The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-08-11
4 MONTH TOO EARLY
BY DEAN cARRuThERS.

Cicely Meredith re-read the letter
from the manager of the Pebble Beach
hotel. 1t informed her that her appli
cation for a position as hotel stenog
rapher had been accepted and that the
salary would be sixty dollars month
with board
Please report for duty May 49, i,
ended.
The Pebbleton station was perched
on a rise of ground and from it road
slanted down to the sea. There was
! board walk along the beach and
several great caravansaries lifted theiI
bulk above the high-water mark.
Il want to go to the Pebble Beach
hotel" explained Cicely to the station
master. Isn't there stage or cab
to take me there?'
He shook his head.
You can walk it easy, miss. It's
that last hotel on your right There,
hear that thunder You better wait
here or run
I'm rum" said Cicely as she scurried
: down the road.
She hated thunderstorms and so she
fed before this one like a thing pos
sessed of great fear 1t was with
shortened breath and throbbing heart
that she reached the last hotel and
ran up on the broad piazza
A jagged fash OF lightning streaked
the gray sky to the horizon.
Mercy" painted Cicely, her hand
on the front door knob But it refused
to yield to her touch, so she hurried
around TO the western wing Of the
! hotel ard discovered another door.
! The door was slightly aiar and she
pushed it wide ard then closed it.
She fond herself in a small Office,
! desolate and untenanted The closed
! desks and the safe were covered with
/ last years dust There vas curious
T, feeling of loneliness about the place
that frightened Ter
rs anyone here?" asked Cicely.
But another crash of thunder shook
! the building oh. dear" she cried,
! in panic of fear; what shall d p
While she quivered there. she heard
another sound-a sound of footsteps
echoing through empty rooms.
She opened one of the desk draw
, ers and CROPPED in its dark interior
! Her fingers closed on something cold
and hard. 1t was a revolver. A feel
ing OF security stiffened her courage.
And then the door opened and closed
again and another presence entered
the hall
| The man stared at her in open-eyed
amazement He was young and trim
with dark, clean-cut face, fine eyes
and humorous mouth
TN shoot" she threatened in a
small voice.
Please don't" he said lightly.
Then she added menacingly, It's
loaded"
Then don't point II at me-" he said
sternly. Don't be frightened. l be-
lieve you're the very person I'm look
! ing for. Are you Miss Meredith
YES" said Cicely, lowering the gun
I'm Harry Charlson," he explained.
MY fathers been away from his Of
flee for week and Just returned this
morning. On looking over his mail.
he found your letter saying that you
, would report for duty here on the 18th
, Of May, You are a month ahead of
time and so father sent me down post
haste to bring you back The car.
J penters and cleaners are in charge at
: present and some of them are rather
rough characters. We were worried
: about you"
But" protested Cicely. "Mr Charl.
sons letter distinctly stated May Is
| Mother and l wondered about it," She
took the letter from her bag and gave
it to him.
It's one on dad all, right" he
| grinned "He meant June Is. When
| couldn't find you ! supposed you'd
discovered your mistake and gone
home. was going around by the sta.
ton to inquire I came down in MY
motor. Where were you hiding"
Cicely explained her adventures dur
ing the last hour and then together
they left the hotel, young Charlson
locking the door carefully after them
At the foot of the steps a great mo
tor car was purring. You will allow
me to drive you back to town." he
asked.
Il really should take a train ex
! planned Cicely. We have given UT
our nat and mother is staying at my
grandmother's in Underwood"
Underwood? Oh, that's on the
north side about opposite Pebbleton
Well take the cross-island road and
make it in a couple Of hours"
During that two hours ride across
the rain-drenched island he told hel
that he expected to spend the summer
in Europe. After that he was to take
his fathers place as manager Of the
Pebble Beach In summertime and oil
their Florida hotel in winter.
He left her at her grandmother
gate. and with pressure OF the hand
he was gone. He motored over oc
casionally to give Cicely news of the
progress of repairs at Pebbleton and
one day he said he had decided to &C,
as clerk at the Pebble Beach tina,
summer.
But | thought you were going tc
Europe" protested Cicely.
That can wait" he said slowly. A
nush came into his dark face. "rl
save it for wedding trip-some day.
oh" said Cicely and changed ths