South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-13

Pauiette was making her way
down the fern-lined path TO the
beach when she came upon a man
sleeping under the trees His coat
was of and rolled under his head
for a pillow-his hat and Gladstone
bag lay beside him. over the hat
an enormous black beetle was crawl
ing.
Pauletta shuddered What a
place 10 sleep" and she looHed
again. curiously. what manner of
man was this who had flung him
self down here 4 tramp Certain
ly not--no tramp ever wore clothes
like that. with hose and shirt OF FIN
est silk And ne was young and
we'll featured-even with his hair
rumpled and "a smudge on his nose.
The beetle having explored the
hat looked for new worlds 10 con-
uuer He numbered awkwardly
through the underground and crawl
ed out onto the coat upon which
lay the untroubled head OF this
modern Orlando.
When Pauletta saw IL she scream
Ell loud enough Co awaken the dead.
as old Hannah would have said In
fact, Hannah up at the cottage heard
it herself and rushed for mega
phone.
Miss Polly" she called. anxious
ly.
All right. Hannah called Paul
eta It's all right" BY this time
the young man was awake and on
his feet frantically running mis-
hands through his hair and trying
TO bring back his scattered senses
Where was he and who was this
wood nymph who stood there smil-
ing
She was darn pretty wood
lymph, AZ any rate, and as thinga
cleared up a bit i'm his brain ne ran
a smoothing hand over his hair
pulled at his tie and bowed quickly
Good morning" ne said. "or is
il Afternoon? When / go 10 sleep
. never know when 70 wake up. j
nave "A habit OF even dropping whole
days from my calendar sometimes
and not waking till the morning af-
Ter next"
Pauletta laughed a musical silver
ripple that sent a peculiar thrill
down 20 the young mans toes. It's
morning" she informed him
About o'clock. / think. And it's
Wednesday. the 18th OF August
That's all right, then" ne said
relieved II haven't dropped a day,
but judging from the hollow in my
yitaIs I'd say I'd slept as long as
old Rip. You don't happen TO know
where / could get a bite 10 eat, do
you?"
There's only one place around
here that i know Of and that's our
cottage You see. it's seven miles
10 the village"
Yes. / know. I walked il last
night. Couldn't get a soul 10 bring
me out: deadest old hole this side
OF Hades"
TO bring YOU out exclaimed
Pauletta in surprise. There's no
one around here but us and one 9TH
err empty house
lie looked confused You see.
was hunting some friends. They US
ed To- live i'm the cottage up there.
i have been coming every summer
but when 1 arrived last night. be-
hold. / found it rebuilt and occu-
pied by strangers. IL was late and
J was too tired 20 60 back 10 the
village. so ] slept here"
I'VE bought il and rebuilt IT, eX-
planned Pauletta. i've been all
summer hauling carpenters and tin
uers and plumbers and painters
back and forth until I'm nearly
dead But dad told me To attend 20
10. and / always do as he SAYS he s
So busy. lie told me 10 spend as
much as L wanted on the place. and
so / have. You ought to sect il!
if YOU come up now Hannah viii
get YOU some breakfast and I'll show
you around"
Which invitation. appealing as II
did 10 the void i'm the stranger
anatomy and coming from this most
attractive young goddess of the
wilds. needed no seConding
81 hate 20 bother you" ne de-
murred slightly but nature abhors
vacuum and 10 isn't in me 10 re-
sist
Breakfast over, "a delectable feast