The weekly Corinthian., 1915-09-09

n
IN the air. She actually turned her
back upon him. 4
The third morning there was !
sheet Of paper across the mail box.
It bore one word:
Stupid"
Merrill went his way. pondering.
When his route was finished he
dropped the reins Of the old horse, sat
back in the gig listlessly and saw life
and all its hopes and motives drop
into a sea Of despairing gloom.
What does it mean?" he murmured
| dejectedly. Stupid - surely! It
was meant for me. but why? why?"
The horse. left guideless. had
strayed from the road into a thicket.
| In his present joyless mood Merrill
allowed him to Craze. His days labors
were over and he was in frame Of
| mind where solitude was a boon. Sud-
| denly, however, Merrill was startled
by the echo OF vivid scream.
"That is woman's voice!" he de-
cided, and leaped from the gig and
dashed through the underbrush in the
direction from which the cry had
sounded. He came to an abrupt halt
where a path intersected the wild
| wood
Miss Blake stood rigid with fear,
confronted by a brawny tramp, who,
cudgel in hand, menaced her; 4r.ss
| Out with your purse and of with
your jewelry, my pretty!" ordered the
man, and then he went sprawling at
a well-directed blow from the strong
fist Of Merrill and made off bafaed, as
Merrill caught the half fainting girl
in his arms. -
Miss Blake was hysterical with graf
itude, but in few moments had some
what regained her composure.
Il had just left Pearl-that is, Miss
Foster" she explained, when that
horrid man came along"
"Then perhaps that fellow has
started after her-began Merrill in an
anxious tone.
ooh, she is surely home by this
time," interrupted Miss Blake. Then
she paused. There seemed to be
something on her mind. She finally
placed a pleading hand on his own.
"You have been so good to me"
she spoke falteringly, II think I should
tell you something about = about
Pearl.
Anything about Miss Foster will
be of infinite Importance to me-" as
sured Merrill ardently.
"But-but it is a breach of conf
dence, perhaps" She hesitated. Then
she burst out. 1T was about those
flowers"
"Oh, the roses Miss Foster sent
you."
"She did not mean them for me-"
"Indeed?" questioned Merrill puz
zled.
"No. They were intended for
you"
For me? Oh, / understand now!"
cried Merrill in quick, comprehen-
sive gasp. "Why, never dreamed Of
such thing!"
81 fancied she would scarcely no.
tice Them"
"Was it not floral message?" init.
mated Miss Blake archly
"And the roses we're"
"a reply. In the language Of flow
ers-you should feel honored.'
"And Stupid indeed, was T." ex-
claimed Merrill, joyously.
"Poor PEARL" continued Miss Blake.
"She has been searching the woods
for some greWsome plant that would
express her heartbreak."
"She need not, if the assurance that
I read her good will Alright at last and
am eager to tell her how happy she
has made mel" GRATED Merrill in a
riotous fervor of delight.
"Suppose-suppose you come over
to our house tonight" gently suggest
ed Miss Blake.
Suppose l do?" submitted Merrill
hopefully.
pearl will be there. You can tell
her all about your modest mistake"
Which Merrill did, in a quiet cor
ner of the pretty garden, amid sleep
ing roses, and the Ginning crickets,
and the sweet white moonlight and
lbve!
T,hercuIous Children