The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-09
|. And this time the xirl aid not

to Sotheby. At last the day arrived
when he felt that the shadow which
hung over them ought to be lifted.
"'Mollie,' he said, taking the girls
hands in his. I want to tell you, dear.
that love you. l want to ask you
to be my wife. feel that you and
have something inseparable. some
thing that makes our lives one. 1t 10
Evelyn, and yet never cared for Eve
lyn as love you
The girl looked at him, and then. to
Sotheby's amazement, she burst into
passionate weeping.
al can never marry you, Jack she
cried: You do not know-Oh, you do
not know, and I cannot bring myself
to tell you
but you love me. Molly!' he cried.
He took her in his arms, and for IN
iastant her head lay ON his shoulder.
Yes, I love you.' she SAID. But
cannot marry yea She raised her
head and looked him frankly in the
eyes. Listen, Jsck,' she said. I have
loved you since l first saw you, and
I have never loved anyone else. That
10 why l must send you away. 1t 10
because Of Evelyn
HE could find NO answer to make.
He bowed his head and went away.
It was another year before he saw
Mollie again. Then he was at Atlantic
City.
He was seated in q secluded corner
by the Boardwalk when he saw Mol
lie coming toward him. At first he
thought, SO striking was the resem-
blance, that she was Evelyn herself.
Then, as he watched her, he saw Eve
lyn in the flesh, at her side, and, be.
side Evelyn a man.
The trio were advancing toward
him. and Evelyn and the man were
engaged in animated conversation
Evelyn had grown stouter and flesh
ier; she was still the dashing beauty
of old times, but the dashingness could
not carry itself SO well under that &C
cumulated load of flesh. 1t was over
done, and the woman was obviously
too artificial. The hair was too light
the eyes too dark. Sotheby stared
He could not be mistaken. 1t was
Evelyn.
'Sotheby was not superstitious. HI
knew that Evelyn was at Mollie's side
and he rose and followed them t.
their hotel. He watched them enter
and all that day he waited until HI
was rewarded at last by seeing Molli'
come out alone. She walked, with he
limping gait, along the Boardwalk un
til she came to the same place wher'
Sotheby had sat that morning. Their
she sat down, and there he accoste'
her.
THE terror in the girls eyes almos
unnerved him. She glanced at hin
fearfully. and saw that he knew all
"'You have seen her?' she cried
with a quick intake of breath.
"Sotheby nodded. Tell me tn
truth, Mollie, he said, taking her han
in his. And he knew then that, a
though it was not the same Evely
who'll he had loved 1t was just tn
same Mollie who had been so dea
to him, who had always been in hi
thoughts, night and day, since he ha
learned to love her.
"'She is not dead said Sotheb!
'But-Mollie, tell me the truth, an
trust me-
Ives, l will tell you the truth. al
swered the girl. When you becam
Engaged to Evelyn you looked on
as q serious matter. But to Evely
it was. Just a joke, q summer fiirt'
ton. She gets engaged at least tw
or three times every summer. Whe
you locked on 1t as something lastin
Evelyn was-well, just plain scarce
She liked you well enough to becom
engaged to you, but she never love
you, Jack. Why, Evelyn couldn't low
anybody. The man she is engaged
now is rich, and she will probabl
marry him; but she never intended
marry you.
You frightened her, Jack, and b
cause she really did care for you
way, she was afraid that she migl
not be able to help marrying yo
And you were not a rich man, M
rich enough for Evelyn. didn't kno
what she was going to do, but kne
that she was planning to do som
thing, because she was mad with fe,
when you came down to North Gil
You know she can swim. She to
me afterwards-she sent me a lett
while | was in the fisherman's hous
before you came up to see me. 81
had upset the boat. knowing that "
would take care OF me, because
could not swim. When the boat ups
Evelyn dived and climbed out al
hid behind the rocks. She waited the
until she saw that we were safe, al
then she ran home and changed h
dress, packed up and ran away. TIL
was o prevent your knowing that 81
was alive. She wanted you to thin
: her dead, so as to escape marryiI
you.
And you knew all that, Molli
And that was why you forbade me
see you?
Yes, cried the girl And wh'
| was living with my aunt ! cou
see you, because Evelyn had gol
West But | dared not let you To-
j me.
but ! have always loved you, Nj
lie said Jack. 1 love you now, dea
He took her in his arms and kiss,
: her. AID this time they knew IN