The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-11-20

By ESTHER VANDEVEER

city alighted. rang the doorbell and
asked of the maid who answered the
summons If Mrs. Kerwin was at nome.
without reply the maid took the caro-
offered, the gentleman passed In, ana
In a few minutes lady entered the
drawing room. III
81 welcome Alan's bosom friend,
she said extending her hand. "Thougn
we have not met before, l trust we
shall meet often again. But l have
bone to pick with you at the outset |
why did you write Alan that you con-
| sidered him lost to you since his mar
riageT
Because l had other chums, and
have noticed that when married they
are not the same to me as before. Inc
wife has supplanted me-"
| "That I am not going to do. l shall
not step in between you and Alan, BUT
as one of you, we three shall be what
you two have been
"How can that De? 1t is not friend
ship between you and Alan, but love-
That relationship cannot exist between
you and me-"
81 believe it can. have been told
that after the honeymoon husband ana
wife become friends; that love changes
to companionship. Alan and ! are
friends, you and Alan are friends. and
you and must be friends. Alan has
left me to be gone several months on
business. He charged me before go
ing to make you one of US before his
return
ALAN charged you to do that?"
HE said: Win him over. my dear.
He claims that you have taken me
away from him. Make yourself as
dear to him as you are to me.
Ralph Dexter was puzzled. 1t was
not the words that puzzled him, but
the lady's manner. It did not say, BE
nv friend,' but something more
When the call was finished he went
away troubled. He had claimed that
the lady had stepped in between him
and his friend. Was he now In danger
of stepping in between his friend and
: his friends wife?
Three months passed. These two
were together In the same room as al
their first meeting.
"Alan will arrive this evening" sale
the lady
"Alan! At home this evening"
"Yes. Why do you look SO troubled
at the thought Of meeting your bes
friendY'
"What have l done?'
"You complained that had broke
u in upon the friendship between 70
~ and Alan. You have broken in be
- tween Alan and me. That Is you
IL view of It, claim that alan Is tn
IL same to me as before l met you"
~ 'Then you are devil
81 How so?'
e "Have you not permitted, encou
aged me to love you?"
ru Suppose have?'
OF "Yet you told me when first mt
you that you were going to make
rs. friendly trio instead Of duo"
Is "And have l not?'
IS, "Have you not? How do you SUI
as pose | can meet Alan, having falle
at madly in love with his wifeY
1T was his fault. Did he not te
it me to win you overT'
IT, HE could never have meant TIL
xt you should win my love-"
ooh, you men are very sensitiN
lat about your honor and all that! Yt
m, assume a superiority over us womt
that Is appalling. Alan tells me
b,s win YOU You blame me for doing S
When he returns, If he learns VIII
al has happened, perhaps he will-we
~. maybe he will say that we have act
,re very naturally"
,d- "You are speaking in riddles.
-ou you suppose that man will thus e
W.. cuse his wife for winning his friel
~. or his friend for winning his wife?
am in agony. You, who have ma
me love you, do not seem to have
in :, adequate idea of the enormity of 70
y offense."
-. She laid her hand on his arm SCOT
ingly; he moved away from her. S
took his hand and placed it about b
.oe- waist; he passionately drew her
vas him and kissed her.
ne 1T is enough" she said. II {
anu satisfied"
Satisfied at the result OF your de'
the isA weIa:
Ar .T0t ne tel! yea something. |
not .t,Nas VIE am his wifi
rest bosom friend Mrs. Alan is away W
her husband and will return with h
With tonight She knew Of your charge Il
run she had stepped in between you q
gely her husband and Alan admitted {
and she had. adding that she should m;
der return for what she had depri'
up, you of. So they concluded to give
she to you"
"You?"
she "Yes, but you wouldn't value me
ably less | made you do so, would your
own. Are you saying this to torture m
No; it is the truth"
weak There was sound of wheels W
arms out, the front door was thrown OF
land and Alan Kerwin and his wife
the ried in. Seeing the hero and her,
cross Of this story. they eyed them inc
,ssed ingly.