The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-08-31
1 BROKEN LANCE
0y STELLA AVERY.

$50 - AsoooAS3- rISuA Q8O pressed
Lorry to theSedge Of the clin, the
earth had given way and young Ora
ham had fallen 40 feet to tho beach
below. Frank had reeled home, still
intoxicated, to give garbled account
Of the affair. He had disappeared for
awhile. but now gossip said he had
returned to lay siege to Nancy's heart
while Lorry Graham was blind!
After Edith vantine had impaired
the news to Nancy she moved along
over the putting green; Nancy watched
her with ,wide-open, smarting eyes.
How she missed Lorry's tall, white
clad figure swinging across the field,
his deep voice, the IRE in his glance
when their eyes met. And now that
glance was dead-forever.
With . choking sob Nancy brushed
away the tears and swung . club to
her shoulder. She grounded It clum.
silly as Frank Edgarton's voice sound
ed close beside her.
Good morning. Nancy. Waiting for
me?"
NO" said Nancy carelessly. I'm
Just thinking about Lorry Graham.
They say he is blind"
Edgarton paled under his tan. He
was a dark, lean-jawed man with
onyx-black eyes and hair. His brown
hands fumbled nervously with his
clubs.
His own fault" he muttered sui
lenly.
What did you quarrel about!"
asked Nancy quickly.
"You!" he flashed back.
rs that the truth, Frank Edgar
TOM" Nancy looked him full in the
eyes.
On my honor!" he acclaimed trag-
ically, his glance shifting.
The girl laughed CONTEMPORARY.
Don't swear by something you
haven't got!" she retorted, and turned
her back upon him. Il pity you!"
They Say pity is akin to-a tenderer
feeling!" he insinuated.
It's sometimes close to contempt"
was Nancy's last retort, as she saun-
tered back to the clubhouse.
She sank down in q corner where q
high-backed settle hid her from chat
ting groups Of people. Voices reached
her now and then. Once the clear
tones Of Mrs. Amory came to her, hold.
ing her captive in her seat, an unwil-
ling eavesdropper.
Lorry Graham Is not only blind, but
he is poor as WE'LL" said Mrs. Amory
IT'S hard luck!"
"Poor!" echoed q mans voice.
What has happened to him? /
thought he was as safe as Gibraltar"
My husband told me this morning
that Lorry was bankrupt; that's all I
know about 1t. Isn't 1t dreadful, on
top OF his blindness? Certainly.
troubles never do come singly."
Nancy slipped out of the nearest
door, her heart in a tumult. Lorry
Graham not only blind, but poor as
well!
She crossed the lawn and entered
the estate owned by the Grahams.
Under a wide-spreading maple she dis
covered Lorry reclining in a ham.
mock chair and leaning over its back
was his sister Mabel.
Mabel saw Nancy coming, put q I'm.
ger to her lips and tiptoed out of ear.
shot OF the man under the maple tree.
Go to him, DEAR" whispered Mabel.
Hes awfully down and he would
rather see you than anyone else"
Nancy squeezed Mabel's hand, and
the latter went toward the house.
Nancy approached the lone figure I'M
der the tree, her heart in a tumuli of
fear and pity.
That you. Mab?" asked Lorry's deep
voice as she came up to the back of
his chair. Before her voice was steady
enough to risk an answer he went.on:
AS was telling you. NAB, Edgarton
was drunk-plain drunk, and he made
a sneering remark about Nancy. I re-
sented 1t. of course, and he threw him.
self against me and bowled me over.
Rather humiliating when q chap was
trying to break a lance for the lady
Of his hearth"
Nancy's hands slipped down until
they covered Lorry's bandaged eyes.
who Is it? Where is Mabel?" he
sharply.
1T is Nancy" she whispered
Then you heard what I said-you
know"
Il know-everything, my brave
knight" quavered Nancy, k1eeling be-
side him. You were breakinga lance
for me. Oh, Lorry, you can see-you
are not blind at ALL" she cried in a
panic.
For he snatched of the disfiguring
bandage and his wide-open and Iove-Iit |
eyes were beaming upon her with all
their old-time alteration, only multi
piled a hundredfold.
Why, of course can see." he
laughed tenderly. Who said I had
gone blind?"
Edith Vantine said -" Nancy's |!
voice turned traitor at this point. She |
hid her crimson'ed face against Lorry's
broad shoulder and abandoned herself
to passion of tears.
1t was Nancy who broke the blissful |
silence which followed.
is it true that you are quite poor
now, Lorry?" she asked falteripgly.
You know l have that legacy from
Aunt Hester and perhaps YOU"
Dearest girl" he assured her pas
sionately. 'if I had nothing in the
world but you should still be the !
'ichest man on eaHh! However, i