The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1915-08-12
THAT TALL, DARK MAN
BY OLIVE ROBERTS BARTON.

Don met them at the train - Lor.
ralne' her mother and father II
seemed centuries since he had seen
nei' Lorraine, of course, although it
had been but two weeks since she had
gone away.
me parting had been full of fore
Dodlng for DON. Such a trip was sure
7 70 be prolific in young men. TO make
thngs more ominous, Lorraine had
intimated before leaving that Signo.
rlna Lolita had foretold tantalizingly
| vague things of tall young man with
| brown eyes and dark hair. This was
thorhs ana nettles to Don, whose eyes
were gray and hair decided auburn.
He now searched her face anxious
iy. Had the dark young man mate
rlafzed in the fortnight's vacation?
There was nothing there to tell Lor-
raine was as sweet and smiling-and
bati1ing-as ever. He sighed.
He was asked to stay to dinner and
accepted gratefully. He had a dogged
determination not to leave until he
had verified. or dissipated. his fears.
Two things favored hfm-the moon
and the arrival of the preacher. The
back yard swing soon had two occu-
pants.
Lorraine suddenly became talkative.
The whole thing was heavenly, Don.
From the minute we left until just
now"
"Thanks!"
You're welcome, grouchy! I'd
think you'd be glad to see me back.
Instead you've been glooming around
like funeral Well, I'm going to tell
you all about It anyway. I've just
got to tell someone. Do you remem-
ber about Sfgnorina Lotta-all she
said about dark man and every
thing?'
MOT" killing mosquito. what
did she say? Surely you don't be-
lieve the rot fortune teller gets
OFF,"
"Oh, but I do. 1t all came true;
almost every word Of it, You see, 1t
was this way" gazing rapturously at
the moon. when we got to Balti-
more the city was all decorated for
the big centennial. After we had seen
the decorations and all that dad want
ed to go on battleship"
well, where does the fellow como
in?"
"Sh! I'm coming to that! We
went across the bay to a great whop-
ping man-of-war that made you feel
all glorious and patriotic"
"But when"
"Be quiet! I'm coming to him
lot -
went up funny little pair Of stairs
they lowered over the side Of the
boat"
"But what has your brown.eyed
friend to do with"
"For goodness sake, be quiet. Don
You're worse than Prince barking
for bone. Well, mother and were
looking all around everywhere Dad
had wandered off by himself, and in a
few minutes he came back with the
tallest. handsomest. darlingest. brown
eyed"
Don coughed painfully behind his
| hand
Poor boy! What cold! Well,
as was saying. dad came back with
the tallest, hand"
II heard you the first time"
ooh. did you? Well, he was. And
he treated us just lovely. He took
lis lots Of places other people weren't
allowed to go, for he was an officer.
His uniform was gr-r.a-a-nd."
Silence
"And then that night we went by
boat to Old Point Comfort and Nor
folk. We were at luncheon In the
hotel when who should walk in but
Lieutenant Erickson. He took US
through the fort and everywhere"
Eyes, know. I've been there!
Then suppose he went back to An
napolis where he belonged"
"Who? Oh, indeed he didn't! Dad
and mother and l got on the boat
that night and went to Boston"
"Wnll-that's all, suppose"
mo. indeed! The best"-very in.
nocently-"is yet to come"
Heavens! suppose he suddenly
| developed pair Of wings and"
why, Don, you act so funny! I
don't understand you at all"
"Humph! Well. go on about your
brown.eyed god Of Olympus What
next"
"Why. that very day we were COM
ing out Of shop on fremont street
In Boston, when whom should we run
into but"
! "Lieut Jupiter Won Erickson, I sup.
pose!"
eyes," wonderingly. How did you
guess? And his wife!"
Ellis wife! His wife, did you say?"
"M.hum! And she was as beauti-
full as he was handsome! Her hair
was a beautiful light"
But what her hair was like Don
never heard. "You little tease!" he
cried, holding her tight to his breast.