The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-11-02

hAAACo JUL A0SAOAs
John was quite unmoved at that |
news. He had never had much in !
common with his elder brother. As |
the younger son, John had always |
been put aside in favor Of the heir.
"Your brother left no child, Charl- |
ton," the governors secretary was
saying. Would he never cease? John
looked at him in q daze. The thought
Of Haidee had gone from his mind.
His father dead. His brother dead,
without leaving an heir. Then--why
he was the baronet.
"Sir John, allow me to present you
to some Of your old friends" the Sec
rotary was saying.
And John. still wandering In Lon.
don in May, with his nostrils full Of
the sweet scent Of hyacinths in the
parks, was brought back to conscious.
ness Of the dreary perfumes of the
ballroom by seeing his sister.in-law
and-Amy.
He found himself bowling mechan.
ically, just as though he had only left
them the day before. He looked into
Amy's face. What had there ever
been In that woman, to whom he had
given all the passion of first love?
He had dreamed Of her three years
till Haidee came into his life, this red.
checked English girl, with the faint
smile and the worldly face. How far
away his past life seemed all Of q
sudden!
John" his sister-in-law was say
ing" won't you come out with US upon
the veranda? l have something to
tell you"
John followed the ladies outside. He
was leaning against the veranda rail
now, and his sister-in-law's words
were buzzing in his head.
You acted very noble part, John"
she said "We-the family-shall
never cease to be grateful to you. Few
men would have done as much for
their brothers. But after poor Arthur's
death the lawyer went through his
papers. He was q dreadful man, Mr..
Smeaton, one of those mutton.whis-
kered Puritanical men who think that
everything irregular is a crime He
found in your brothers desk q writ
ten, signed confession and insisted
that 1t should be made public to the
world"
John remembered Mr.. Smeaton. q
kindly old man who had always taken
an interest in him. So Smeaton was
the man who had come forward so un.
expectedly to retrieve his honor.
I'VE begged and pleaded, John. but
nothing could move him." his sister,
in-law continued. I'VE even offered
him three thousand pounds to hush
up the matter, but it wouldn't do. The
old wretch threatened to make the tale
public himself unless we did. So 1t
had to be done, john" She sighed.
well. you can guess what row
there was in England. especially as
you are now the heir to the property
In fact, things got so hot that found
1t best to take a holiday in some place
where the rumors hadn't got busy yet
Amy promised to come with me, and
she has kept her word. You know
you and Amy were always goot
friends, John. So now I shall leave
you two together to talk over ole
times"
The woman was gone. and JohI
\ stood unsteadily against the railing
looking into the hard, worldly face o
Amy Marin. How could he ever hav,
loved her? How could he? How coult
he? He could not answer his owl
, question.
t John, I am so sorry" said Amy
t putting out her hand. John took It ant
: It felt cold and cat-like in his own.
1 John" whispered Amy, do you re
3 member what you asked me that nigh
q before you came away? have neve
4 forgotten, John. And l am 80 sorr!
for our Misunderstanding. have oftel
!, thought Of you, john"
q He would have liked to have thrus
}. his fist into the woman's face. Wha
> q deliverance his had been! But Am.
was singularly obtuse.
a Il will admit" she said, that m,
motives in accompanying your sister
l. in-law were not altogether altruistic
9 John. In fact, I'LL wanted to se
|. you again" She looked down an
!. shuffled her feet in simulated con
fusion. Amy had singularly prett,
q feet-almost as pretty as Haidee's-
, and she had always been aware o
Q the fact.
!, "And now I've said as much as
d dare, john" she added, raising he
9 eyes to his.
t Il am sorry," said John. bowling.
y "Sorry, John?"
t THAT you should have made thi
long journey for nothing. I canno
Q marry you"
Q How dare you!" she exclaimed
Q with flaming cheeks. HAS Jamaic
r made brute of you, John?"
g mo, a man." he answered. "Whel
go to England I shall take my wifi
Q with me. You see, we are to be maj
Q ried before the end Of the month
A Amy"
:. His last picture of her was seeinl
d the sudden cat-like cruelty fame int
- her face and eyes as she stood, sphinx
Q like, against the rail. But the pictur