The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-16

daughter. and now she proposed to
adopt Evelyn Ames for her own.
Blake, who had fallen in love with the
beautiful castaway, smiled secretly
and thought that IL he haG bis way
the stranger would be his mothers
daughter, but she would also be his
wife.
And in the meantime the Workings
could find no trace Of the nameless
vessel on which Evelyn had sailed for
Rio Janeiro. There had been no yes
sells lost, and investigation showed that
there was no physician by the name OF
Ames who might be the father OF Eve
lyn. They advertised and wrote letters,
and in the end they were no wiser than
| before.
Then one fair morning, while the sun
shone on the summer seas and the
wind murmured among the palms,
Blake worthing told Evelyn of his
love. Blushingly she gave her heart
| and hand into his tender keeping. Mrs.
! worthing, delighted at the outcome.
| gathered them both to her heart.
II was when the engagement had
been two weeks old that blow came
/ TO Blake Worthing. He was prepar-
| ing to go to Barnacle, where the Of
fees of his fruit industry were stu
ated, when he heard a sharp scream
from the front veranda.
He dashed downstairs and found
Evelyn gazing. pale and wide eyed. at
the ocean.
Dearest what is the matterg' he
asked
| She shuddered and hid her face in
her hands.
"0h. Blake. have remembered"
| Remembered? That Is splendid,
dear. Tell me-"
my name is Evelyn Ames Mortimer
my father is DIR. Ames Mortimer Of
New York-and, oh. Blake. how can I
tell your Her slender shoulders shook
with sObs.
''Tell me-" he gently urged.
81 cannot marry you" she breathed.
"Why not?'
II have remembered"-tragically-
''You have remembered whatT'
"That am already engaged"
'You are engaged? You were en-.
gagged when you sailed away? And
you had forgotten that?"
She nodded listlessly.
"Then you do not love me-" he said
rising and drawing his hands away
from her grasp.
But she chung desperately to him.
"Ah, dol do love you, Blake! That
is the misery of 1t ALL look back and
think of Frederic Doerr, and wonder
how I could have dreamed Of marrying
him."
LET me think 1t over. Evelyn" said
Blake as he went away. All day while
he dictated letters or interviewed Gus
toners Evelyns pale, frightened face
came between. Toward night he Sent
a telegram to Frederic Doerr's address:
In New York, and the second day aft
erward he met him at Barnacle station
and took him to the cottage.
Frederic Doerr was q tall, thin, darl
man with grave eyes and a preoccupiet
manner. He appeared to be extremely
nervous when speaking of Evelyn, al
though he talked freely Of her father
DIR. Mortimer, who had been saved.
He told Worthing how the Mortimer
had sailed on a private yacht. and IL
the excitement following a collision
with visions Of Immediately sinking
Evelyn had been dashed to a raft ant
cast adrift.
The storm tossed yacht had reaches
Cuban port, and DIR. Mortimer, al
though giving his daughter up for lost
had made every effort to find her. l
was strange that the threads of inquir.
instituted by the Workings and Eve
lyn's father had never crossed.
"She has told us Of her engagement
to you" said Blake in his blunt way
"You win want to see her alone, sup
pose."
IF you please. think you and Mrs
Worthing had better be present" sal,
Doerr nervOusly.
So when Blake told Evelyn that b
had brought her fiance to see her ant
that her father was still living her TO-
J in the latter news was dampened b.
, the approaching interview with tn
man she had ceased to love.
II must keep my promise to Fred
eric" she assured Mrs. Worthing, a
! they descended the stairs. He sal
once that he did not care to live IL
wonld not marry him."
1r,A wuyNoo lv hut 0
arm frightened around the shrinkln
girls waist as they entered the Twin
, room.
evelyn cried Doerr. starting fos
ward with outstretched hands. "HoV
delighted your father will bel wire
him at once Of your safety"
: He made no attempt to embrace he
. and Evelyn was manifestly relieved.
: The Workings turned to leave. bJ
Frederic Doerr put out a detainin
hand.
"Please do not CO." he said, wit
embarrassment. There is something
must confess, and Evelyn win nee
her friends around her. am ashame
to say that''-his voice dropped a
most to Whisper have been faitl
less to Evelyn Mortimer, one of th
sweetest girls God ever createdi b
! lieving her to be dead. permitted m,
! self to be attracted by another woma
! and, to make a long story short,
am married. am no longer free"
Frederic Doerr did net expect Il
demonstration that followed his new
Mrs. Worthing clasped her hands ar
] cried for joy, while Blake opened b
{ arms to receive Evelyn Mortimer.
e ssWhv nohodv seams tn care vel