The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-12-01
Miss Nell nodded her head.

Miss Nell nodded her head.
They don't want 1t here"
Miss Nell shook her head.
"And it's murder on the high seas
II we try to raise it,"
Miss Nell handled the weapon as II
she had been used to shooting three
or four men 4 day since childhood's
happy hours.
Then, begobs, the civil engineer
can take the bullets himself. and
there he comes!" said the foreman as
he walked away.
The engineer of tho line was ap-
preaching in a buggy. holding the
reins himself and gazing at the good
looking girl in the rocking chair. He
stopped the vehicle opposite and
raised his hat. In response he received
a slight bow He got out of the buggy
and approached and observed:
Zine day, Mss"
Mot for putting up an old tele-
phone pole here?" was the answer.
He liked the girl and the answer.
He liked the way she held her chin in
the air. Her eyes were big and brown.
and they looked right at him. He was
young and susceptible. That is. he
hadn't been all along, but he was now.
He was looking at the girl in the
chair respectfully and soberly when
all at once he burst out laughing.
Miss Neil half-pointed the gun in his
direction.
why, it's about the old weapon I
was laughing!" he explained. ut
isn't loaded 1t Is rusty 1t has
neither hammer nor trigger"
But the pole shall not go up here,
SIR" was the reply.
BLESS you, is it the pole? Why, /
thought you were taking a sun-bath.
The Culvers object to the pole, do
they?"
Certainly"
"And you are here to champion
their cause? Why, If there is any OBJ.
lection to the pole 1t shall be placed
further along. Please don't sit in the
sun unless you really want to. l also
observe that the chair is in an awk.
ward position. If Mr.. Culver had any
objections"
He's a grasshopper!" interrupted
the girl.
But If his wife"
"She was out here fighting for hel
rights when she sprained her ankle.
just came this morning. l am moi
afraid to talk up to anybody. COULDN'T
have shot any one with this pistol?'
Hardly, and am glad it didn't &c
as far as that. l pledge you my wore
the pole shall not go up here, and yot
|. can retire from the contest with hon
ors. I-I-that is. 1t strikes me tina
ought to call this evening and SCI
!, about Mrs. Culver's ankle, AS the en-
gineer of the line"
"Has civil engineering got anything
to do with sprained ankles?" asked
Miss Nell as he gave her hand tt
!, help her out of the lop-sided chair.
only in the way of begging he
pardon and extending sympathy.
will place the chair inside the fence
and the deadly old weapon can be re
stored to its hook. You were pre-
pared to sit here all night?"
"Yes, sir, and for week longer
"Just so, but you are saved tn
trouble Did you ever see a telephon
pole raised to position. Miss
Miss"
Il know this one won't go up here!
'"That is settled. The raising G
poles is rather curious Performance,
will call this evening to tell you a
about 1t, and to inquire about tn
sprained ankle. Yes, rather a curiou
= performance"
"They have to get the girl out c
the way first, don't they?" was tn
impertinent query.
well, l didn't hear the gun go O
J and anybody scream" said Aunt 10
as Miss Nell entered the house an
. then peered out Of q window at tn
departing young man.
"Say, aunt, he was as nice as h
could be-" was the reply. "He ha
black eyes, dark hair. and"
"Why that's young Bob Thoma
the engineer of the road. That settle
1t. He'd be sure to call, and you
like each other, and you'll stay a
summer, and he'll be here half tn
time, and afore fall comes he'll as
E. you-"
s. Miss Nell put her hand over tn
s. others mouth, but 1t turned out tina
way, just the same and the old pistt
s. will have place among the parlo
II bric-a-brac.