The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-02-24
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THE t0ITERER
BY lola FORESTER.

waited for you to make good IL l
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 a 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 a strange dearth Of
clients.
Il cannot invent cases, Edith" he
did manage to say.
iii tell you one right now, that l
would love if l were lawyer. And
I'd love you, too, if you could win 1t.
/ 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 it 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
it was his father. He turned off at
the corner and made for his fathers
offices.
The old man was cheerful and
amused.
You're all right. Bill" he said, but
I'd prefer to have you keep out of It..
Casey's agreed to accept two hundred
cash."
He'll drink it up in month, an
swered Bill thoughtfully. Where
does the girl come in. It's her foot
that got run over, not Casey's, dad"
Don't get sentimental, boy" Mr..
Ronalds patted him 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 got
up beauty, with the assistance Of
college pal, chap who had hung
up his doctors sign about the same
time with Bills. Bills family treated
him with grieved silence, but Edith's
smile when they met compensated for
anything else.
you've stopped lettering, haven't
you, Bill, dear?" she said. Il hope
you win"
Don't you forget your promise IL l
do" answered Bill firmly
The company offered to settle for
five hundred, and Bill smiled. The &C
acknowledgement Of liability pleased
him, but he wanted more. Casey him.
self came around and ordered him to
get off the case, but Bill had had the
papers made out for Kitty with Edith
appointed as court guardian, and 1t
cut the old man out.
The day Of the trial, the last one to
step into the crowded courtroom was
old man Ronalds. He sat in back seat
and listened to his boy open the case.
Kitty, nine years old, thin and freck-
led, sat beside her mother and Edith.
When she started amid dead silence
for the witness chair, dragging her
foot as she walked, Ronalds put his
hand over his eyes, But he took It
down again. Bills voice rang out In
the courtroom. and the company's
lawyer, a stolid old ex-judge, came
back slowly But Just the picture Of
Kitty was enough. and everybody in
the town knew the case as we'll as
the lawyers. Bill slammed in heavily
on the Waterman demanded by the
citizens on the school crossings, and
his best witness was the motor man on
the other side. Under Bills cross ex'
animation. conducted almost gently, he
lost his head and called out that II
wasn't his fault anyhow. He said there
wasn't man in the cars that didn't
dread those down grades, and their
orders were to keep to schedule time
'Bill WINS said the old man, under
his breath. and his eyes sparkled, too
as he watched the boy stand there
hammering down the arguments of old
Judge Wallace.
The verdict was three thousand dol
lars. Some blame attached to Kitty
for lack Of care in playing on the
streets, they held, but three thousand
was a fair and moderate amount
Edith had one arm around Kittys
shoulders when Bill walked over. He
didn't dare look even at the old man
himself. But he was being congrat.
ulated by everybody on his first case
and his courage in pushing it, Edith
smiled up at him. her blue eyes full
Of happy tears.
I'm marry you at Easter, Bill, she
said softly.
And suddenly old Ronalds made his
way toward them. and took Bills hand
in a firm grip, one hand on his shout.
der
"All to the good. Bill he said I'D
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