The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-05-21

Bile hatreQ, seemed 10 approve OF tn1S
friendly interest on Sayles' part. as
did her stepsister.
Mamma" said the little girl one
afternoon, lis Mr.. Sayles going to be
my new papa?"
Molly, startled at the childish query.
turned upon the little girl sharply.
What nonsense!" she exclaimed.
"Why do you ask me such thing?"
Because" answered the child, II
heard stepmother talking with the
ladies at the tea yesterday about your
divorce"
my what?" cried Molly.
isn't that the right word, mamma?
They said you were going to get d.
vorce and that Mr.. Sayles was going
to be my new papa. And won't have
him." she continued, stamping her lit
tie foot. Il want my old papa"
Molly looked at her aghast But be-
fore she had time to collect her wits
Mr.. Sayles drove up in his automobile
and the two went out along the streets
and into the country.
Sayles turned and saw that Molly
, was crying into her handkerchief.
why, Mrs. GARRETT" he exclaimed.
What is the matter?"
That was too much for Molly. She
felt that she had always been neglect
ed and misunderstood. She told him
the child's remarks. Sayles listened.
and, when she had ended, he put his
arm about her and drew her head
down upon his shoulder.
Il guess the child had about the
hang of 1t, didn't she, Molly?" he
asked.
"You mean"
"Why, dear, everybody knows that
John Garrett isn't worthy to blacken
your shoes. You've had a miserable
life since you married him, and-and
I've always loved you, Molly. Now lei
me tell you something. l have 6
chance to open a branch Of the firm
out West. It isn't as good as some
thing else have my eye on, but cal
wait six months while you're getting
the legal preliminaries settled. Conn
out with me, and you can get the di
vorce afterward."
He took her In his arms, and Moll.
frankly abandoned herself to this new
love that had come into her heart.
She was to tell her family that Johl
had sent for her to Kansas City. The,
would never know. Then she was t.
slip off to New York and meet Sayle
there. There was only a week Of wait
ing before he could wind up his al
/, fairs But on the fifth day Doris DE-
veloped a feverish cold. on the sixt
' she was down with pneumonia, and O
. the seventh she was apparently dying
81 want my papa!" moaned the littl
girl as she fought for breath,
Molly telegraphed for John. Sayle
was a constant visitor at the hous'
J. When Doris illness developed int
pneumonia he seemed like q man di
tracted. He could not bear the though
, of postponement. He came into tn
sickroom and stood looking at Dori
who was delirious.
Molly. is this-going to keep ,
apart?" he asked.
"Oh, I can't leave her now," Mol
answered.
but why not?" the man persiste
A You can do no good and you are on
} wearing yourself out. Your stepmot
s er will take care of the child, and aft
she is we'll she can come on to US"
Molly looked DULY at him. Her hea
was torn between love of the chill
newly awakened in her, and Sayle
2 She did not think at all of the me-
& who Just then came into the sickroo
John.
He sat down at the bedside and TOT
Doris hand in his. The child kne
= him, she smiled at him. Presently 81
was fast asleep. For hours John Ga
rett sat at her side, holding the b
little hand in his, and never stirre
! His presence seemed to infuse q ne
: atmosphere into the room.
, Sayles had gone long ago. Mo
: sat upon the other side Of the be
The presence of John always awe
ened in her heart sentiments that s
was incapable of analyzing. Din
she felt that John was q good man,
spite of his vulgarity. in spite Of
noisiness. She was thinking now
10 she had never thought before.
She saw herself again. with
10 tyrannous stepmother who had TAX
II. the place of her own mother. now OF
~ a dim figure in the mists Of her chi
'o' hood. She saw how the two WON
30 had always tyrannized over her, b.
she had been q plant tool in tn
~ supple hands. She remembered
ut courtship. how John had taken
Is away. their honeymoon together,
lp- long years before her stepmother /
forgiven her. Would John have &C
EFT as Sayles had done? Molly felt
Sc, stinctively that she could not pict'
i'd John in such a role, and her he
i'm went out to him in a sudden outpo
OF ing of love.
les Presently John looked up.
nd Molly" he said.
john"
wo Pretty tired of this sort OF
&C. aren't you: Say, wanted to tell
lko &;~,a aua h,t 4 uao waiting