Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-02-24


farmhouse in the midst OF trees. They
were just above the :reetops now. and
1t was evident that the sviator intend
ed to alight beyond the farmhouse. As
they passed over the orchard the aero
plane settled close to the treetops. and
PhineaS' dangling feet brushed the top
most branches. Then suddenly they
caught In twist Of strong shoots, and
his Stiffened fingers were jerked from
their hold, and he fell. crashing into the
top of an apple tree.
The aeroplsne. relieved Of his weight,
righted itself, and the aviator. quite
unconscious Of the passenger he had
carried. sailed away out of sight.
Phineas' fall had been broken by a
thick growth of young shoots at the
top Of the tree. Under his weight they
had wr1thed together, sustained him
for a moment until his arms could en-
circle branch. and then he was Jared
to safety, his feet wedged IN a crotch
OF the trunk. Greatness and dishevel-
ed, he leaned painting there until a
sharp exclamation from the ground be-
low attracted his attention.
Gracious sskes alive. What are
you doing In my apple treef" called q
feminine voice.
In spite of the fatigue that followed
his wild fight through the air and the
reaction after his miraculous escape
from death, Phineas experienced a
thrill. for the voice OF a woman lent
q favor Of romance to the FIRST real
adventure OF his prosaic life.
81 will explain when come down."
he said, with as much dignity as he
could assume under the circumstances.
He descended gingerly TO the ground
and faced a slender, blue eyed woman
who wore blue cotton gown and a
white apron. The sun sifted through
the thinning leaves and dappled her
brown hair with warm color She
pointed down at the ground with one
shapely, sun tanned finger.
Man, man! See what you have done
to my Sweetheart spples"' she said
despairingly.
Phineas looked down at the golden
globes strewing the ground Now he
understood the rafting volley OF thuds
that had followed his arrival in the
tree.
I'm very sorry. ma'am," he said so
sincerely that Augusta Hale believed
him.
They should have been picked by
hand" she grieved, leaning over to ex-
anime bruised apple.
And l picked them with my feet"
said Phineas whimsically.
please tell me what you were doing
there" Her face grew suddenly grave,
and she continued, Surely you were
not helping yourself to- She paused
In embarrassment at Phneas' startled
attitude.
Mercy, no! I fell out OF an aero
plane" he explained, involuntarily
glancing upward.
She stared incredulously and retreat
ed few steps.
Phineas smiled. ITS fact, NAM"
and he told her in few words Of the
strange adventure he had taken part
in. He showed her his blistered and
bleeding hands and substantiated his
tale by pointing out the aeroplane
which was passing overhead on its trip
| back to the testing field. Miss Hale
was fain to believe him after she had
viewed the crushed top of her choicest
apple tree.
Isn't 1t wonderfulT' she asked as
/ she led the way to the farmhouse.
It's the most wonderful thing that
/ ever happened TO me-" declared Phin-
cas-, whose mind was leaping from in
I IL q
/ day To him the most significant thing
of all was that he should have fallen
I in and out Of the Sweetheart apple
! tree right at the feet of pretty Miss
Augusta Hale.
Miss Hale bound his bleeding hands
with the same skill which marked ev-
erything she attempted. Phineas found
himself watching her with growing ad-
| miration as she proceeded to make him
comfortab bic on the sunny piazza of the
farmhouse, where they were presently
Joined by her mother. Phineas learned
that Miss Augusta was the man OF the
household and that she directed the
farm work and made field and orchard
and dairy and poultry yard pay hand
somely. He remained to supper, and
before he left she had accepted bis
invitation to visit the aviation field the
next day with him.
As Phineas Berry passed through the
orchard to take short cut out to the
railroad station he paused under the
Sweetheart apple tree and pulled out
his penknife. He looked at the trunk
longingly He wanted to place his mi
dals there as he had seen boys carve
their names together with their sweet
hearts. but his shyness overcame his
desire, and he replacedsthe knife
THE day we're married I'll carve II
there-and hers. too-with a hear
around 'em both" he murmured as h,
went his way with Redeemed cheeks
because II It hadn't meant TO turr
out that way ! should never have beer
dropped right there into that tree
, Phineas' handsome face glowed witt
the romance that had come to him, a.
, 1t comes to every one sooner or later.