The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-23

the evil elements In the character OF
the old man began to hold high sway.
Dodd always bowed to him when they
met, although all he received in re-
turn was a cold stare Of indifference
and contempt.
One day Post ran to the house in a
great fuss and worry, grabbed up his
gun and made back for the brook. He
had discovered a small boat and
someone in 1t, fishing well over on his
side Of the stream. But when he re-
turned he was ashamed OF himself.
The intruder turned out to be a girl
visitor at the Dodd home.
He was uneasy and unhappy. al
though he tried to appear outwardly
firm and satisfied, the day q big load
Of barbed wire and posts arrived.
The brook lined the two farms for
about q hundred rods. That entire
distance Post drove the posts and
strung the barbed wire.
Hope Dodd enjoys his three feet
Of water 'front.'" he chuckled, coming
In to supper. Where's Nell?" he
asked Of his wife. tracing some deep
worry in her patient, worn face.
I've got bad news for you, Abner,"
replied Mrs. Post gravely.
80? Well, out with 1t. and be done
with it. What Is IT."
Nell is going to leave home"
HIM" muttered Post, glazing un-
comfortably, but trying to keep up q
grim, fierce bearing.
YES; she is visiting my brother at
Acton for a day or two, and he is
going to get her position there.
Nell loves us. Abner," added Mrs. Post.
trying hard to keep back the tears,
"and she won't disobey you, but she
says it will simply break her heart to
remain so near the man she loves,
and meet him daily, and pass him by
as II he were stranger"
A week went by In two more days
Nell was to leave the home roof. Post
did not unbend. He came In one
evening looking worn and troubled.
The family was absent at the brother
of his wife. A heavy rain had set in.
They would not be home that night.
Post, lonely and full of darker
thoughts than ever, recklessly ex-
tended the small glass of cordial he
sometimes took to half dozen. Soggy
and doing, he went to sleep on the
sofa, forgetting even to drive in the
cattle from a lowland pit where they
browsed all night when the weather
was fair.
1t was well on towards morning
when laundering knock at the door
aroused Post. He went there, blink
ing and grumbling. to face his neigh
Dor. Dodd
"Out with you, quick, Post. and help
us!" shouted the excited Doad. There
has been a perfect deluge, and II we
hadn't got in time to your cattle
they'd have been all drowned. We
have got to look to things, for the
stream is twenty feet over the banks y
Post forgot his enmity in the ardu-
Gus exertions Of the next few hours.
His neighbor certainly saved his cat
tie. All hands sought rest as the wa
ter suddenly subsidized, and then, about
noon, to the amazement OF all the
brook ran dry.
1t was some hours before this mys-
terry was explained The force of a
terrific deluge had broken out a rocky
ledge and diverted the water. There
would never be a dividing brook on
the two farms again.
And with 1.-The water that had passed
away" went all the enmity of Abner
Post for the neighbor he had mis-
judged, and Nell did not go away to
work, and the barbed-wire fence was
rooted up and cast to the void
Copyright, 1916. by w. g. Chapman.)