The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-04-01
Mour's PLANS
BY CATHERINE cRANMER.

4
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Good morning, family" was Mol
lies CHEEKY greeting as she entered
the breakfast room. Mother O. mine
let's go away for month. You know
it will rain all through March, and
rain makes me weep more than the
clouds"
"Mollie Aihsworth! OF all the short
sighted creatures, you are the most
hopeless!" Her mother looked discon-
solately at the girl as she spoke.
with the most eligible man in town
ready to drop at your feet and with
the two most attractive debutantes
canceling trips to Palm Beach and
Aiken for fear you'll capture him
while they're gone, you want to go
away to escape the March rains"
Now, mother, dear, you're a jeal-
GUS, painstaking mother for a debu-
tante, and you're on the job every
minute. But come on, family, let's all
take vacation from our several pro-
fessions"
She included her mother and father
in wheedling glance.
"As for that eligible man-other-
wise known as Leslie Morehouse-
he's already proposed and I've told
him it's too sudden"
And as sure as you live one of
those other girls will catch Leslie
Morehouse on the rebound. Oh,
know men!"
They'll have to catch him on the
run instead of on the rebound, I'm
thinking" laughed Mollie, as he is
leaving today for parts unannounced
on a hunting trip"
Would you mind telling me what
you mean by turning down the catch
of the season." asked her mother,
with mock calmness.
Il mean just what told him, though
softened it bit, for when l saw him
with his society manners off and his
heart manners on, he did seem pretty
NICE" Molly blushed bit, but added:
But don't look SO solemn, mother. I'm
still one and twenty with beaus a.
plenty And, daddy, throw down your
paper and let's all plan out some nice
trip for fun instead of for form Aiken
and Palm Beach are disqualified, for
what we need is some secluded spot
where we can talk common sense with
each other and with our souls and
come back home better acquainted"
THAT does sound like common
sense, and I've got a suggestion to
make about where to CO." Her father
was suddenly enthusiastic. "One of
my clients has been after me for years
to go out and enjoy the big fireplaces
and armchairs and first editions and
mountain scenery of his ancestral
home that he occupies only about two
months in the year."
A few days later they made the pro-
posed trip. After their first evening
before wood fire in huge fireplace,
where all of the family grew reminis-
cent and sympathetic, and the eve-
ming ended with Mollie playing softly
on the big piano while all of them
Joined in singing old folk songs.
AS for Mollie, she reveled in the
many delights of the big house, the
wonderful view from its broad win
dows and the quaint caretakers. She
did not even mind when drizzly day
came. In the afternoon, she put on
long corduroy coat and fuzzy yellow
scarf and cap and went out for a walk.
AS she descended hill toward the
tumbling mountain stream she
caught glimpse, through an opening
In the trees, of some wild ducks on
the water. Very cautio lsly she went
down toward the river bank, but the
elusive ducks had sailed around
bend, and to widen her vision she
stepped out on the edge Of wet and
slippery rock. At sight of her, the
ducks first huddled and then rose in
graceful flight. but suddenly scattered
in confusion as shots cracked from q
clump of shrubbery farther up the
stream.
Mollie gave a start of surprise at
the first shot, lost her balance and.
with frightened scream. fell into
the water. In her heavy long coat she
was unable to make good stroke and
promptly went under. She came up
still more frightened as she felt the
strong force of the current. She lost
consciousness as she went under the
second time without noticing that two
men were running toward her from
where the rifle shots had been heard.
When she regained consciousness
she was being carried up the hill by a
big, strong man. whose face was not
visible to her until. in response to her
tired exclamation, he bent over her
and she recognized Leslie Morehouse.
"Mollie, dear" he whispered, and
Mollie replied with long sigh of con-
tentment.
A half hour later both of them were
in dry clothes and sitting before the
big fireplace. Mr.. and Mrs. Ainsworth
left the room to give orders for an
early supper and big five in the din
ing-rocm fireplace. and Morehouse
got up and stood behind the high,
wing-backed tapestry armchair in
which Mollie sat. Then he leaned
over and looked into her face, speak
ing very softly to her.
Hasn't this condensed our ac-
quaintance enough to put us nearer
the time when you will give me the
answer you withheld the other day."
"fe-es," came Mollie's answer. land
/ hplipUn that tt-ba