well just be-
cause
Il can see a bench in that little
park, said Horton with seeming rrele-
vance. Let us go over there and try
to come TO some sort of an under
standing"
mo, III not. declared Miss Dolly,
in a voice with Just a suspicion of a
CULVER in it.
The culver was the flaw IN the ar,
NOR. IN three seconds she WAS doing
just what Horton had suggested and
the youth was sitting beside her
And now" Horton insisted, you
must tell me three things. Why you
left Chicago SO hastily. what YOU are
doing here. and why you have never
written me-"
Il shall do nothing Of the kind" an.
grily denied the maid.
But you will" Horizons tone was
positive.
Anyway, | have been taught never
to write to a man until he has written
to me first
Horton looked his disgust AS if,
he parred, Il We're possessed to some
pyschic gift to tell me where you
were. This is the last place in the
world | would look for you Fate is
against you and insis, upon the an
swer to my question The answer
that you wouldn't give Inc in Chicago"
MY. how terrible it has become,
said Dolly mockingly, and then, more
decidedly, and with a hint of anger,
who gave you the right to speak to
me so, Mr. Frank Horton? I'll answer
your question or not-just as
choose"
But Dolly mans voice was
humble nowhere isn't any reason
at all In not answering" He reached
over and took one of her hands. Why
didn't you tell me that you were com.
ing away, Dolly"
II didn't know, Frank. Really, boy
you are too impatient
But your answer" insisted Horton
You haven't given it to me-and Am
waiting"
Two starry eyes turned to analyze
the man. There are none so blind,
half whispered gentle voice, as
those who will not see"
You mean?" he demanded eagerly
I'm not going to tell you what ]
mean" pouted the girl, And to think
that | ever imagined you to be smart
| am going 10 take you up to the
house to meet my aunt and have you
explain your boorish conduct"
Then your aunt really lives here"
Eyes, it is on her account that
came back here and left Chicago SC
hurriedly. She is such a suspicious
person, A concern calling itself the
Keystone Realty company has been
trying 10 buy an absolutely worthless
piece of property from her. and after
she had refused several offers. they
made her a positively startling one