The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-07-10
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THE DEUCE SHE DID
BY oPtE READ.
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garded as exceptionally earnest To
write for a newspaper was her ambi-
ton and all she wanted was chance.
Finally chance came. John FerrOn
had been charged with defrauding i
building association out OF $4,000 The
amount was not large; Ferron was
not a prominent man; the case was
good only for stick full" and it was
given to the new girl. The suspect
ed culprtt had been placed under
bonds and could be found at his board
ing house, the city editor told her.
She was elated. Instantly she had be-
come factor OF the great city. She
Thought OF her home In the country,
the dull life, the daily complaint Of
the neighbors, the dead eternity OF
non-eventfulness.
FerroI was in his room when a
servant brought card bearing the
name Of Miss Eva Smith That vas
all nothing to Indicate her business,
posing that she might be another one
Of those 'defrauded'' home-seekers.
He sighed distressfully and, with the
resignation which comes when some
times We have reached the limit Of
calamity, be told the servant to let
her come in. The visitors fresh and
engaging face for a moment drove
calamity back into the dark corner
Ferron Topped out of his chair and
invited her to sit down. She did,
with a smile, glancing about the
room, at the cheap books on a shelf,
at the picture of a boy at well,
drinking out Of an old oaken bucket;
at stuffed owl on a bracket, and
then she looked at Ferron She had
expected to see an oldish man, lean
and rox-like. She was surprised to
see young fellow, curly Of hair and
handsome.
I'm afraid I've come on unpleas-
ant business she said.
He smiled. No matter what your
business may be, your coming is pleas
ant, he replied.
Thank you"
Not at ALL
For time they sat looking at each
other He cleared his throat Il be-
lteve you said something about IN
pleasant business.
Yes; | am reporter, and"
Is that so unpleasant? If it is,
why don't you quit it,"
oh, reporting isn't unpleasant
it's charming. But have come to
interview you"
Interview me! have already been
interviewed by a justice of the peace
and have been bound over All! what
do you want me to say?'
oh, Just anything You might
well. say something to defend your
self, you know"
But that wouldn't do any good
am already halfway condemned"
But it might keep you from be-
Ing condemned the other half"
He leaned back in his chair and
laughed. She laughed too, and then
she told him that be did not look
guilty He thanked her and replied
that be was not She was pleased to
hear It. she said; she had not expect
ed to get a confession out OF him, and
thanked him for his confidence in her.
But suddenly she looked serious. "Oh.
but that wasn't confession" she
said. 1t was simply an assertion.
People don't confess except when they
acknowledge that they are guilty.
don't know what have been thinking
about But you know a woman does
not believe man guilty if he is
agreeable, Only the disagreeabie
men are guilty
The man who is disagreeahle to
women ought to be condemned on
general Srlnciples-or, rather, on
general unprinciples, he replied and
they both Of them laughed, and she
wondered what time it was. He said
that it wasn't late, looking at his
watch but she declared that she must
be going, dropping into that serious
mood which, in the office, had caused
surprise. With this man, however,
she could not long remain serious.
There was something about him that
made her smile She knew that he
might possibly be on the road to the
for the justice OF the
peace had bound him ever; but, some
how, she felt glad whenever she
looked at him. Was he a humorist
set in silence to cause laughter Il
must really go" she said, getting up
He did not arise.
Must you go?" be inquired. With
soothing regret II his voice. And then
be added: When are you coming
back?
Coming back: I didn't say that I
was
Z know you didn't. and that's the =
r--1o- -s,.-.l 80.
She laughed It was impudan1 o:
him, but somehow It rls.s ID ha-
Why should come back
To get detailed sta, eut aas7
preca-= it,"
on. a-a you ~r-g to do thar ,
don't quite understand am yra, .-5,,, /,