The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-02-24

little solemn. You might go along,
| Steve"
The boy bowed with mock ceremony
to his mother. I'm not wanted
Auntie loves her own company. Be.
sides, it makes me feel like a silly
little boy to be nephew to a girl so
pretty that everybody turns to look
at her. If she wants me to follow
| as bodyguard I'll CO.
Orpha, already on the way. laughed
, him to scorn over her shoulder. NO,
I don't want you. You're too young
and silly. Besides"
Besides, she has other fish to fry.
mother. She is not the only sunset
lover that dawdles about the cliffs of
summers evening! Most romantic.
/ call it," She fed his impudence.
her sister and Mrs. Healy, and took
refuge across the garden. down the
path through the woods toward the
pretty lake. This time she hoped
Stanley would not be there. She
wished that she herself did not know
she loved him before he had in words
declared his love for her Sure at
heart Of him, she wondered wistfully
at his silence, her maidenly dignity
up in arms the while.
AS she Strengthened back to the
brisk lake breeze. striding off on her
1.-THE, healthy fashion, her mind re-
verted to Mrs. Healy and her talk,
which she hated. The girls nobility
rose high and above subterfuge and
strategm. She would never help
man with his wooing, nor hurry him.
by word or act, or even by thought.
If love were less than free and spon.
taneous. it was not real love, and she
would have none of 1t.
Then at the turn of cliff she saw
Stanley, and it came to her that,
unasked. she was going to meet him.
1t was little like showing her heart.
He had not seen her yet, and she
slipped back behind a great rock and
out of sight, ran swiftly down to the
sandy strip of beach and away from
him, her cheeks on fire, her heart
beating hard If he did care, did
want her. he could seek her out and
say SO, and until he did this, she
would not dawdle about alone on the
veranda; but neither would she stoop
to an attempt to make him Jealous
she would not encourage Hal Porter.
AS she turned toward home she vowed
a mental and spiritual VOW Of loyalty
to Stanley, and to him alone. She
would trust her love and leave 1t to
his manliness and discretion to show
her heart when the fullness of time
should have come.
The sun had quite gone down, and
the first dusk came, and with it great
peace and comfort to the girl after
the unrest of the past few weeks. In
this mood, Orpha came hurrying up
the wood path, aware that she should
not be alone, when she heard rapid
steps behind her. She quickened her
own pace, little fearful, but in q
moment the steps came closer and she
heard her name.
"Orpha! Orpha, wait for me?" An.
other instant and Stanley was close
at her side, little out of breath.
She turned, smiling slowly at him in
the dim light, looking up at the big.
fair man as he took her by the arm
with a deep breath of relief
why are you running away from
me?' he demanded. Cant you see
that some day am bound to tell you
that | love you? You have eluded
me for weeks, Orpha! Does that
mean that you don't-care?" He wait
ed, and she shook her head in denial,
JOY surging in every vein.
Can you love me?-do your" He !
caught both her hands in his and
bent over them, kissing them gently.
She did not withdraw them. There
was no pretense, no discrimination in
ove like hers.
l-love you-dearly," she replied !
irmly, but in low tone. He put an
arm about her shoulders and drew
Ter to him.
oh, my dear" he said, my dearm
Copyright. 1872 by Associated Literary
Press)