The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-23
was forced to face a real situation.

little boy-but he was older than i
why was he coming here and what
shall l do? At this time OF night.
too-yet he is dying and there is no
one to go TO him-not one of his folks
Is here and there is no one to call up
on to drive me over there because
they would talk all the rest of their
lives about it,
AS Melinda talked half Historically
to herself she was dressing rapidly,
finally slipping into the GOODNESS of
ner black china silk gown. IF l am
dressed In black no one can see me
Tor the woods are dark" she shud-
dered. Il must take my pink shawl
BLACK would look awful to a dying
man-its so queer l can't think of
Ernest as anything except a little
boy!"
Quite forgetting to arrange her love-
ly fair hair which hung in two long
oraids over her shoulders, just as she
had fixed it for the night, Melinda
Chuny. timid as a rabbit. fearful of
her own shadow, hurried downstairs,
locked the side door behind her and
plunged into the velvet blackness of
the night
Woodside was a dairy farm and It
was situated at the other end of the
long strip Of woodland which had
been Melinda's dread in childhood.
The woods bordered her orchard on
one side and through the wood was
a wide. well-made road much used
as snort cut by automobiles in the
daytime. but at night 1t was not light.
ed and had lost none of its terrors
for Melinda Chuffy. Nevertheless,
she made directly for the road, almost
feeling her way until her feet were
set on its hard smoothness. Then,
driven by terror mingled with pity
for her old playmate. Melinda fairly
raced along the road, her eyes fixed
on the black darkness before her.
As she ran Melinda Chuffy repeat.
ed over and over to herself a few
words: He never laughed at me
when l was afraid-he always held
my hand in these woods-I mustn't
forget"
An owl hooted and whip-poor-will
uttered his cry close beside her; in
sects of the night added their chorus.
Twigs cracked. leaves flurried, and
the wings of night-lying birds almost
touched her as they passed Bats
! Mapped around her unprotected head
and Melinda alternately prayed for
protection and repeated over and
again her broken words about Ernest
Bruce and his loyalty.
At last she stumbled up the steps
OF the farmhouse and sank a crump-
led little heap Of black silk. pink
shawl and flaxen braids against the
door. There the Petersons found her
and carried her inside, adding anoth.
er to the number of their patients.
| AS they carried her unconscious
form into the sitting.room a tall,
broad-shouldered man with one arm
in a sling, arose from the deep chair
where he had been sitting.
| Another one?" he exclaimed, and
then coming forward and looking at
Melinda's sweet pale face intently he
stared up at the Petersons THAT
must be Melinda Chuffy!" he cried
taking their slender burden and lay
ing 1t tenderly on a corch. How
came she here?"
| Mrs. Peterson, a stout fair.haired
woman. driven out Of her few wits
by the unfortunate accident of the
vening that had made her unevent.
full home hospital. looked stupidity
at him and shook her head.
| Miss Chuffy-why I guess I tele.
phoned her to come to you at once
you were on your way to see
uer and dying and she must come
without delay. You see, I made q
mistake and got you mixed up with
that other gentleman who is so badly
injured-your names were all strange
to me and l did the best could"
"Of course you did. Mrs. Peterson
and we are all more than grateful
assured Ernest Bruce as he leaned
over Melinda Chuffy whose white eye
lids were pickering. do you sup
pose this little woman came all alone
through those dark woods to see me?'
he asked in an awed tone. but there
was no one to answer for the Peter
! sons had departed for restoratives.
Poor scared little Melinda" breath
ed Ernest Bruce, kneeling beside his
one-time playmate 81 wonder II you
know that you are true sport after
all?' Melinda opened her eyes and
looked dreamily on the face so neal
her own, so like the face of the little
boy she used to know.
81 got here in time. Ernie" she
smiled tremblingly, contentedly let
ting her hand rest In his firm grasp
II came all the way here from Ohio
to ask you to marry me. Melinda,
he whispered. caressing one of hei
fair braids Somehow couldn',
fancy any girl but you after all these
years and | was afraid to find tina,
you were married after ALL"
Melinda blushed and strange to say
she felt none Of the shrinking thai
she had experienced with those othel
suitors. Il never-wanted-to marry
anybody-before-" she whispered
shyly. Il guess ] was waiting FOL
you'll"
| nriHkiH1