The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-01
spent August with her family by the

49, e~es~~S - 49,
| to the Bontines ever since he could
/ remember.
They got through the meal perfume
/ torily and when 1t was over the two
younger men went on arm in arm to
the telegraph office, while Pearl went
TO have q good cry" in her mothers
| room.
Dolores Stuyvesant walked . little
apart. Her grief was deep also; but,
az he had not given her the precious
right to show it, she would keep It
to herself. So she crept away to the
deserted croquet lawn behind the ho-
| tel. and sat down on q rustic bench
facing the sea.
A heavy step crushed the gravel
path, and hastily her. handkerchief
went to her eyes Is she gave q very
| creditable imitation Of sneeoe.
Then she looked around. Old Bon
tine was looking at her with eyes full
Of sympathy.
"Eh. my dear. it's a bad business
what?" And he sat down beside her.
"Oh, dreadful, Mr.. Bontine! So ter
rible for dear Perl. And she was SO
lovely about it. Oh. it-it-makes
me 30 unhappy"
Eyes. my dear. but she has to be q
soldiers wife and to get used to this
sort Of thing. It's worse in q way
for poor Spencer" He was watching
her narrowly now. She knew 1t. but
could she keep the hot blood from
mantling her cheek?
These war correspondents, you
see, are non-combatants, and they run
all the risks-eh, my dear, did you
say anything?" For she had uttered
sound that might have been q sob.
YES" he went ON ruthlessly, Its
such q pity, because he gets no glory.
But it's his living, he says, and he's
too proud to let me Oh, bother!"
he continued, as II struck by q sud-
den idea, why can't he marry? But
it's no use. The very fact Of a girl
having sixpence to bless herself with
would choke him of. even II he wor-
SHIPPED the ground she walked on. He
told me so"
He paused suddenly, half-frightened
at the effect Of his words. For she
was leaning forward now, scarcely
breathing, her great eyes fixed on
his. as she said. almost inaudibly. "He
-told-you so! When?"
Then he dashed straight ahead. It
was now or never!
why, only last night, after you
had all gone to bed, l chaffed him;
only my little joke. you know, and
he Yes" he concluded defiantly, II
meant to tell you this. 1t seemed a
shame to let everything go wrong for
want Of a meddlesome old fool to put
it right You-you are not angry with
me, my dear-what?"
And, with a silent prayer that his
Lavinia. to whom he had been faith
full all their welded days, might not
at that dreadful moment be looking
in their direction, he suffered her to
press her cool young lips to his rosy
old cheek.
II And still the August sun shone
brightly, though this time we see II
over London town. Yet smart cars
| | ahu SuiAlu6Co AOiiCu III anu Oul Va thS
side streets that led to the squares
and 1t was hard to believe that the
great city was as empty as the news
papers would have their readers think
1t.
| So, at any rate. thought Spencer
| Lathom, as q minute before noon he
| passed into the shade under the por
/ re In 81 nj
up to Miss Dolores Stuyvesant. Which
accomplished, this ordinarily self
possessed man felt SO nervous that
he actually contemplated seeking
safety in fight and was only indeed
stayed from making SO ignominious q
, retreat by the vision that suddenly
barred the way.
"Ah, this is just lovely Of you! sc
you got my letter, say?"
And here l am" was the reply.
"Come in right here" she said. theI
bit her lip. Now look here, Mr.
Spencer Lathom, I'm going to say
. what's in my mind. It's way we
have in Gods country. And. whatever
.: you may think Of 1t, know that you
aIO y 8cutIemdu duO Will say hOtuiue
to anyone"
: Not daring to think what this won
derful darling was going to say next
he could only feebly bow his assent.
= VERY well then. Yo do-rathel
, like NEEDN'T your"
. Like her! Like her! He wanted
! to fall down and kiss her feet, bu
he was not going to tell this Dollar
, Princess what was In his mind.
E you know you do! Why. you TOLD
= Mr.. Bontine 30 only the other night.
As his confusion became more evi
D dent. she grew calmer. 1t is a wa,
e women have.
: "Yes," she proceeded with delibera
9 ton, you also told him that thos'
blamed dollars of mine-which
}, can't help little mite, and which arr
+ rather nice after all-were in the way
r and-O. Spencer Lathom, Spencer La
: them. I'm thinking you're just COW
ard after ALL"
e But" he stammered, white as
Z sheet.
Put" she interrupted. I'm no
a anyway, not me. Spencer Lathon
q will you marry me?" She all blu
!. swooned. Then he caught her in hi