The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-14

flushed, too, as he entered the garden
and approached her
Miss Tresham?" he inquired STUN
blingly, IL"
There he paused There was turned
towards him the sweet lovely face
that the sunbonnet had hidden
Fathomless eyes looked into his own
kindly encouragingly. true blue eyes,
the expression of which he never for
got She smiled indulgently as he
faltered on:
Il am a poor man, no work l IN
derstand gardening. There's that lit
tie patch behind the house-potatoes,
peas. winters vegetables. I-I-would
work for board and lodging"
why, you are welcome to that
much. If you need it," spoke the lady
brightly. There is q very comfort.
able furnished room over the stable
and as to the meals-they are plain"
I'm plain man." answered Mark
eagerly and Enthusiastically
So it was arranged Struggled right
down into a nest of rare comfort"
Mark put it. He loved his work. He
loved his pretty quarters over the
stable. Alas! he finally thought Of
tearing himself away, for he loved
Miss Tresham, too,
AS to the lady, she discovered
traits in his character that soon inter-
ested her. One day she came across
him tenderly restoring wounded
robin to its nest. Then she learned
Of his sitting up all night with the
dying head of poor family in town.
Then she found who he really was.
The hero!-the first man she had yet
met who. sharing her love for fellow
human creatures, had devoted his life
and his fortune towards doing them
good!
At the end Of a month, one lovely
afternoon, Mark Paxton grave of face
but with set resolute lips came to her
! as she sat on the porch sewing
Miss Tresham," he said, Il am 60
ing away"
She regarded him sadly. She flushed
| as she met his steady glance. Then
she said softly:
Eyes. | think it is better that you
should"
What was it he read in her words
and manner that thrilled him.
1--WE are so poor" she quavered,
and bent her face to conceal the tears.
you cannot accept any more bur
dens, but you are the grandest man
! ever knew"
She grasped both of his hands warm
ly. He saw lovelight trimming over
in those lovely eyes and understood.
She ran into the house, crying.
Hello. I've found you." shouted a
sudden voice, and in amazement Mark
turned to face an intruder He stared
hard
Why" he observed, you are the
man who stole my thousand dollars
| two years ago!"
Better than that" chucked the
man-"the reformed man who robbed
you. A mcasly act. wasn't it, after all
your kindness to me?"
Il hope the money did you some
| good"
1T didn't" was the blunt reply, "for
| ! squandcred it. But when got sober
and decent again, | never ceased to
! feel ashamed. l went West and be-
! came n miner | worked hard and |
| struck luck. All along | thought of
my mean act I've come to give you
| back your thousand dollars ten times
over. You good, grand man-Ill never
| forget you!"
And, called grand, good man"
twice within an hour, as this strange
visitor departed after counting out ten
thousand dollars in cash, Mark Pax
ton took heart of hope
He went into the house and laid
love and fortune at the feet of the
woman he adored. He came out of it.,
his arm around her waist, and her
eyes devotedly devouring his raptur-
GUS glance.
Copyright 1916, by w G. Chapman)