The Palatka news and advertiser., 1917-05-04

tlibuted last Christmas 10 d new
dress for her. lie wondered if the
ether girl felt like that.
Then came teaching-indepcnd-
ence. l could help the family at
home; l did. l recall still the rap
lure with which l wore to church my
first whole suit. Never, never in my
life, had | gone with an entirely new
bought set of clothes to church. |
wouldn't even wear the little pin
classmate had presented me. I'd al
ways worn richer girls old things
made over. This time all was mine.
My iife's been drab. | have had no
thrill, no rapture, no melody"
"But you have been loved?"
81 have had no time for young
men,"
"Yct men have loved you?"
She stopped from her shadows,
bending over him, afraid lest a stray
word might blow to unkindly ears.
"No," she whispered, 81 have never
been loved, have never thought my
self a fit subject with my frowsel of
a camottop. 1t has been a beauti-
ful frcam in the back of my brain,
strange wine others drank until
they were intoxicated; I've always
been too rushed. Then, two years
ago my aunt married the chief in her
department at Washington, and this
summer she's brought me here to the
enchanted lands. Now you know
what you did,
"For in the enchanted lands, on the
werdest hilltop of them all, offered
you the cup, then snatched it from
you" he spoke bitterly
81 couldn't love anything less than
a man."
"And |, who love you and can't sup
port you. Oh if | could-if | could.
He clenched his hands until the
knockles spotted white.
"Yes," she answered his unfinished
question calmly, though her eyes
glimmcred with a rim of tears, "you
are not a mana real man."
Suddenly he knew she lied, that
she did love him.
"There's nothing | wouldn't do
he began.
"IIush," she answered, "there's ;
strange red flower down here" She
craned over the edge, her hands grip
! ping at the boughs of the frightened
pine, her face dropping towards th'
hum-m-m of the surge below The
wind caught her white dress and flap
ped it towards the ravine. Evident
= | b ho 10
had finished with it-and him.
Don't you make me feel creepy
You'll blow over
I'm going down after it; it's al
. orchid. I've never seen it before
, "Allow me-"
: "Indeed, no. | wish all the glor!
} myself. Besides, men are clums!
creatures and this feat requires skill
| In reality the thing was very sim
! rle. A tiny series of stepping
| stones, worn by time and utilized b,
cropping sheep, led easily to the spo
| where the fantastic, ragged, scar
f let blossom clung. It's curving vel
: low tongue stuck impudently out o
: it's wide-open mouth, sneering up a
the TWO on Ine neduiulld iiS III
7 sisted-she persisted; finally, accus
, toned to her agile athleticism, h
: gave way and she set the rubber sole
: of her shoes upon the scrap of
n nath down the bluff. With one ham
t on the escarpment, carefully placini
e cne foot, then the other foot, sh
; slipned down. down, down. Her hea
t hohhed at the level of his feet. he
n soft brown eyes. lust shade dark
= er than her magriHccnce of hair, CLINT
: Cd np at him. Her mood had swer
t % the far opposite, and she laughe
o merrilv at his nervousness. Sh
I rripped stout Young fir with on
S sinewv hand. 1t was a solitar
n snlotch of gray-green on that gra
e cliff.
: "Pshaw. its nothing, Mr. Panic
+ shc proclaimed.
o "The stone is rotten; I'm afraid
|, that"
: "Thc flowers a sumner; I'm thin
e irp of that
d "Furry, hurry"
it She tossed 4 saucy moue up