The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-07
A BROKEN LANCE
BY STELLA AVERY.

cliff at Roselea. Frank had pressed
Lorry to the edge of the cliff, the
earth had given way and young Ora
ham had fallen 40 feet to the beach
below. Frank had reeled home, still
intoxicated. to give q garbled account
of the affair. He had disappeared for
awhile, but now gossip said he had
returned to lay siege to Nancy's heart
while Lorry Graham was blind!
After Edith Vantine had impaired
the news to Nancy she moved along
over the putting green; Nancy watched
her with wide-open. smarting eyes.
How she missed Lorry's tall, white
clad figure swinging across the field,
his deep voice. the IRE in his glance
when their eyes met. And now that
glance was dead-forever.
With q choking sob Nancy brushed
away the tears and swung . club to
her shoulder. She grounded 1t clum-
silly as Frank Edgarton's voice sound
ed close beside her.
Good morning, Nancy. Waiting. for
me?"
No. said Nancy carelessly. I'm
just thinking about Lorry Graham.
They say he is blind"
Edgarton paled under his tan. He
was a dark, lean-jawed man with
onyx-black eyes and hair. His brown
hands fumbled nervously with his
clubs.
His own fault" he muttered sui
lenly.
What did you quarrel about"
asked Nancy quickly.
"You!" he flashed back.
rs that the truth, Frank Edgar
TONI Nancy looked him full in the
eyes.
On my honor!" he acclaimed trag-
ically. his glance shifting.
The girl laughed CONTEMPORARY.
Don't swear by something you
haven't got!" she retorted, and turned
her back upon him. 81 pity you'll"
They say pity is akin to-a tenderer
feeling!" he insinuated.
IT'S sometimes close to contempt"
was Nancy's last retort, as she saun-
tered back to the clubhouse.
She sank down In a corner where q
high-backed settle hid her from chat.
ting groups of people. Voices reached
her now and then. Once the clear
tones Of Mrs. Amory came to her, hold.
ing her captive in her seat, an unwil.
ling eavesdropper.
"Lorry Graham is not only blind, but
he is poor as WELL" said Mrs. Amory.
ITS hard luck!"
"Poor!" echoed mans voice.
What has happened to him? I
thought he was as safe as Gibraltar"
MY husband told me this morning
that Lorry was bankrupt; that's all I
know about it. Isn't it dreadful, on
top of his blindness? Certainly.
troubles never do come singly."
Nancy slipped out Of the nearest
door, her heart in a tumult. Lorry
Graham not only blind, but poor as
we'll!
She crossed the lawn and entered
the estate owned by the Grahams.
Under wide-spreading maple she dis
covered Lorry reclining in a ham,
mock chair and leaning over its back
was his sister Mabel.
Mabel saw Nancy coming, put a fin
ger to her lips and tiptoed out of ear
shot OF the man under the maple tree.
Go to him. DEAR" whispered Mabel.
Hes awfully down and he would
rather see you than anyone else"
Nancy squeezed Mabels hand, and
the latter went toward the house.
Nancy approached the lone figure un.
der the tree, her heart in a tumuli of
fear and pity.
That you, Mab?" asked Lorrys deep
voice as she came up to the back of
his chair. Before her voice was steady
enough to risk an answer he went on:
AS was telling you. Nab, Edgarton
was drunk-plain drunk, and he made
sneering remark about Nancy. re.
scented 1t. of course, and he threw him.
SELF against me and bowled me over
Rather humiliating when a chap was
trying to break lance for the lady
Of his heart!"
Nancy's hands slipped down until
they covered Lorry's bandaged eyes.
Who is it? Where is Mabel" he
demanded sharply.
1t is Nancy" she whispered
Then you heard what l said-you
know"
1 know-everything. my brave
quavered Nancy, kneeling be-
side him. You were breaking a lance
for me. Oh, Lorry, you can see-you
are not blind at ALL" she cried in n
panic.
For he snatched of the disfiguring
oandage and his wide-open and loye-lit
eyes were beaming upon her with all
their old'time alteration. only multi.
piled a hundredfold.
why. OF course | can see." he
laughed tenderly. who said I had
gone blind?"
Edith Vantine said =" Nancv's
soice turned traitor at this point. She
hid her crimsoned face against Lorry's
broad shoulder and abandoned herself
% passion of tears.
1t was Nancy who broke the blissful
silence which followed,
is it true that you are quite DOOR
low. Lorry?" she asked 'falterinely
fou know have that legacy from
aunt Hester and perhaps you