The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-01-03
An Exchange
of Tokens
II Was Made on New
Years Eve.
By F. A. Mitchell

see the old year out and the new year
in. Among them were Lena Wads,
worth and Frank Andrews. The com,
pany had not yet passed into the sup
per room, and these two were sitting
apart from the others.
"Come. Lena" said Frank, you have
put me Off long enough Give me my
answer"
you know very well why have put
you off, Frank. You are captivated by
every pretty girl you meet. If | said
yes, before three months had elapsed
you would wish to be released. have
no fancy for such an engagement"
TRY me-"
Miss Wadsworth toyed with flower
she held in her hand and remained
silent Finally she said:
II will not consent to an engage
ment, but ! viii say this: If one year
from tonight you can assure me that
you have not made love to another girl
you can ask me again to be your wife.
and | will accept you"
That's assuming all the constancy
Is on your side"
II think 1t Is"
The party was as gay as the supper
was excellent. The guests sat down
at the table at 10 o'clock and left It at
a. m. A great deal Of wine was
drunk, and doubtless great many
things were said that were not well
considered before the saying. The
party broke up singing "Auld Lang
Syne," and half an hour later the ban
quet hall, deserted, bespoke the evanes-
cence of all worldly pleasures.
At IL o'clock the next morning Frank
Andrews awoke. On table beside
his bed were his eyeglasses, his watch
and gold locket in the shape of a
heart The eyeglasses and the watch
were familiar objects in a familiar
place. But the gold heart? Frank
looked at 1t earnestly, then thoughtful
ly. How 1t had come to be with the
other articles he could not imagine.
That which had deepest root within
him first showed itself above a confu-
sion of happenings pertaining to last
nights conviviality He remembered
one thing perfectly. He had persuad.
ed Lena Wadsworth to be his wife on
condition that he remained true to hei
for one year. But he had no remem-
brance of her giving him this baube
In token of the agreement
Whence then had it come? Had
some one dropped it. and had he found
It? Had some one given 1t to him as
token Of something now forgotten?
Up to the present moment his connec.
ton with it was blank.
Pushing an electric button, he called
the butler.
James," he said, "when you were
here last did you notice that-that gold
locket?"
mo, sir; didn't see it, sir"
"Did you observe this table espe-
ciallyy'
"Yes, sir; did There was a glass
on 1t, and l removed it, sir"
Nothing else?"
"No, sir"
Frank thought for awhile, the butler
waiting. Finally Frank asked:
ANY mail this morning?"
Eyes, sir. One delivery about half
an hour ago"
Bring it up"
There were several Enclosures of
bills and a scented missive addressed
In delicate thine hand. Frank
opened 1t and
Dearest-I cannot sleep without saying
to you that you have made me, oh, ever
so happy. And / am going to step out to
the letter box right before the door and
post this, so that you'll get 1t tomorrow
morning and have pleasant New Year
day surprise. How can / wait till I see
you again? Come as soon as you can and
tell me again. tell me a thousand times
that you love me. l have your gold PEN
Gill; and you have my heart. May the
pledges they stand Cor re sacredy kept.
Your loving GWEN.
p. S.-A million kisses.
ooh. my good
Frank finished the exclamation with
a groan. He must have fallen again,
and this was the longest fall he had
ever made Who was Gwen? Most of
the girls present at the New Years
party he knew by their family names,
but not their Christian names. There
were Miss Willis, Miss Everhart and
Miss Worthington. whom he knew
quite we'll, but which one, If any, OF
them was Gwen? He looked for a
heading to the note. but there was moi
even a date. The postmark was nc
guide at all.
What deepened the mystery was thai
Frank had not immodera. Sly INDUCED
in the potent cup. There was no time
during the evening that he INDUCED In
lovemaking with an exchange Of
pledges that he would not have beer
conscious of the fact But here wa,
indisputable evidence that he had
There was no other explanation. IL,
went over every episode. so far as h'
could recall them, that had occurred
during the evening without result Blu
five hours at an exhilarating supper
party embraced q good deal.