Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-13

slim and youthful ambushed behind an
armful of bloom. The sight made him
unreasonably angry
| He plunged along the path, saying
sharply, "Stop! Where you stand!
want to see who has dared"
/ The figure did not stop-instead II
scrambled up and over the wall, al.
most ran to him, and stood humbly
with head bowed, before him saying
1T is only Lila Grayson--I didn't
know-indeed did not! am bring.
ing back the flowers-of course could
not keep them after Aunt Anne told
me-" There, pair of red lips shut
upon something like sob. Winslow
drew a hard breath truth was pro.
! claimed in her face, her voice. She
dropped even more painfully than the
blossoms began to droop. He touched
! them lightly-with an insane desire
! thrilling him to touch instead the bow
! ed head of the bearer.
81 am so glad to find you," Lila went
on bravely, lifting her eyes after a
minute. 81 was afraid"
"Of what?" Winslow asked as she
, paused again. sH
That THAT you might think me
| just common thief" she said trying
to speak lightly. So had to see
! you--to tell you how sorry"
Never mind! cannot have you
sorry," Winslow said, smiling down at
her. She held out the branches to him
asking: "Will you take them? Or-teli
me where you would rather laid them
DOWN."
Winslow lifted her burden, still
smiling, and said above it: II think !
should like them where you meant
, them to go. Now, If you permit. / will
carry them back for you, and pay my
respects to Aunt Anne"
Thus it fell out that there was cran
apple bloom in masses all about the
house when the company came. Miss
Mellen gave a spread rarely. When
she did give one there was always
much to talk over afterward.
This time the decorations evoked
more comment than even the thrice
wonderful cakes. Lila evaded answer
ing. Aunt Anne said no more than
that it was all Lilas doing; she had a
way Of finding things out on the COM
mons other folks quite overlooked. But
to herself she admitted it had given
her turn to see Hardin Winslow, not
merely bringing home the flowers, but
helping Lila set them high and low.
"You are showing me how wicked
one may be-with the best Intentions"
he had said in Lila's ear. Hereafter
shall give away many, many BIOS
soms-there will still be plenty for the
bees and the fairies"
Lila had smiled and blushed. That
night her dreams were full of him.
And the sunshine somehow grew dull
to her when next day she heard he had
gone away indefinitely-hi lawyers
even knew not for how long.
Youth Is prone to consultations. Lila
got back her normal poise, and had a
very merry summer. But whites she
crossed the paddock and looked at the
the tree. whispering very, very softly:
1--WE miss him-if he never comes
back" stopping there with a quick
blush She was nineteen, normally
foolish and fanciful, and chose to think
she had set her heart irrevocably on
this grave elderly person seen but once
The tree bore much fruit-this year
more than common. Boughs bent
quite to earth, shaping a Jeweled tent.
Lila went inside it upon a late warm
still afternoon, flung her arms about
the trunk, and laid her cheek against
it. Trees are 50 WISE" she muir
INJURED half under breath. Tell me.
tell me, why he went away"
"Because-he loved you so-and
lacked the courage to tell you," a
voice at her back said almost hoarse-
ly.
Winslow slipped within the tent.
caught her in his arms, and said. kiss
ing her many times, II wonder If fate
sent you to me? If you are-the an
swer to prayer? l know my mother
thought Of me in all she did7-maybe
she knew"
"What?" Lila asked as he paused,
choking
"That the tree would bring me-her
last best gift" he answered.
Lila smiled at him, eve will be-
lieve," she whispered, raising her head
, to give him a heavenly smile.