The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-08-04
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BFRANCS NNDF
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

In q Morris chair in the sun-warmed
bay window, the friendship was a fact
accomplished.
DO you know. you're the most won
derful person have ever known" he
said to Margery. on the first Of the
summing days when she had come to
perch in the window seat opposite his
chair. do you believe in destiny?"
She nodded brightly. Sometimes L
do; when 1t brings things out the way
l want them to come out"
1--WE often wondered" he went on
musingly. Think of it-somewhere
back in the past you took the first
step in the path which was to lead
you to that late supper in the Chou
teau. Somewhere in my past l took
the first step in the crooked trail that
was to lead me there"
"Well?" she encouraged.
THE paths crossed-and l am your
poor debtor" he finished. 81 can
never hope to repay you and your
father for what you have DONE"
"Oh, yes you can," she asserted
lightly. You can pass it along to the
man farther down. Forget 1t, and tell
me what you want to know about Wa.
haska."
First, I'd like to know my Doctors
name"
The idea!' she exclaimed. Hasn't
there been anybody to introduce you?
He Is Wahaska's best-beloved Doc
tor Bertie;' otherwise Doctor Herbert
c. Farnham."
Doctor Farnham? - not Miss
Char" He bit the name in two In
the middle. but the mischief was
done.
Yes; Charlotte's father" was the
calm reply. Then: Where did you
meet Miss Farnham?"
II haven't met her." he protested
instantly; "she-she doesn't know me
from Adam. But have seen her, and
l happened to learn her name and her
/! home address"
"Oh," said the small filter of deduc-
,, ton pegs; and afterward she talked.
and made the convalescent talk, point.
!, eddy Of other things.
This occurred in the forenoon OF a
pleasant day in May. In the after.
noon of the same day Miss Grierson's
trap was halted before the door of the
temporary quarters Of the Wahaska
public library. Raymer saw the trap
and crossed the street. remembering
what he would otherwise have forgot.
ten-that his sister had asked him
to get book on orchids.
Miss Margery was in the reference
room, wading absently through the
newspaper files. She nodded brightly
when Raymer entered-and was not
In the least dust-blinded by the library
card In his hand.
You are just in time to help me"
she told him. DO you remember the
story Of that daring bank robbery in
New Orleans few weeks ago?-the
one in which a man made the presi-
dent draw a check and get 1t cashed
Raymer did remember it, chiefly be.
| cause he had talked about It at the
time with Jasper Grierson. and had
wondered curiously how the president
of the Farmers and Merchants would
deport himself under like conditions.
IF you should meet the man face to
face, would you recognize him from
the description" she flashed up at
Raymer.
Not in a thousand years." he con.
fessed would your"
| mo; not from the description" she
admitted. Then she passed to mat.
ter apparently quite irrelevant.
Didn't see Miss Farnham's re-
turn noticed In the Wahaskan thu
other day."
With Charlotte's father a daily visi
tor at Mereside. It seemed incredible
that Miss Grierson had not heard o.
the daughters homecoming But Ray
mer answered in good faith.
They came up as far as st. Louis OF
one OF the Anchor line-the Belle Ju
leland even Miss Gilman admits
that the accommodations were excel
lent
She nodded absently and began t.
turn the leaves of the newspaper file
Raymer took it as his dismissal anG
went to the desk to get the orchil
book. When he looked in again on hi.
way to the street, Miss Grierson has
gone, leaving the Ale of the Pioneel
Press open on the reading desk. Al
most involuntarily he glanced at tn,
first-pase headings. thrilling to littl,
shock Of surprise when one of then
proved to be the caption Of anothe
Associated Press dispatch giving a 81
line story of the capture and secon;
escape Of the Bayou State Securit,
robber on the levee at st. Louis.
The reading Of the bit of stale new
impressed him curiously. Why ha,
Miss Margery interested herself in tn,
details Of the New Orleans bank rob
berry? Why-with no apparent spe
cial reason-should she have remem
bered it at all-or, remembering II
have known where to look for tn,
two newspaper references?
Raymer left the library specializing
vaguely on the unaccountable tan
gents at which the feminine MINI
could now and then dy OF from tn,
well-defined circle Of the convention
ally usual. On rare occasions hi
mother or Gertrude did 1t, and he hat
lonR siuco Harmed the foIYv - trvSr,