The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-28
BERTHE SWIMs
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

see-you might get a ticket for
Beechmont. Mrs. Harding-Haines, the
sculptor. is doing a group for some
thing or other and is going to give
the proceeds to the dog hospital.
Something like that, anyway. Engi-
neer an interview with the lady Take
a camera. There. get along now"
Bert's rebellion boiled over in the
corridor.
What's all this about?" inquired a
feminine voice behind him.
Bert turned smiling to the girl
They went down to the street to-
gether. Say. BERTHE, I'm leaving
"Why?"
She laughed a little slyly. "Oh, I'm
like the little boy in the poem
I've got the hives
And new straw hat,
And I'm goin' back home
Where my beau lives at
He stopped as though a bullet had
put hole in vital spot. Il con-
graduate you, Molly he managed to
get out. hadn't an idea you were
| engaged
"Well-Im not exactly! l guess
| shouldn't have said that. But mother
is making an awful fuss about my do.
ing newspaper work and insists upon
my going home and marrying a man
she's picked for me-.
And you?
She sighed. I'm going to look him
over. If he suits my fancy l may"
A hour later, the young man found
himself unloaded at the entrance gate
to the Harding Haines place. He had
preferred walking the quarter mile to
the house to get few pictures of the
grounds.
He had passed a group of elms, a
wonderful shrubbery, and an Italian
garden. and was approaching a per
COLA, when he spied swimming pool
cool, marble lined and inviting. He
looked around Things were quiet. ex
cept for a woodpecker hammerinl
near, and somewhere in the distance
the dull hum of grass mower.
He was hot and dusty and evel
since his tall; with Molly there hat
been a queer feeling in his head. The
solitude of the place spelled safety
Why not take plunge? So in few
minutes he was in the bath, his clothes
and camera slowed away beneath ;
hydrangea.
The water was soothingly refresh
ing and he swan slowly around, keep
ing close to the shadow of overhang
ing shrubs And then-as he nearet
, the place from which he had started
! he heard voice, woman's, quit
: close:
Here, Jenkins, put the tea Wagon
, by this stone bench. I'll wait here 70
Miss Mary"
, Bert thought of his clothes. not fiv
, feet from the bench, and danger Of dir
covery became imminent when tn
4 same person remarked: when 20
20 back, jenkins, send Green to me
These shrubs are entirely too thicl
? They need thinning around the water
> You may CO."
!, Bert shivered The water becam
, cold as the situation grew warn
jenkins retreated and the voice spok
: no more, but Bert knew that madam
, probably Mrs. Harding Haines herself
was seated so near that he could hav
touched her"
[ Then Mary" arrived. A car cam
r rapidly up the drive and stopped. Nov
! was the accepted time and Bert wa
about to make a grab for his clothe
when Green appeared upon the or
posite side of the pool. There wa
nothing for 1t but to drop quickly bacI
bushes.
But in the instant something ha
happened. Bert had seen the girl, Hi
heart nearly stopped beating. 70
Mary" was his Molly.
But bark, Madam was talking. Al
unwilling eavesdropper, Bert couldn'
help hearing.
Mary, now that you have had you
own way and earned your own brea'
for year and lived real life, as yo'
call it. I want you to consider what
say When you were quite tiny, and I
certain young man also was quit
small, his mother and ! betrothe'
you two. I've never mentioned 1t To-
several reasons. Partly because
changed my mind, as his family los
every cent of their money. But hi
mother was my best friend and thinl
I've done wrong in waiting II | pro
duce him, won't you try to like him 2
DO | know him? What is his name
MOTHER"
"Bertram Van Buren,
Mother"
Just then Green's quick eye noticed
a splash, and he exclaimed excitedly:
Madam, there's a man in the water
II you and Miss Mary will please &C
away, I'll call Jenkins and pull him
out"
4 Mrs. Harding Haines rose quickly
Heavens, Come along to the house
Mary I'll call up the police instantly. .
But Molly, recovered OF one shock
was to have another. She had spied
the end CT wellknown cravat pro
truding from a bush beside her ard
beside it camera she had often used
herself on her travels. She smiled
and covertly blew them a kiss.
oh, don't. mother," she pleaded.
It's some poor fellow Just wandered
in to get cool Let him go-do, II
you promise, Tll-I'll marry Mr.. Ber-