The Lakeland evening telegram., 1913-12-23
"I-BeIieve Me- Have Not Been Try.
Ing to Find You."


decided. Her complexion was of the
velvety, creamy sort, tinted high upon
the cheeks with the faintest rose pink,
that matches nothing as well as hazel
eyes and that beautiful shade of hair
that Is too dark to be red and too light
to be brown, and which novelists have
SO frequently described as Titan that
the word has almost ceased to have a
meaning.
But without character the most flaw.
less features in the world are like unto
a hollow mask; the girls face was in
stinct with character, with courage and
resolution, the fine hazel eyes aglow
with intelligence under their long dark
lashes. In short, her whole vivid per-
sonality was full Of charm and witch.
cry that might we'll transform to wine
the blood in Youths veins.
This vision, it must be understood,
burst upon Tom all at once; he had
no time to linger over details, for in a
flash her expressive countenance mir
rored multitude of emotions, and he
was looking not only into the finest
eyes that had ever met his, but into
pair of extremely startled eyes as we'll,
Next the girls lips parted, and she re-
coiled with gasp of sheer astonish.
ment.
And now must be recorded of Tom
one of the incest things it has been
privileged thus far to say of him: it
was really pity that Van Vechten
could not have been present to ap-
plaud. He looked uncommonly hand.
some and natty in his fresh white-duck
uniform; and his cap, with the anchors
and the words "Kohinur" and "Cap.
tain" thereon all in heavy gold braid,
was very becoming to him. All at
once he became acutely aware of the
boldness and ardor of his gaze, and
lowering his eyes, he whipped off the
cap and bowed low to the astonished
young lady.
1 told you." said he exultantly, that
would know you anywhere"
And that one little speech, when she
came to ponder over it, would be
found to contain more of genuine com.
pliment than he might ever hope to i'm.
press upon her in a lifetime of assur.
ances.
She was still too dumfounded, how.
ever, to note his words. Her regard
darted from his face to his cap and
uniform and back to his face again.
Then, mechanically, she half-turned
away as if she would flee.
But Tom checked this impulse. He
was now standing erect, his arms fold
ed across his broad chest, one hand
still holding the cap. He smiled and
said easily:
Seems as though I'm always to
scare you. Please don't run away.
Anyhow, stay long enough to tell me
what's so fierce about my looks. Won't
your
For moment longer their eyes held
one another's, hers still alive with be.
amazement; but quickly
these expressions died away and she t
recovered her poise as quickly as it |
had been routed. Her cheeks flushed
prettily, and she laughed.
"You." she exclaimed. "Of all per.
sons! Captain-Captain Phinney, If
1t isn't the strangest thiag-but. no."
she broke off, "it is not so very re-
markable after all. YOU"
She stopped with an abruptness that
passed unnotieed by Tom. Unable
onger to repress some expression of
MS joy, however veiled it might he.
ne said:
1T is remarkable, though. It's the
'ippingest thing l ever heard ofLtbat
should have found you again. you
lnow-that should be standing here
alking to you, like this.
But" he went on quickly. seeing
hat this aspect of the matter was NOT
ltogether acceptable, 'I-belieye me
i have not been trying to find Won
1ot that | didn't want to-I mean.
lad no idea you were to be here. NV
'resence is perfectly legitimate"
Implying" she interrupted, every
park of amusement vanished from /.