The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-02-21
THE LOVING LOU
BY HOPE AINSlIE,

Those had been the words that had
sent Ted Rogers West, determined to
win out or die in the attempt AS
Eleanor said, he had dallied on for
years, expecting luck to perch on his
shoulder and give him tips on all Gre
alton. He had tried one thing after
another when he left college, and had
taken a postgraduate course in min
ing engineering tc be sure he wasn't
missing anything he might need some
day. ~.
To the family at large, he was q
perfect prince of indirection. All the
clocks in the world might run down
and Ted would not have noticed it for
several days. He disliked having cal
endars around-said they reminded
him of times Limitation. The really
great soul arose above such things,
said Ted.
But when Eleanor Wilkes came to
live at Cedar Grove she brought with
her new spirit of endeavor.
But Ted had been her most difficult
enterprise. He loved her. This was
evident, and he had won her in a
quick, ardent courtship that was char
acteristic of him. He wanted her to
give up her work and marry him.
ION what, Ted?'
II have a good allowance from
father. Well get nice. coy little
place along the shore and be mighty
snug"
mo, we won't" said Eleanor. 1--WE
won't take any little coy place until
you are capable of swinging it your
SELF Do you think I'd give up good
income for such an uncertainty, Ted?
OF course, if you wish to make sort
OF business partnership, l will marry
you and keep up my work. Every
one would understand why"
So he had gone West, vaguely at
first, with no objective point, armed
with letters from his father to old
friends in the mining interests. And
even among them he rambled indefin-
itely, first in one place, then off to
another, until he struck Panther Peak,
Nevada, and the Loving Lou mine.
Therefore 1t happened that when
Mrs. Chalmers heard from him the
telegram read briefly: Busy, happy,
new interest loving Lou"
kilograms are strange things-dis-
connected. mispunctuated, without
proper capitals. But when Eleanor re-
ceived another similar one the same
day reading, 'In luck at last located
loving LOU" she sat back at her desk,
looking perplexed at the sheet. Then
she called up Mrs. Chalmers and told
her all, and Grace, in return, gave her
her own blithe message. Il asked
Phil where Panther Peak was, and he'd
never heard of it. Maybe he'll wire
again."
Ted did. Even If Cedar Grove was
unaware of the location of Panther
Peak, yet there was single telephone
line down the mountain so you could
send your messages to the operator at
the railroad station, and Ted's mes
sages arrived daily and were full of
spontaneity and suggestive romance
"Tenderest thoughts engaged loving
Lou"
"Chief advisory engineer stay definite.
ly l.. L."
Eleanor did not answer the tele.
grams. Out on Panther Peak, Ted
waited yearningly. He was up to his
ears in work and enjoying it hugely.
The owner of the Loving Lou had
foEan IN
thing happened. One of the new cross
cuts in the mine caved in, with sew
enty-two men behind the mass of rock
and earth and Ted Rogers was with
them.
They wired for help from the near.
est town and Tuck Hanson. the owner,
set to work with a handful of seven
teen men to dig them out. The second
day brought up more helpers, but the
rock stood in their way and they were
afraid to blast. And just as the morn
ing Of the third day broke in glory,
Hanson, haggard and gaunt from his
vigil, heard shout far below the
camp, long faint halloo, and he saw
men crawling out of the ground like
ants, led by Ted Rogers.
II knew every rock grade and earth
layer in that cross cut" said Ted
weakly, when they laid him down on a
cot in the big provision tent. 1--WE
couldn't get past the rock. but we bur-
rowed out the other way. Awfully
sorry to have put you to SO much trou-
hla Hanson old man
Hanson heard him and stared. Then
he gripped the white hand on the
blanket.
Sorry! Why. you old idiot, you can
have the whole blame mine II you like
it! Don't you know when you're
hero?"
Back at Cedar Grove, Eleanor stared
at telegram that night:
Loving Lou caved in some hurt got
half interest in mine come as soon as
possible"
Isn't it just like Ted" said Eleanor
when she understood, smilingly, ito
make a failure Of everything and turn
out hero?"
Copyright, 1916, by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate.)
From Our New Primer.
Why is the poor woman crying?
Because. although bride Of BUT