The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-08-18
bur ON An ISLAND
By DOROTHY ALLEN.

-
FITS a little bit Of an island, you
low. not large at all. Sometimes
IAN there's a storm the sea comes
AR up to the garden, but it's love
there in the summer. I'm glad
!, could both run down to see Law
hce.'
Gwen smiled at the two in the op-
site seat. Smiled deliberately and
m malice aforethought and most !
lightful impartiality. Flick Hab-
ton and Dolf Cramer returned
. smile each in his own way.
blfs was broad and melting and
tuous. 1t bespoke alteration and !
Ter helplessness. Flick's was full
a strange, cynical misery, as of
who would have said to the world,
Lo she has landed me. Behold me
Int and die"
''How's Larry bearing up?" asked
Dlf.
We'll, of course, he's not really fully
lowered. 1t was awfully nice of
bu boys to come way out from
e city to cheer him up. Aunt Helen
nd | do our best, but we're not like
en-. you know, and his own crowd.
la glad we just happened to catch
be same train"
Flick grinned out at New Ro-
belle fleeing by. He had waited for
ours, it seemed, beside the grilled
hteway back in the Grand Central to
eat Dolf, and had wakened to find
olf with the captured prize saunter-
he over from the ticket windows. He
Iondered how they could still even
reserve the semblance of friendship.
Mas it not he who had worshiped
wen Marquis from afar for two
ears? Hadn't he put up with Larry's
eneral pugnaciousness and loquacity
olely because he had sister with
face like an apple blossom? Hadn't
monitored Larry all through his
asst year, pushing him along by
heer force, just to win the conf
ence and affection of Gwen? Ali
his. while Dolf Cramer reigned in
lis own special field of endeavor, and
ook no more notice of Larry than
Il he had been midget in the ada
tent blue.
Then there had come the accident.
It had been voted a pleasant and adj
disable thing by the junior class to
place a goat of mature years and live
" sense of justice in the private con-
bultng room of the seniors, goat
dyed a deep, rich red, with black
horns, and it was done. All Juniors
had been warned to go far from the
scene of action, but Larry had lin
gered, being interested as the person
who had assumed responsibility with
the goats owner. And he had been
caught, felony in junior eyes. caugh
and taken into the private room ane
Imprisoned with the goat in the innel
closet until the quality of mercy
strained to the minimum, released
both
Gwen had come after the remains
Larry was not injured vitality, but thu
goat had not chosen kindly and HI
was bruised, much bruised. There
upon, Dolf Cramer had assumed com
mand on seeing the patients famil!
1t was he who devised the pretty tai
that made Larry hero and hid tn
goat from the family history. 1t wa
he who conveyed Gwen around tn
campus and showed her it's beauties
Nobody had ever suspected Dolf
esthetic tastes. He had been blu
and hearty through the long, san
winter. His class name had been al
propriated and, seemly, name suite
to his general temperament and mai
ly proportions, for he was dubbed tn
"Porpoise." Flick loathed deceptlo
in any form. He could not see tina
by the alchemy of love the soul OF tn
"Porpoise" had bloomed Hike sem
mystic rose of gold. He could not sc
any of this. nor even grant him pa
tial right Of way, for love did not Civ
him any blooming roses. 1t onl
made him silent and suffering, an
he took to leaning against corners
buildings, with face like Dante
death mask.
Yet he had not retreated. Vine
the invitation had been given for hi
to visit Larry in his convalescei
state, he had accepted, even while
knew that Dolf likewise was incline
Shall a man drop from the firing III
for wound here and there?
You'll both love Aunt Helen,' sa
Gwen. She came down on an ca
lier train with Joan. We just m
Joan over at the Pennsy this moo
1t seems as if you boys ought
know her. She's from Richmond, to
Joan Carruthers"
Then Flick turned his head al
smiled at the "Porpoise.' Did TN
know Miss Carruthers? The smile
Dolls rotund face became fixed III
Buddha's. 1t lacked spontaneity al
innate Joy. And Flick's humor ros
Il have never met Miss Carru'
ers," he said, but have often hea
her spoken Of. She was very popui
at Richmond, very popular.
AT Sound Beach they took the c
that wound along the shore line. CIV
said it wasn't very far. and then u
the little walk across the sand dun
and beach.
Larry had a boat that he USED
ross over to the Island in,
smiled up at Dolf. Dolfs stock "
rising steadily She kept near
him, and permitted his assistance o'
nfinitesimal pools of water left oy
tide. Yet Flick smiled at the far 10
Island Shnra linz and D0lf WAS pa