The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-12-31
THIRD TINES CHARM
BY CATHARINE cRANM Err.

They say it's hard to get babies or
widowers through their second sum-
mers,' mumbled Jack Ellis to himself,
but it'll be miracle if Dorothy
Leigh gets through her second season
without becoming engaged. She's
pretty. popular, wealthy adorable--in
other words, just Dorothy"
Jack frowned at the awful POSSIBLE
tiles of the case He was in love with
Dorothy but would not be in a secure
enough financial position to propose
to her before January, when he would
be taken into the firm as a director.
He determined to go to her that
very day and offer her his heart, ask
ing her to let him add his modest for
tunes, which would be greater within
the year.
In frenzy of love and hope and
rather foolish certainty of success,
Jack made a careful afternoon toilet
and went swinging along the few
blocks to Dorothy's home. But alas
for mushroom hopes. AS he passed
through the iron gateway leading into
the residence street where Dorothy
lived, Henry Ardmore's shining black
automobile rolled noiselessly toward
him, with Dorothy and Ardmore in it's
roomy rear seat. Ardmore leaned for
ward and faced Dorothy just in time
partially to obscure the glory of her
charming smile of greeting to Jack.
It was only four o'clock and Jack
went home, took out his car, and went
for an aimless run into the country.
He avoided the Country club lest he
should seem to be trailing Dorothy
and Ardmore, who would probably
stop there for tea. The short after
noon faded and was followed by dark
ness and fast-moving clouds.
Rounding a corner at pretty good
pace, Jack had to bring his car to an
abrupt stop to avoid danger of col
liding with two disabled cars which
were standing facing each other, with
dead engines and anxious passengers.
Jack recognized the one headed for
the city as Ardmore's. He promptly
offered any possible aid, and his heart
beats broke all speed records when
the task assigned him was to take
Dorothy cityward lest the approach
ing storm break before the damaged
car could be repaired sufficiently to
make the trip.
With wicked thankfulness that his
little gray roadster could accommo.
date but one passenger, Jack handed
Dorothy in and drove off feeling
luckier than Aladdin when his lamp
was at it's best. Rejecting that
though Fate had snatched one oppor
tunity from him she had flung another
at his feet. Jack decided to wash up
to him to make the most of his Oppor
tunity.
Dorothy" he began, just as they
entered the park, but he never got
any further with his speech, for a big
limousine coming toward them halted
and Dorothy's father called her name
as he stepped from the door.
"Ardmores chauffeur telephonet
that there had been an accident so
started out to see if | could find yo'
along the way It's lucky we met her
in the light concluded John Leigh.
Jack accepted their cordial invite
ton to tea, consoling himself with
vague recollection of the allege
charm of all third attempts agains
failure, and he determined that h
would make a third attempt to pre-
pose before he left Dorothy.
Dorothy was charmingly flushed an
exuberant. In the little family grou
Jack began to feel quite at hom
though he was longing for an oppo
tunity to be alone with Dorothy, whe
frightened servant girl burst int
the living room screaming that tn
house was on fire.
Dashing up the back stairwa
where the frightened maid pointe
Jack smelled burning cotton. and
the maids room on the third floor /
found the Swiss window curtains ha
dropped in burning fragments upo
the mating floor covering. Grabbir
small rug from the hallway foo
he extinguished the flames startir
from the mating just as Dorothy. HI
parents and the excited maid entere
the room. While Mr.. and Mrs. Leie
talked to the girl, Dorothy searche
Jacks hands for burns. two of whio
she found, and she marched him dow
stairs to administer first aid
"Oh, Jack. It's too bad" she mu
INJURED in fearful voice, as she ga,
the bandage a final pat. Does it hu
so very much?"
Hurt? Why, it's heavenly, Do
othy!" Jack exclaimed. Dorothy wo
dered what he meant, but when |
heard her fathers voice on the stat
way. he lost no time in making h
meaning quite clear.
The third time charms. Jack
whispered Dorothy, "and I'm glad yC
didn't succeed in telling me the 9th,
times you tried. for didn't know u
til five minutes ago that | loved you
Copyright, 1915, by the Mcclure Newsp
per Syndicate,)