The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-09-11
Therefore when Ned Girard was in.

J 1lTdFu anu uOtulHg more. lie ulQ NOT
enlighten her or any one else that on
the successful management of a man.
ufacturing enterprise their future sta
tus in respect to wealth or poverty de-
pended. Nevertheless 1t was not like
ly that a girl of seventeen could be
dawdling through the picture galleries
OF Florence or over the seven hills Of
Rome with an attractive fellow Of
twenty-three without feeling any in
terest in him.
1t is not only the fact that young
couples travelling for pleasure have
nothing to do but enjoy each others so
cfety that conduces to their becoming
attached to each other. There Is some
thing in the novelties they see togeth-
er that adds to the enthrallment. This
Is especially true of Italy. The ell
chantment that prevails In the medic
val city Of Florence is enough to bring
about love affair between a Cyclops
and a Medusa. There is the river
Arno that runs through It, the bridges.
including that antique structure, the
Ponte Vecchio, and the historic asso-
Citations, all inclosed within circle of
beautiful hills which look as If they
had been retouched by divine paint
er with higher celors than nature is
wont to lay on.
And Rome! Girard, who had been
there before and was well versed in
Its historic lore, took the girl to the
Pincian hill and showed her the piano.
rama Of the city. the old Campus Mar.
thus, the tomb Of Hadrian, colossal St
Peters, fanked by the long hill range,
the Janiculum. He may have had
business In mind, but his tongue told
of the building Of the Eternal City.
Then he took her to the Forum, the
all the while he made these structures
live again with people of 1000 years
agone.
There was time before sailing from
Naples to visit Pompeii, where not far
distant light smoke was curling from
fire and smoke, followed by the white
ashes which had buried the city. to be
forgotten for eighteen centuries. At
Sorrento there were the ever changing
colors Of the bay Of Naples spread out
several hundred feet below them. In
the quiet Of an orange grove Girard
told the little girl his ''story." Natural.
ly she listened to it with rapture.
The ocean voyage over, the party sep
arated at the dock at New York. g.
rard did not tell his fiancee Of the bust
ness relationship existing between
them. He did not care to run any un-
necessary risk. They would be brought
together in a business way soon enough,
and then the struggle for mastery be-
commence. Girard told her that he
lived in the same location as herself.
but nothing more.
"Goodby for the present." he said at
leaving her. "In few days I will be
with you again."
Gerard on reaching home sought the
guardian Of the half interest in the
Gerard. Hawkins company at his Of
fee and In an interview fatty declared
that he would not consent to the gen.
tleman assuming control Of the enter
prise.
every wel," was the reply. II will
| not consent to any one else than N.Y.
self assuming the control"
"YOu are not the owner of the prop
erty. You are merely the guardian Of
a part owner. She may not assent to
your claim. II she represents to the
chancery court that she believes your
management will wreck her property
she will be protected"
"My ward has every confidence in
me-"
$50 be it," replied Gerard. risking
all on the love he had won. Bring
me to your ward and let her choose
between us. If she supports you in
your claim l agree that you shall be-
come president and manager Of the
company"
tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock she
shall be here"
Whether the strength Of young love
for stranger would be stronger than
reliance on an elderly man. her ia
ShSh oAothCi, uiu uOL hUOWs
but he did not believe that the guardian
would not long struggle successfully
against the young love. At the ap-
| pointed hour he went to Hawkins Of
fee. and the ward arrived few min
utes later. On seeing Ned she stood
for moment like statue. then threw
herself into his arms.
Her guardian did not then call upon
her to choose between himself and Ned.
There had been something between
these two of which he was ignorant.
Ned and his fiance left the office to-
gether and Hawkins proceeded in due
time to investigate what had happened
But Ned was in every respect ahead of
him. The lovers had no sooner left the
| office than Ned told his fiancee the
whole story. But this was not neces.
sary to win her to his purpose. Love
was quite enough for that.
After an interview between the low
ers Isabel consented to leave every
thing to Ned, and he was authorized
to tell her guardian that Ned was her