The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-11-08
Eustace had been away for q week.

Eustace had been away for q week.
experimenting the construction Of
clubhouse at a distance. and showed
up at his Office to be greeted with
good business welcome from his man.
ager.
Quite an order. Mr.. Lee" he said.
briskly. They are going to build on
the old Marsh lot"
who are they" inquired Eustace.
his pulses ever quickening at any al
fusion to the spot where he had first
met Elaine.
BLESS me if know A city lawyer
has the matter in charge. He has
carte blanche as to expenditure, he
represents. He was hard customer
to suit"
How so?" inquired Eustace with
suppressed but vital interest.
Made me go over all our plans. Just
by chance / happened to unroll that
special one you always said would be
the kind of a place you would build If
you ever got that far. l told him about
it. He seemed to take it as an evil
dence that it must be ideal If 1t repre-
scented your artistic ideas, logged 1t
away to the city to show his client and
was back promptly. Build it, was his
simple order. Let Mr.. Lee give it spe.
cial attention from start to finish, and
went to the bank and deposited the
entire amount of the cost estimate"
Many time in task that went on,
as in a dream life, Eustace Lee won.
dered If coincidence, fate, were at
work that the home he had blocked out
in fancy, always with Elaine as its
queen, should have been ordered for
the beloved spot so dear to him. Could
it be that any of the Marsh family de-
signed to return to the town? He
dreamed, he marveled, he hoped.
A great deep longing was in his
heart as one evening he stood before
i the new structure, all finished Even
! the grounds had been renovated
: There. too. were the two trees, sur
rounded by a pretty parterre of flow
ers. Almost the tears came to his
! eyes, for all this appeared as the full
fillment of the fondest dream of his
| life.
The lawyer in the city was notified
of the completion of the house. Their
there came a telegram to the office
The owner of the new home would bt
down on the evening train and would
meet Mr.. Lee on the grounds to take
possession.
1t was beautiful moonlit evening
as Eustace walked from his home IL
the direction of the new villa. Hi
thoughts were sad, for the work hat
occupied his mind, it so reminded hin
of his lost love. The beautiful struc
ture and lovely grounds were irradi
ated with liquid light that lent ;
dreamy effect to the scene Eustac'
expected that the lawyer and his ellen
would be about the porch but foun'
them not
Then suddenly he gave great star
and stared weirdly in the direction o
the two trees. He strained his visiol
to view a female figure standing d
rectly beneath their branches. 1t wa
quiescent. statue-like, yet it seeme
to exercise some indefnable intluenc
that drew him towards the spot, Slow
" he advanced, nearer and nearer h
approached a girlish form robed i
white, statue-like in pose; but tru
blue eyes and longing smile shove
forth from the lovely face.
"Elaine," he cried in gasp, and a
most reeled where he stood.
, She put forth both hands. He wa
, all a-tremble as he inclosed them
his own She transfiXed his gaz
Thus in silence rapturous, intense
they stood for some moments
"You-you have returned" he mai
aged to utter, incoherenly, at last
r las you see,' responded the swet
tranquil tones of yore
( And alone?"
Her glance fell, as her face sal
: dened. A tear stole down her cheek
/ MY father died six months ago
( she said
"And-and others?' he questione'
, stumblingly, breathlessly.
: There are no Others" responde
! Elaine. There was only you. Throug
4 all the years wondered if you r
e membered our pledge. came to tn
p city and found-and found"
THAT you alone filled my heart
: ! cried Eustace. "Oh, my cherishe
love! Can you not understand tina
and, true to the end. had you passe
!. by, my heart would CULVER under yo,
feet had it lain for century dead
She turned towards the beautif
i, house, her face radiant in the viii
: pure moonlight. She drew close
closer into his sheltering arms, as 81
murmured rapturously:
"Your hOmp-minpth