The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-04
The LANDLORD
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

90 WlIU Dldck duudS anu Ills WIG,
Violet, she had managed to get china,
rugs and furniture into shape for
transportation across the city to the
coy new bungalow in the hillside
above the river.
For days Cornelia had secured
agencies and scanned lists, waded
through mud and lost her way, ruined
clothes and caught colds, and alto
gether 1t had been a most dishearten-
ing process. But her courage re-
manned mistaken and her will at last
found a way, for one day she came
across what she wanted-exactlyi A
bungalow on a hillside with superb
view of the river. This was no mere
house, 1t was explained to her at the
Office, the owner having built it for
himself, but he was an Englishman
and had gone to war and was now
somewhere In the trenches in France.
Moving day came. Cornelia rose at
six and after a hurried breakfast took
the car to her future home.
The conductor began to call sta
lions instead of streets. At one of
these Cornelia got off and made her
way along the roads toward the haven
on the hill that was to be her home.
She mounted the steps of the ter
race and took out her key. Then the
hum of powerful motor caught her
ear. Down the road were coming two
Then around the corner of the house
came a man who called, Hello, Dor
CANT Come on and help me get a
door open. forgot to get the keys ~
Then, seeing Cornelia with her key in
the lock, he hurried up the steps.
81 don't quite understand" said
Cornelia. II rented this house week
ing. There seems to be some mis-
take"
The man regarded her quietly for a
minute. She was very pretty, was
Cornelia-very-and one would have
said that his mind was not entirely
upon the fact that someone else was
trying to move into the same domicile
with himself.
"What shall we do to McAlpin &
Coz" asked the man quietly. "They
assured me the property was without
tenant and that / could certainly
move in. However. to annihilate them
won't help hatters much, will it? And
for us to demolish one another
wouldn't do either, would it, because
he paused an instant "well, be-
cause it wouldn't. You said we were
moving in. That implies a family?'
"Yes, my father and mother and
brother. am Cornelia Anderson
$50, you see to do away with you
still leaves father and mother and
Brother. Now with me it's different
I'm alone! And if you win only look
at me with little more tolerance l
will beat hasty retreat and take my
cook stove and rocking chairs along
with me-"
Cornelia, completely Modified, held
out the key. "Under the circum-
stances we have no more right to the
house than you have. l can't possibly
move our furniture into it knowing
that | am leaving an American and a
gentleman out in the cold without any
home"
They laughed together. But" he
protested, you wouldn't exactly be
leaving me without home. / really
was only going to use the place as a
sort of storage house for my things
for the time being-not home, you
see, At least for some time to come.
Besides, I'm not altogether an Ameri-
can gentleman. I'm an English sol
dier just now"
Then you-then this is your house.
You are my landlord?"
Don't call me that please-it
sounds so unfriendly."
But the house is yours! They told
me all about you at the officel"
True enough But that hasn't any
thing to do with the case. I'm home
on sick leave. I'm going back soon.
All I'm doing now is to make havoc
of other peoples plans. SO I'm better
out of the way"
Cornelia thought a minute. Then,
There's an immense attic! Would
that be of any use?n
He caught her meaning. That's a
bully idea Don't you need 1.-THE
garnet, 1 meant"
NO indeed We'd be glad to have
you use it'll"
Thanks, awfully. Then it's set
tied. I'll tell Dorgan he can put the
things In. l must be of on the one
o'clock train and I've some business
TO attend to before leave"
Cornelia was silent. Try as she
would, she could think of nothing to
say in parting. But the soldier went
on: "Will you come to the end of the
yeranda with me. where there is a
, better view of the river?"
She went with him.
"a soldier in active service cannot
afford to lose a minute. Don't think
mo nhrtlpf IL t-o,. s,n~ HI. :. -.