The Snowflake herald., 1915-09-03

deal to have been able to racall hi.
edict But he was too proud to do So
Secretly he thought a good deal Of
young Fleming.
+ Fleming had never crossed his line
The two men passed without sneak.
ing. If Molly ever broke her prom.
ise. the colonel knew nothing of it.
week passed. He chafed at tho
illness which kept him indoors. He
had obstinately refused to have his
crop picked. The commission men
were as bad as the packers, he swore:
he would let the fruit rot on the
trees, and cut them down that winter
for lumber.
He knew that a second year of fail.
ure would mean bankruptcy. The two
dollars Lemaitre, the packer, offered
MIN would save him. But he was toe
stubborn to make the compromise of
1925 which Lemaitre reluctantly Of
fered.
That was in February. On the goth
of the month a norther came sweep
ing down through the middle West
When 1t sent the temperature of
Louisville to ten above the weather
bureau began to telegraph warnings
When the colonel heard the telephone
ring it marked Is above in Nashville.
Molly told the colonel so.
We'll get gang and light
smudges," answered old Travers.
I'm going to save that CROP
Then you'll sell, father?"
mo, I'll let it rot on the trees. But
I'll have the satisfaction of letting it
ripen before it rots," he answered.
The telephone rang again 1t was
20 above in Jacksonville, the lowest
known since the great freeze" of '95,
which put back the orange area for
800 miles southwark.
Its 81 outside, father
Almost Immediately Lemaitre called
him up on the telephone
Colonel Travers," he said stiff1y,
"it's SO in Tampa We might have
time to save half your fruit with
smudge-fres I've got gang ready to
work at my expense if you'll sell at
dollar box"
"Confound your impudence!" roared
the colonel. Tell him that Molly!"
Molly softened it somewhat But it
was now 35 on the veranda. Three
degrees lower and the frost would nip
the tender trees. Six or seven de-
grees, and not lemon would be worth
anything but the flavoring in the
rind.
Its too late to do anything" the
colonel groaned. But I'm not going
to let Lemaitre make a penny out of
me by any of his thievish tricks.
What's that in the groves, Molly"
Molly went out and returned. Moth
ing, father" she answered.
II thought l heard a man calling.
You're sure it isn't Lemaitre's gang?
"Quite sure" she answered.
The telephone rang again. 1t was
Lemaitre your last chance, colo
nel," he called cheerfully. Il can get
a third of your fruit picked before it's
damaged. It's 33 outside my packing
house. The gangs waiting. Fifty
cents box"
Molly hung up the receiver in time
to restrain her father from doing him.
self bodily damage in his effort to get
out of his chair.
1t fell to 80, to 80. 1t fell to 26
that night before the norther disap-
peared Next morning was bright and
warm. But tSe colonel knew that
his crop was irretrievably spoiled.
Still. it's a comfort to know that
Lemaitre hasn't got any of it," he So
liloquized
In another week he was to be al
lowed upon his feet. Meanwhile he
learned that the frost had been gen.
eral throughout the lemon districts.
Prices had gone up so per cent. The
Lemon Growers association had roped
all the growers in the county and was
doing fabulous business. The short
age had enhanced prices sufficiently
to bring aff1uence to all who had been
forehanded enough to save their trees
by fires.
"Td have cleared $1,000, Molly"
said the Colonel wistfully to his
daughter.
When he was allowed out he limped
toward his lemon groves. AS he an
ticipated the leaves we're whiting from
the upper branches. But the trunks
were strong and sturdy, and the low
er branches showed promise of re-
naming sound. The colonel was not
slow in discovering the reason. Round
the roots of the trees were wrapped
burlap protectors. And not a lemon
remained on the twigs.
Colonel Travers turned upon his
daughter in fury.
who's been here?" he shouted.
TITS that internal Lemaitre. Where
are the lemons, Molly?"
Come here, father" said the girl.
She led him into the barn. There,
piled high from the floor to ceiling,
were crates and crates of the fresh
fruit-$7,00O worth, and not lemon
spoiled.