Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-10-26
never have taken up my residence here

with one exception" she quickly re-
sponded and ran to open a door of the
house. Released, a ferocious looking
bulldog bore down upon him, to be in
stantly recalled by the girls low spok-
en- Its all right, Bob"
my body guard" she explained smil-
ingly. And If Bob had not been
locked up for punishment you would
not be in the garden this moment"
Lucky for me-" said Jack, that he
was locked up. Perhaps he'd like me
to vacate now. Do you think"-his
eyes met hers pleadingly-..that you
could persuade him to let me stay just
a little while? This place breathes
peace to my troubled spirit"
"TroubledY' Her pretty brows went
up inquiringly. I'VE like to help peo-
pie In trouble, but
"You can" he added quickly, "if you
will divert my mind by telling how you
come to be here alone in this great
deserted place, why red, white and
blue flowers are heaped about you and
Why
The girl threw out her hands, while
the dog grumblingly stretched himself
at her feet. Zone thing at a time," she
protested. AS to the great deserted
place. it has been fought over SO long
by disputing heirs that it is mine now,
being the last surviving relative, with
no heirs left to dispute. And, being
tired of %aloneness In the city, l con-
ceived the idea of trying 1t here in the
country. We have no funds for men,
servants, maidservants or repairs, so
Bob and / are doing very nicely by
ourselves. We've made part of the
house p~resentable and have started ON
this corner of the garden. AS to the
flowers, there is to be a patriotic meet
ing in the village hall tonight in honor
of the brave boys who are leaving for
war, and l am going fairly to border
the platform In fragrant red, white and
blue" She bent quickly to pick up a
bundle of knitting, and her lovely bright
eyes flashed at him over the needles.
"Oh, If I'd been a mani" she said.
eff only l might have been a man, to
be of some use to my country! l sit
here and knit for the soldiers; l wind
pounds and pounds of bandages; l tie
red, white and blue flowers to show my
patriotism. But what does it all
amount top She put the knitting
aside, with a sigh. "You," she asked
almost anxiously-"you have been
drafted?" The glow of her eyes seem
ed to have entered Jack Williams soul.
The thrilling voice seemed u~naccounta-
bly, to inspire him with her own pas
C44,a - - k-s1kf.11 i - o.Afr4 I.,cIvf1xx 81
and he was glad, strangely glad,
through all his being that he could an
swer in the affirmative.
"Yes," he said; 81 am going"
The girl jumped to her feet and held
out her hand. AS Jacks own closed
over it he felt indefinably her sympa-
thetic understanding. Sometimes
she went on quietly, sit is hard to 60
hard to leave those depending upon n
behind. You have a mother?"
"No," Jack slowly replied. This is
the problem l brought out with me
today" And then he told her all about
it-told of Lillias and her hysterical
reliance upon him, her weak, crooked
little spine and the tiny city garden
whose small province she feared to
leave. The bees hummed drowsily In
the old garden, and the girl arose once
or twice to place, while still listening,
her flowers in the fountains basin.
Then she came slowly and stood be-
fore him.
II have thought it all out" she said
at last, "and you must not believe me
to be either hasty or unreasonable.
The solution is SO simple that it may
amaze you at first by it's very simple
ity. / told you that / was lonely in
this quiet garden. Yet l love it. Lii
las must come here and live with me.
She will not be afraid, for l shall I'M
derstand her, and in the sweet, clear
air and sunshine she shall grow well
and strong, at last quite well, and we
will both be happy. In the city / have
many friends. a Tomorrow you shall
learn of me, and I shall learn all that
l wish to know of you, and we will
bring your sister back here together"
The red blood rushed to the mans
face. His voiced trembled. you
you do not, realize" he said. "You are
impulsively good. What right have l,
a stranger. to accept this sacrificing
offer?'
Don't you see," cried the girl. her
voice vibrant, this is my privilege to
serve my country. To make bandages
that is little-but to help to send a
soldier-that is much!"
And a few days later as the setting
sun cast its shadow over the old sun
dial three sat at tea In the ancient
garden-a soldier in khaki, tall and
good to look upon; a beautiful girl with
an American flag upon her white
gown and a wrath of a girl seated in
an old easy chair. Beside the little Ia
BILE stretched a watchful bulldog.
I've been thinking" said the beau