The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-04-17

'hele was no explosion.
Two o'clock and no rain, Mr.. Jack
yawned and swore, and Miss Kitty
yaWned and didn't swear.
Three 'clock-four O'Clock, Same
overcast sky-same clucking hens and
quacking ducks, but the first drop OF
rain had Yet to fall.
| Hang it. but this is the very best
sort OF snipe weather." exclaimed
Mr.. Jack as he shouldered his gun
and set out.
I've got letter to mail, and I'll
canter to the village and back" said
Miss Kitty as she ordered the man
to saddle the pony
Fate was planning. A snipe or
some other bird-one is not over-par-
tieular about the species-led Mr..
Jack a two-mile chase. 1t did so by
Offering him about fifty fair shots, and
of course every one Of them was a
miss. He had just aimed for his
ffty-frst miss when drop of rain
hit him on the nose and the longde-
ferred downfall began to get busy.
The old Parsons house was the near
est shelter, and he made for 1t.
The pony was galloped into the vii.
lage and the letter mailed, and she
headed for home. Half a mile from
the Parsons house. and just as it be-
gan to rain, the pony caught sight OF
a log beside the road he had passed
a hundred times and SHE'D at 1t. Out
OF the saddle went Miss Kitty, and
away for home galloped the pony. Nc
bones broken and no skulls fractured
but no one can take flop Of the sort
without few bumps and being muss
ed up more or less.
The rain was making porridge oil
the dust when the unseated and very
angry maid started for the old
house. She didn't intend to enter, but
to stand around until the rain ceased
She reached 1t to find that she mus
at least step into the hall to get any
shelter at all 1t was not yet SO darl
that she couldn't see her way, bu
yet dark enough for ghosts to turn OF
the current and open shop.
Mr.. Sinclair had reached the house
fifteen minutes ahead of the girl, ant
had taken a seat on the rotting foo
of what had been the parlor. Five
minutes before her arrival he hat
heard queer sound upstairs, but sew
eral of the stair steps were gone ant
he could not have investigated If h
had wished He heard rather thai
saw Miss Kitty timorously enter thu
hall, and he could not make out wha
was going on,
A growing from upstairs-a patter
ing across the floor--a bumpety
bump, Ghosts for two. The rea
thing and no discount.
Miss Kitty screamed out and fel
down the front steps Mr.. Sinclai
exclaimed, The DEVIL" and ais
made for out of doors! He saw some
thing flying towards the highway an
he up with his gun and fired. II
missed, of course, but there was
scream and the. something fell dowr
and the huddle was under his fee
before he made out that 1t was gil
in rain-wet and clinging garments.
"Oh, Mr. Ghost" from the bundle
"Who is it! What is IT."
"Slr, how dare you"
"You hid there on purpose"
And you came on purpose!
There was a moments silence, an
then both laughed heartily and eve
in the pouring rain explanations wer
entered into.
But there was surely ghost VI
stairs" protested the girl
"And will come here tomorro'
and rout 1t out"
Hand In hand, through rain an
mud and darkness, Mr.. Sinclair fina
ly delivered his charge into her ST.
ters care and then went his turtle
, way.
Now, then, Miss Kitty, you hav
had an adventure!" accused her 81
ter.
81 have"
"And l demand to"
"Oh. you needn't. l have bee
bucked off by the pony, rolled In tn
/, mud, rained on, visited haunte
house, heard ghost and met the ma
I am to marry. That's ALL"
And next day, when Mr.. Sincla
visited the Parsons house he foun
, upstairs an old cat with her ia
! caught in crack in the floor, and !
blessed her and set her at liberty.