The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-27
EVIDENCE
BY CATHERINE cRANMER.


to answer your question because you |
flung it at me as a demand to account I
to you in advance for my movements"
Now, Dot, you can't think that; it |
is all from my desire to exercise the \
right and the privilege which our en-
gagement gives me to protect you
Protection actuated by jealousy and 1
intolerance isn't what l want or ex-
pect. AS for our engagement, why"
She began to tumble with her ring.
please, Dot" said Gerald quickly, !
don't say anything about that now.
and please think seriously before you
join those feather-brained Gilbert girls
and Charley Mason in a lark at that
public masque."
Good afternoon, was Dorothy's
only reply, but as the front door closed
behind him she crumpled up on the
big davenport and sobbed.
Gerald pleading failed to keep Dor
othy away from the public masque
ball, although she did decide to wear
a black domino instead of the fan
tastic costume she first had III mind.
The Gilbert girls, Charley Mason and
the two other young men in her party
dressed as a band Of gypsics, and they
were surprised and disappointed when
Dorothy appeared in her domino. Once
4 in the gay crowd, though, all entered
! heartily into the merrimcnt. Here
and there through the hilarious crowd
| other domiuo-clad figures were scat
| tered, giving a needed touch of black
| to the Kaleidoscope whirl Of color.
Some energetic domino-clad man UNI
| dertook &c gather all the doninces
together and line them up in meek
/ protest at some of the gayeties going
on about them. Dorothy was drawn
into his group, and she gayly, though
silently, tried to induce a tall, broad
shouldered fellow-domino to become
also fellow participant i'll making
things gay. Reluctantly, at first, but
gradually more willingly, the tall fig
ure began to move about with some
show of life.
AS the crowd grew more mirthful
Dorothy became less and less gay. Her
tall companion could see that she
was vainly searching for someone. He
squeezed her hand reassuringly and
broke the long silence between them.
Il see that you have lost your
friends he said simply. "Will you
allow me to help you find them or to
take you home if you can't find them?'
\ faw moments later, they were en-
tering taxi, to whose driver Dor
othy gave the half of visiting card
containing her residence number, hav-
Ing nUaGod vigorous negative when
her escort asked her destination. AS
they were whirled along in the taxi
the man softly asked her to speak tC
him, as he was sure her voice must
be as charming as were her grace and
ease in dancing. He even squeezed hel
hand lightly. and although she was
unresisting she still shook her head
and remained silent. This seemed tC
add to the young mans determine
tiCn, for he began to plead eloquently
but was astounded to be roughl,
pushed away with two tiny but deter
mined hands.
AS the taxi turned corner, Dor
othy realized that she was nearing
her home, and she quickly sprang VI
and covered the eyes of her escor
) with her hands.
Swear you won't look" she whis
pered hoarsely, and with those soft
hands pressing his eyelids, the mar
willingly promised. A few moments
later, the taxi came to full STOP ant
Dorothy electrified her companion by
kissing him full on the mouth ant
springing from the door the instant the
driver opened it.
Quite forgetting his promise, he
sprang after her, but took in his sur
Toundings with a dumfounded glance
About six strides took him the distance
that Dorothy had covered in sixty rap
i'd steps, and he overlook her just as
she reached the marble-lined vestibult
to her home.
Dorothy, dear" he pleaded, why
didn't you let me know it was you?"
Just because | wanted to see how
far you'd go in doing the very things
you tried to forbid me doing when
limited / was going to this ball." she
eyed him deiiantly, like a plucky fight
err at bay Your tender pleading fol
the sound Of my voice and your gen
tie squeezing Of my hand when ycu
thought was somebody you didn't
! 4
at least human enough to be incon
sisteat and also that you're not to be
trusted
(Which ought also to convince you
that it's time to treat me like a human
and take me for better CT worse. u
Then. very softly, he added Don't
you know, dear, that it was only be.
cause l wanted to lock after you that
| went to that old baH"
Dorothy had backed up against the
bell 50 that with her elbow she had
managed to press the button without
( Gerald's knowledge.
Ard don't you know" she retorted,
that it was only because ! recog-
nized YOU by your dancing that ! pre-,
tended to be lost from my friends and
enticed you into bringing me homer
The silent footman opened the front
door and Dcrothy vanished through it
with a softly spoken good night before
Gerald fully realized tho unexpect ID
good fortune that had come to him.
: ,,r....-,s--,r f-- ,.. sf.C-.r. Newspaper
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