The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-12-30
GOING BACK 70 CLARA
BY JAMES BURTON.

When Mr.. Thomas Clarke arrived
at his Office at leisurely hour on
Monday morning he found her sitting
there. For an instant he didn't recog-
nize her; he saw only a demure,
pretty figure in brown, dressed with
neatness and trimness that had
nothing to do with the prevailing
mode in womans attire.
"Of course you know me-" she said.
offering him her bare hand pulled
from her muff, and then with surprise
he recognized Jane Putnam, Claras
sister
He stammered something about his
surprise and pleasure, and she went
on: isn't there a private office? !
don't like to make explanations here
She inclined her head toward the ste.
nographer and the Office boy, and
| Tom led her into his small inner
office.
Here Tom seated her in his large
armchair at his desk and drew a
small chair up for himself. "You
were mighty good to come to see
me-" he said, fumbling for her rea-
son.
"Of course it is quite secret" said
Jane. "Clara would have fit II she
knew and probably never will know"
Tom bowed his head at the mention
of Clara's name.
Its this way. or course, you
know that I know that you asked
Clara to marry her, and | have found
out that you haven't married or be.
come engaged since. ! made sure OF
that. You told her you wouldn't
saw 1t in a letter And Clara hasn't
married-not because she wouldn't,
but because there isn't anybody out
in Greensyille to marry, and we never
go anywhere else. There are just two
of us and grandmother, and you can
imagine 1t Isn't exactly exciting, and
| Clara is getting-getting-"
Thomas was amused. To him Jane
/ had always seemed an amusing child
and six years hadn't seemed to
change her. But what would be the
use?" he asked her, with assumed
! gravity. "Claras answer was final
"A girls answer is never final,
said Jane eagerly. That was the
IiIp'f I WDpf tf
tell you then! Why, you could have
got her to say yes SO easily then il
you had only known how to manage
That letter you wrote to ask hel
, wasn't half imperative enough, arr
why did you write. anyw'y@ Why
didn't You come and tell h,r?"
"Then you saw the letter said
Thomas, feeling a touch Of ind.saa
ton at the old love
Eyes, of course did and ] helped
Clara answer it didn't think you
would take 1t as final"
"Then did Clara-did She Do you
think she would have married me-"
"She didn't love you If that is what
you are trying to ask said Jane
"But a girl like Clara doesn't ever
fall in love till she has been married
a few years She wouldn't think it
was dignifed. But she would have
married you II you had clustered q
little. I could show you how"
81 see," said Thomas, leaning over
James chair and toying with her mum
Then"
There, why didn't you ever do
ANYTHING like that? But you were so
solemn. There wasn't grain of firt
in you
In A few more minutes converse
tion Jane and Thomas had laid their
| nlans for the capture Of Clara. Tom
was to come out to Greensville on
the pretense Of having business to at
tend to there. He was to call at the
putnams, say nothing about having
seen Jane, and in the meantime Jane
was to give him all the help and ao-
vice she could.
when Tom presented himself at the
Putnam home in Greensville Clara
ereeted him with restrained cordial
itv. with a touch of forgiveness and
nitv IN her voice that Tom didn't
think he deserved.
aJane hasn't changed much ne
said to Clara one day. by the way
is she engaged" :,
T am sure I don't know" said
Clara IL,
Tom made his business detain MIN
for several days. and every evening