The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-11-01
Love IN A FOG
By FRANK M. 6IckNELL.

Jn1Q2 10 Tie Dllhu AalSh SSASA '~~
corner-for luck, he said. And Barney
O'Keefe, that husky, CHEEKY beggar,
always wished his honor good ana
plenty, and then a power more OF II
ator of that Maxwell was lucky IN /
being we'll born, in having his share
of good looks, and in being able to
spare from his prosperous business
enough leisure to follow Prudence
Hale across the Atlantic. But he had
not vet been lucky enough to per-
suade her to be his wife.
In the person of Albert Pierce, Max
well had a formidable rival AS a
fair-minded man Maxwell would have
freely admitted that Pierce was quite
as desirable q match for Prudence as
he himself was; but as the young
lady had steadily refrained from
showing preference for either sultor
| the two were now in London for the
purpose of further urging their re-
spective suits. All efforts at a viva
voce declaration having been adroitly
baffled by the still noncommittal fair
one, they had finally come to the fol-
lowing gentleman's agreement:
Each was to lay his heart. hand and
fortune at Prudence's feet by letter
and the two sealed proposals were to
be mailed in the same box at the same
time, namely, nine o'clock p. m. Mon
day, November rs.
Now as a matter of fact Miss Pru-
dence was honestly in doubt as TO
whether she cared more for Maxwell
than she did for Pierce. She rather
thought-indeed, she felt reasonably
sure-she would eventually find her
life's happiness in becoming the wife
of one of them, but which? Twice,
thrice. she re-read each letter and
strove heroically with her indecison-
quite in vain BY and by. however,
as the fog without thickened, there
came to tremendously enough-the
glimmering of an idea.
The Hales had taken apartments IN
. Sackville street. Maxwell was stay
ing at a big new hostelry in Northum-
berland avenue and Pierce at ia
= nous old one in Brook street. 1t thus
happened that the routes the two
young men would have to traverse II
J. reaching her from their hotels were
= about equally long and also about
equally devious. In pursuance OF hei
idea-an idea which might or migh
= not lead to satisfactory results-sht
y called up Maxwell on the telephone.
. II have your letter, judi" she tolt
!. him, yours and Bert's. Listen care
. fully. You will please leave you
:. hotel this afternoon at three o'clocl
precisely, and start for this house OF
:, foot. Walk the entire distance.
shall telephone similar instructions t
Bert. You are to find your way to m
through the fog,Sand the one who al
riyes first-well, l won't promise an!
IL thing now, but leave that for thl
III afternoon-if you don't both get los
in the fog"
ie The fog had thickened to a pc
soup" consistency, and vehicular ira
fic was practically at a standstill whe
at 1927 D. M, the Hale's parlor ma
TX. brought Prudence a card, and a
ue nounced:
"A gentleman to see you, miss"
in Prudence drew long breath al
M her heart began to beat with rath
'ig more than normal rapidity as she toe
to the card and glanced at its insert
ton. Was she glad or sorry to rei
nix the name of Judson Maxwell? Stranj
lie, though 1t may seem, she was not y
of sure of herself She was conscior
ay however, of wondering that he h;
he been able to get to her 80 500
through fog Of almost midnig
} darkness, and also Of dimly fancyil
that his greater love had served hi
Is as a guide.
"Prudence!" He appeared at Z
sh. door evidently in fever OF suspen'
then, seeing her alone, he came Il
ward eagerly and took her hands
his. Prudence" he repeated, II
cal first?"
his Eyes," she replied, you are first
of and now her unruly heart certain
eed was humping at q scandalous ra
not Out Of the dark fog light seemed 81
nct. denly to have broken.
ery "Aro you-aren't y0u-glad?"
DOT asked breathlessly.
the -I-think-perhaps-
AS answered rather haltingly.
par- Aren't you sure?" he demanded
in proachfully.
Gently she withdrew her hands FIR
the his clasp, and raising them, put tn
cas- about his neck, then shyly drew
and face down toward her own, now CT
,uld soning with a color that appeared
vert him of divine loneliness. She die
say she was sure, but-she didn't n
res, to.
font Pierce came about two hours late
ght. he had gone badly astray in the TO
II of but he arrived in time to offer
high congratulations, and to add, handso
ron. ", that as the best man had won
bride he hoped to be best man
the wedding.
well, Barney. you brought me
10 finest kind of luck; you were a fri
tne in need that time II ever there
ann. one"
ired Sure, yer honor, it's proud an ,
am | could help ye, though I
Gu nothing at all | done worth ment
iaio With me goin' over the route an
past the young leddy's house twi'