The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-03-10

| ~ "a Y my thSIOuCSy Big lCNS
tho clerf, and I need the luck the,
would bring me. No. she sheok he
head and handed back the velvet case
i would have to 60 without lunehel
for three years In order to pay fo'
It,"
Bronson was Meonfortably susssp
tribe to tho timbrs of the veise.
I viii have you send me those sxh
links when the easrav Wing is finished,
she was saying to the clerk. A ne
meAt later she had given her name and
ADDRESS and turned frsn The counter
Bronson did not lesk after her. he
was not interested in her as a woman
SHOW me that opal and diamond
pendant" he asked Of clerk whs had
not served Avis Brayton-fsr sueh was
the girls name.
Send this to Miss Avis Brayton,"
he told the clerk, and gave her the ad.
dress. He scrubbed line on a blank
card. paid the bill and went his way.
When the package was received by
the girl with whom Avis roomed she
thought nothing of it and took it in
without question.
But how could l know to send it
back?" questioned Mary Ellen when
Avis unwrapped the pendant Il sup
posed 1t to be something you had or.
dered."
"Oh-h." gasped Avis, delight glowing
in her eyes, 1T is the very one want.
ed so badly"
Avis Brayton-that is the most ro-
mantle thing l ever heard of, An
anonymous token of admiration"
Mary Ellen wrote love stories that oc.
casionally brought checks from the
magazines. you will meet him some
day and marry him know it,"
1t was two years later that Bronson
entered the Van Wilde's spacious
drawing room. The affair was din.
ner-musicale.
Bronson was more or less attracted
to a girl to whom he had not been
presented. She was extraordinarily
beautiful, and her gown of white chif-
fon and swansdown brought out every
manifold charm Of her.
The girl was evidently one of the
song birds. She was even then ma
king graceful pilgrimage toward the
side Of the grand piano.
Bronson sighed. Surely girl SO
lovely could not be possessed of very
great musical ability. That would be
an abundance of gifts seldom given to
one being. However, the applause
that greeted her appearance beside the
piano gave partial evidence that she
was at least of magnetic personality.
Later, he met the wonderful girl
and the very slightest Of premonitions
then warned him that he was on the
verge of a tremendous love affair.
His unique trend of thought was inter.
rupteed by the voice of his hostess.
Il am giving you our star to lead in
to dinner" Mrs Wilde told him and
indicated the singer,
1T is she who will Lead can but
follow" said Bronson with a gallant
bow.
At the dinner table it was Jimmy
Rogers who made the startling sug-
gestion.
Il want you to disabuse our minds
on one conviction, Miss Brayton," he
said with a laugh. "All famous people
are supposed at one time to have
gone about bare-footed and all that
sort of thing Tell us the true story Of
your life" A general laugh followed.
Avis Brayton smiled.
1T is long story and true one,"
she began laughinly, "and there is a
little of the romantic in it. really was
all but barefoot-once. My room
mate and l, Mary Ellen was her name
you can see it in all the best maya
zines nowhere cooking our meals in
a chafng dish to save money. We
were very poor. but optimistic. When
we were at the lowest stage of the lad.
der L" Avis paused and held up the
opal pendant was presented with this
neeklace-anonymously." She glanced
about at the guests and wondered at
the sudden indrawn breath of her ia.
BILE companion.
81 have never known who sent it,
but it brought nae luck almost during
the hour l received it. would not
part with 1t were the donor himself to
ask 1t.
Accusing fingers were pointing to
Bronson.
There couldn't be two eccentric
philanthropic specimens = Bronson
here is the guilty person or I'm a
Dutchman!" laughed Jimmy Rogers.
Your eceentricity, in this case, Mr..
Bronson, has given me all my sue.
cess she said softly in that mellow
voice that had a wistful timbre. 81
have feeling that one day. can re-
ward you"
Bronson gazed at her until a soft
color crept into her cheeks, then he re-
moved his glance and gave back the
banter that was being generously
hurlod fouard him