The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-02-26
THE LO|TENER
BY lola FORESTER.

''Oh, / love you, of course Edith
flashed back holly. DO you suppose
for one minute that I'd ever have
waited for you to make good if
hadn't. Then talk and talk about faith
making one strong. Billie Ronalds. II
faith could have made you anything
at all, you'd have been master OF
men now. Just look at the way we've
all believed in you"
Billie stood. silent and erect, taking
his medicine as he always did. He
had been used to it from all branches
of his own family. but it was new
coming from Edith. They had been
tacitly engaged ever since either could
remember.
All through his college career Edith
had worn his frat pins and attended
all football events as his special guest
Of honor He had taken his degree.
and had opened up his law office in
the new building on City Hall park,
| but right there things had stopped for
Bill. There was strange dearth of
| clients.
II cannot invent cases, Edith" he
| did manage to say.
III tell you one right now, that l
would love If l were lawyer. And
Id love you, too, if you could win It..
l think I'd even marry you if you won
it. Little Kitty Casey's claim against
the street car company! She's just out
of the hospital"
! Pretty, wouldn't 1t be, with my
father the biggest stakeholder in the
company" said Bill, modify. You
certainly can pick winners, Edith.
After dad has been backing me for
years."
Then settle it for her out of court.
But go after it. She deserves at least
five thousand. Billie"
Billie walked back to his office,
bordering on the ways Of woman. II
anybody had acted squarely to him
it was his father He turned off al
the corner and made for his fathers
offices.
The old man was cheerful and
amused.
You're az right FIJI" he said hut
I'd prefer to have you keep out OF it.
Casey's agreed to accept two hundred
cash.
Hell drink it up in month, an
swered Bill thoughtfully. Where
does the girl come in, It's her foot
that got run over. not Caseys, dad
Don't get sentimental boy" Mr.
Ronalds patted hifn kindly on his
shoulder. I'VE attend to these cases
in our own way, and you're after Grim
inal practice"
I'm going after this for practice.
Bill said grimly. I'm tired sitting
around"
| The following day. Bill filed his no
tice of suit There followed request
for bill Of particulars, and Bill go
up beauty, with the assistance o
q college pal, a chap who had huns
up his doctors sign about the sam'
time with Bills. Bills family treated
him with grieved silence, but Edith
smile when they met compensated TO
anything else.
you've stopped lettering, haven
you, Bill, dear?" she said. II hop
you win
Don't you forget your promise II
do" answered Bill firmly.
The company offered to settle TO
five hundred, and Bill smiled The &C
acknowledgement of liability please
him, but he wanted more. Casey him
self came around and ordered him tt
get Off the case, but Bill had had tn
papers made out for Kitty with Edit
appointed as court guardian, and l
, cut the old man out.
Tho day of the trial, the last one II
step into the crowded courtroom wa
old man Ronalds. He sat in back sea
and listened to his boy open the case
Kitty, nine years old, thin and frech
led, sat beside her mother and Edith
When she started amid dead silenc
! for the witness chair, dragging he
j foot as she walked. Ronalds put hi
hand over his eyes. But he took
down again. Bills voice rang out 1
the courtroom, and the company
lawyer, a stolid old ex-judge. cam
back slowly. But Just the picture o
Kitty was enough, and everybody u
the town knew the case as well q
the lawyers. Bill slammed in heavil
, on the Waterman demanded by tn
citizens on the school crossings, an
his best witness was the motor man o.
the other side Under Bills cross 9,
animation, conducted almost gently. h
lost his head and called out that
wasn't his fault anyhow. He said ther
wasn't a man in the cars that didn'
dread those down grades, and thei
orders were to keep to schedule time
7 "Bill WINS" said the old man, unde
, his breath, and his eyes sparkled, toe
as he watched the boy stand there
, hammering down the arguments of oil
Judge Wallace.
The verdict was three thousand do
lars. Some blame attached to Kilt
for lack of care in playing on tn
streets. they held. but three thousan
e was a fair and moderate amount
Edith had one arm around Kitty
shoulders when Bill walked over. H
didn't dare look even at the old ma
himself But he was being congrai
ulated by everybody on his first cas-
and his courage in pushing 1t. Edit
D smiled up at him, her blue eyes ful
of happy tears.
t 'Tll marry you at Easter. BILL sh
I said softly.
And suddenly old RonaIds made hi