The herald., 1915-07-22
LONELY Mr.. HODGE
ey cLARISSA MAcKlE.

, the fall term, RObina judd, the new
est girl Of all, walked about the spa
cious grounds with her roommate.
Let us go through this cunning
gate and see what is on the other
side," suggested Robina, when they
had come TO the end OF the evergreen
path.
Grace Barney glanced up at the for
bidding stone wall and shook her
sunny head.
out of bounds, Robina, she said
regretfully. Besides. it's private
property-a perfect ogre Of an old
man lives there all alone. | asked
Miss Lumpkin about him and she
sighed and called him poor, lonely
Mr.. Hodge-only, you see, Robina' he
happens to be rich
Here comes Miss Gerald" said Ro-
bina-"isn't she a dear?'
MY favorite teacher. She has
only been here three days and yet l
love her better than any of the 9th
ers. Sweet and sad and lovely-she-
she looks as though she might have
suffered, Robina."
The thought of lonely Mr.. Hodge
wandering about his perfectly kept
grounds haunted the careless mo-
ments Of Robina Judd. Some day |
shall go in" she threatened to her
roommate.
You will have TO prove it by
bringing me one of those weirdly
colored Japanese chrysanthemums
from his garden" Grace replied
Wait and see." retorted Robina,
and that very afternoon came oppor-
tunity.
Most OF the girls had gone for a
long walk in the woods, but Robina,
who had slightly twisted her ankle
in the gymnasium that morning pre-
ferred to hobble around the garden.
Finally she came to the door in the
wall-the high wall beyond which
lived lonely Mr.. Hodge.
The time and the place-and l
hope the man." giggled Robina, as she
turned the knob of the little green
door. 1t creaked dismally, opened, and
in the distance she could see the mel
lowed walls of a red brick house
bathed in the afternoon sunshine.
A gardener was working somewhere
there was the clicking sound Of a
hoe against stones.
It's jolly here" commented Ro-
bina, and she rounded a little sum-
mer house and came upon the gar
dener, who was vigorously stirring up
the soil in the bed Of gorgeous chrys-
He turned a pair Of surprised blue |
eyes upon her-twinkling blue eyes, |
set in a sunburned face, close-shaveD /
and square-jawed
Well" he exclaimed.
Well" gasped Robina. for she had
nothing else TO say. Then. with sud-
den inspiration, she added. The
are lovely"
Think so? Then you must have
some" he decided promptly. and,
aking knife from his pocket. he
proceeded TO cut a huge bunch OF
white and yellow and crimson chrys-
"Tou-you wouldn't mind giving me
ust one Of the variegated ones?" hes
tated Robina
Sure" he smiled down at her.
II hope Mr.. Hodge doesn't mind my
oming in here" went on Robina, with
glance at the house. You see. be-
ong to the school next door, and we
iris know about Mr. Hodge; and We
ave felt sorry about his being so
onely, and | said that l was coming
some day to see him. and Grace
AIRED me to come. I'm afraid I must
o now"
so you are sorry for Mr.. Hodge?"
aughed the gardener. Why"
Because he lives here alone-and
ecause some OF the girls say that he
ad been disappointed-oh should
OF talk to you sol" Robina suddenly
the proprieties. She
bought the gardeners blue eyes
Iouded, but he was still smiling.
Wouldn't 1t add to the romance Of
he occasion to discover that I am
If. Hodge," asked the gardener
almly.
oh! OH" moaned Robina. How
lie girls will laugh at me-"
Don't You believe that" he
rinned cheerfully. They'll be eater
p with envy at your romantic adyen .
re-
'Robina." ,
The clear sweet call came from the 6
her side of the high wall. !
Who is that?" asked Mr.. Hodge. 8
oking very pale. {
1t is Miss Gerald-our drawing
acher-she is looking for me-good. q
thank you." s
Just as Robina reached the door u I
'ened and Pauline Gerald stood '
ere. Robina rushed past her into
e school grounds, but Pauline o
fused within the grounds of Mr.. 6
odge, looking with glad. bewildered v
es at the man who stood there with a
tstretched hands.
Pauline!" he was saying. when b
bought this old place never e
canned that you-why. Pauline, dar- d
g, you would not look that way IN. j
IS you loved me-" O
ana when l peeked through the a