The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-10-19


to the gathering storm that covered
the western sky. Now and then came
a flash of lightning, or deep threat
ening growl of thunder. which showed
that the storm was slowly coming
nearer.
Mrs. Bowers. after doing up the
dishes" had gone to bed; not to sleep,
but to hide her eyes. and cover her
ears with the bed clothes, to shut out
the muttering of the coming storm.
But, as Mr.. Bowers had previously
remarked the storm was SLOW COM
in" So growing weary of watching
it he had gone to bed. leaving Heze-
the house, in sole possession of the
porch.
Hezekiah was thinking about the
conversation that he had overheard,
and wishing with all his heart that he
could help little Mrs. Bowers to get
the carpets.
1T nd serve Old Bill right If he
lost every shirt he had" unused Heze-
kiah, with little sympathy for his EN-
ployer. But the little woman ought
to have them carpets, no mistake
After sitting alone for half an hour
with his faithful pipe he walked out
into the yard among the trees and,
taking a good look at the sky, decided
that i'm another five minutes the storm
would break.
AS he turned back toward the porch
he was surprised to see Mr.. Bowers
emerge from the room door, closely
followed by Mrs Bowers A flash of
lightning disclosed that they were
both in their night clothes Mr. Bow
ers was carrying a tightly rolled bun
die of some sort in his arms.
Hezekiah wondered where they were
going. AS they passed out of the gate
he resolved to follow.
Sometimes he lost them in the black
ness of the night. and had to wait until
| a fash of lightning showed them, Mr..
Bowers always in the lead, Mrs. Bow
ers hating tmidly along behind.
Amusement foll,wcd mild surprise,
| when on reaching the end of the long
lane, Mr. Bowers climbed the cornfield
| fence. and struck boldly into the sea of
| leaves that waved and 1uttered with
haelike undulaiions in the colt cool
| breeze that had suddenly arisen.
| 1t was a difficult matter now for
Itozekiah to follow them, and quite
often he thought he had lost sight OF
them entirely: an unusually brilliant
flash of lightning showed plainly that
they had reached an old tree in the
middle of the field, and there they
were both bending over, examining
| closely a spacious hollow that the
tree contained While II was only fol
a moment that he could see them II
was long enough for him to note thai
Mr.. Bowers was putting the bundle
he carried into the hollow of the tree
This vivid flash of lightning was fol
lowed by loud peal of thunder which
seemed to shattcr the very earth ant
sky. AS ii died away 1ezekiah heart
one prolonged and terrified scream
| Then the Rowers were lost entirel.
from view, but the hired man was sur
md were going toward the lane.
TIE lin had arrived. and it bea
with binding fury in HeZekiahs fac
rs re stumbled along.
He struck cut throuah the cornfiel
and ran against the cornfield fence
He was about to slide over it into tn
lane when a flash of lightning brough
a brief daylight. Down the lane, |
| Illuminated by fash after flash of ligh
ming, the hired man saw Mrs. Bower
running with her arms and hair fl!
!, ing wildly, her hands holding two fol
ping rags of some kind, and her nigh
gown whipping in the wind. Closet
following sped her husband. Mr.. Bow
ers was gesticulating wildly and tryin
to catch up with his wife, who dashe
! along with amazing swiftness.
:, Hezekiah. between his own r
;, strained bursts of laughter and tn
noise of the storm, could hear, no
and then, scream of Mr. Bower
deep voice; and so he followed the
up the lane and into the house.
After Mrs. Bowers managed to r
: cover her voice she told her husbar
of his strange visit to the orchard, ar
how she had followed him and learnt
where he had been secreting the mis-
ing shirts.
Mr.. Bowers regarded her doubtful
:. for long time. His damp night DIRE
clinging about his shanks was got
:, deal more convincing than the expl
nations of his wife. There was
: denying the fact that he had been o
:. in the rain.
q wal. maybe WIZ walkin' in n
A sleep" he said thoughtfully. Il rec
! on | have been putin my shirts
= tibet holler tree and thets whar tn
% have been agoing. 1t was blamefC
a trick anyhow"
Mrs. Bowers nodded her head. b
N did not venture any outspoken cri
:, cism. She just Rugged herself. proi
In bly, to keep warm.
IS Wal, suppose | wuz asleep, b
in husband cried suddenly. with a fla
of anger. But why didn't you wa
III me anu llbN itllON hiiie
IN A shrewd look came into the face
IS the gro,esque little figure in the cha
err The glow that famed up in
10. vrinkled countenance of the lit
woman was beautiful To behold. I
+" achievement of life work could Ia
sv awakened little more satisfaction. NJ
at Bowers looked at her husband W
~. less timidity than at any time in
rs uneventful life of dull drudgery.