The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-10-27
LLOYD OSBOURNE
3 Y
Copyright. 1911. BY the 8obbs.Merrill Csnpasy.

VII YOU see.
Matt WAS less backward than stun
ned He must have misunderstood:
he could not believe it. 1t was only
when her hands went to her face and
her head bowed in an extremity Of
| shame that comprehension really flash
| cd on him lie pulled away her hands,
inerelulonS still. yet mad with JOY
pulled them away and kissed her on
the lips her burning averted lips
again and again and again Unsuitable
\ Of her young beauty, and int1amed by
a resistance that was no resistance at
all but the painting. shaking and al
most terrified surrender of woman to
the man she loved
Il hold Won to il" he whispered II
hold YOU to every word you said.
love you and YOU love me. and nothing
on earth shall ever separate u.s.. Then.
obeyn- her stihed entreaty. he re
leased her. and the pair gaZed at each
other in the deepening dusk, awed,
struck to silence, and somehow at one
with the trees, the sky, and all nature
Of which they, too, were one, and at
whose altar they vowed themselves to
each other and received the pension
of the stars
Matt would have clasped her again
in his arms, but she gently resisted
He was to CO. she said Had he not
taken enough already? Was she not
| so spent that to take more would kill
her? Besides, she wished to be alone
to nestle to her heart the sweetest
moment Of her life without even that
great big him to disturb her. He was
such a disturber He would kiss her
again and she would lose all the others
those precious first ones that would
| always be the dearest No. he was to
| 60. Please. he was to 60 Please, it
was favor
He perceived that she was in earn
est. and something told him. moreover
that she was with difficulty holding
back her tears-those tears which 1t
would be sacriege for him to share
So. manfully, and with a quickening
perception. he made no further demur
but turned and left her. looking back
once to wave his hand. and to take
one last look
But she loved him That was all his
dizzy head could hold She loved him
Christine Marshall loved him. She was
willing to strip herself Of everything to
follow him the wide world over. Moth.
ing could matter now. nothing could
hurt him. Chris loved him,
He had completely forgotten the
frock coat person. he Of the silk hat
and the beard and subdued masterful-
ness who had chung to his front wheel
with agitated pertinacity hardly three
hours before. Matt was reminded of
his existence by finding him on Mrs
Sattanc's front porch wea.ily blocking
the road to supper. BY all rights the
stranger should have been excessively
annoyed, but on the contrary he was
suavity itself, rising at Mats ap-
| proach and greeting him with formi-
dable politeness.
Might he take the liberty of repeat
ing his request to see Mr. Broughton in
private? Might he without undue in
siStencc. remind Mr. Blouehton of the
very serious ISSUES at Sake and the
need the very great need of expedi-
ton? After three hours of waiting was
he not entitled to an immediate inter-
view-an immediate interview in pri-
vate? No, it need not be long In some
aspects it was a very simple affair-a
proposal on the part of certain prin-
cipalS. an aeeeptance-er- was to be
hoped. on Mr.. Bronghtou's.
ApologiZinS for having no better
place TO offer. Matt led the stranger
upstairs to his bedroom. where. after
lighting the single gas jet, he offered
him chair and himself took seat on
the bed
Now, what's your name?" asked
Matt, lighting his pipe and throwing
out his long legs
i, The stranger somewhat stammerinc-
ly replied that he might be called Mr.
. Kay though whether he meant Kay
or merely the letter X was left OBJ
scure.
We'll, Mr.. Kay" continued Matt.
LET'S get one thing understood right
off | am not a Kanaka king. and |
haven't any islands, or money. or sub
jects. or fleets, ar pearling beds or any
CONTINUED on Page 81