The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-18
on TIE RIVER Bank
y JUNE oAHAM

Downright. 1914, by the Mcclure Newspa-
per SyndicateD
Going to be marriedT ecnoeo
Barry Miles.
Ned King nodded triumpnantiy.
Sure as fate" he smiled. I'll hold
you to your old promise. Barry; your
be my best mani"
Barry thrust out q friendly hand.
"Of course, you can count on me- oio
man? .Congratulations-and who Is
the girl?"
Ned redeemed, but his eyes were
bold.
Della Adams" he said carelessly.
Barry whitened and all the hgnt
died out of his face. Della Adams!
he repeated in a curious tone. You
are to be congratulated indeed, NED!
Thanks Barry. Remember, It's 10
be a very quiet affair-perhaps doz-
en- guests. Next Wednesday evening
at seven-and you're to be best man!
Barry did not vince now. u snail
not forget" he said gravely as ne
turned away.
Was Ned King his friend? Barry
asked himself this question over and
over as he made hiss way toward the
village hotel.
Surely Ned had known that Barry
Miles, the young salesman for whole
sale grocery firm in a neighboring
city. was in love with Della Adams
and Della could have told Ned, If she
cared to listen to something especially
interesting when Barry paid his next
visit to Grasston.
Meanwhile, Ned King had hurried
toward the Adams house and told
Della Of the best man arrangement
Ned! You asked him, Barry, to
be your best MANI" she faltered.
why not? He was willing. SAID
was lucky chap to get you-and
guess l am" confidently.
| Della smiled strangely. I'm going
to send you home now, Ned. II we
are to be married next Wednesday l
have a thousand things to do"
Della watched MIN striding down
the village street, his stocky figure
covering the distance In absurdly long
steps. Why, she asked herself, had
she engaged herself to Ned King when
she loved another man?
Because the death Of her uncle had
left her singularly alone in the world
and she had learned that Barry Miles
was engaged to q Drayton girl.
Della put on her jersey and went
out into October sunset The way to
the river led along q narrow path
4 ankle deep in autumn leaves. She sat
down beneath bending willow.
Two men were sitting on great nat
stone. One of them was young. and
the dark head was buried in his hands.
He was Listening te the words Of the
steFn:fzced- rector or the church.
I'm sorry, Barry" Mr.. Fraser was
saying in his deep voice. i've known
Della all her life, and II she said she
would wait for you-that she would
listen to your story-there must be
some mistake-some misunderstand-
ing. Have you an enemy?"
mot that I am aware Of" said
Barry drearily. Perhaps she didn't
care for me. hope you'll forgive my
whining about 1t, but l wanted to talk
, to some one, and what you've said to
, me has done lot of good" The two
} men shook hands.
Barry laughed uncertainty. II was
r so sure" he said, that even brought
t the marriage license down with me.
= It was sort of comfort to have It,
} you know. The firm has given me
t raise In salary and extended my
! territory to the northwest And
r thought could persuade her to marry
:. me at once
He took a folded paper out Of his
G pocket and tore it across. But before
he could complete its destruction
Della's slender form stood before him
and her hands grasped the marriage
license.
. "Della!" he gasped, falling back 9
step.
.; The girl turned a blushing face t.
the minister.
!. "Mr. Fraser" she pleaded, please
= tell him 1t Is all q mistake"
= Ten minutes later Ned King camt
!. whistling down the path in search O
!. his fiancee. BY the rivers brink, un
!, der the bending willows, he found her
!. standing with her hand in Barry's
while Mr.. Fraser pronounced bless
ing on their marriage
For a moment Ned watched them
"a Then silently, with CHASTITY face, h