The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-12-12
ORTAILS?
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

Excuse me, Tom" she said one
day, "but if / am to be your wife
think l have right to know whether
it is to be months or years before the
wedding"
81 wish | could tell you, but can't.
I'm afraid you'll have to wait till | am
in a position to say Name the day.
"Why can't know what contributes
to or detracts from your ability to say
that?"
"Well, you had better not know the
many drawbacks that continually
come up before me. Naturally they
are discouraging. If told you about
them they would fret you. That would
react on me, and instead of having
only myself to bolstes up would have
you Also"
There the matter dropped.
One evening when he called on her
she was not at home. He called again
several times during the week and she
was always away. Sunday evening he
found her in. He mentioned having
called without seeing her and expected
her to give reason for not being at
home. She went on talking about OH
er matters without doing So He did
not ask for an explanation, but when
the next week he again found her out
every evening that he called he eX-
pressed surprise at the change in her
habits.
81 presume you consider" she said,
that you have right to know every
thing that do. don't admit that yon
have. We are not married and may
never be married. Sven when married
you will only have right to know
what l am doing provided know the
same Of you"
This was a view Of the matter he
had not considered. He was aware
that It was intended as retaliation for
bis own refusal to give her his conf
dence. and he had nothing further to
say.
Not long after this he took partner
in his business. Quite likely had not
this withdra wal of confidence on both
sides taken place he might have men,
toned the fact Of this addition to the
firm and given the reason for 1t. 1t
would certainly have been a pleasant
matter to communicate, for the addi-
tional capital brought him almost GER
tainly insured his success. But the
struggle was on between the lovers,
and one withholding Of confidence
brought another. She heard Of the
change in her lovers firm. but not
from him.
It had scarcely occurred when he in
formed her that his affairs were now
in such condition that he would be
pleased to have her name the day.
She named one year from the next
first Of January. in all about fifteen
months.
BY this time he was ready for any
counterstroke she might make In this
battle Of denied condolences and did
not ask her why she proposed to make
him wait so long. But 1t did not suit
her purpose to leave him in ignorance.
She had accepted the position of as
sistant to wealthy woman who was
president Of society Of suffragists
and In consideration Of certain ad-
vances made by her employer had
agreed to serve eighteen months. She
was busy most of the day and in the
evening wrote a great many letters in
the presidents name.
She had hoped that he would show
some disappointment in having to wait
so long for her, but If he felt It he con-
trolled its expression. He merely said
that, such being the case, they would
have to wait, but since a great deal
might happen in year and half,
perhaps it would be better to leave the
matter Of the wedding day open. She
didn't like this; her idea was to tie him
down to fixed day and make him
wait for 1t.
He did not call so often as formerly,
giving as reason that he did not care
to draw her away from her duties
She said that the correspondence had
been delegated to another, and her
evenings would be free. Nevertheless
he confined his visits to Sunday nights.
This status was maintained till the
period Of her engagement with the
president was about to expire, when
her lover informed her that his bust
ness would require a six months trip
abroad. and the wedding had better be
postponed till after his return. This
was a home thrust, but she had
counterstroke ready. She told him