The Tomahawk., 1918-06-27

white-curtained cottage. But no girl
followed Vernon, and there appeared to
be no one left in the cottage. Vernon
crunched his way down the white
pebbled path to the white-painted
fence that hemmed in the exhibit. A
Young man that stood on the outside
of the fence appeared to be friend
Congratulations! said the man on
the outside of the fence. II knew you
would get the first prize for tulips.
but you've taken the prize for the best
show Of any sort in the exhibition. l
got it straight from the judges just
now."
The smooth-shaven young Vernon
showed supreme satisfaction. "You
don't say !" he commented. 'That GER
tainly will make Pop happy. He was
so keen about this cottage effect, and
he spent so much Importing those
Dutch bulbs this year."
"It's sure a slick show" commented
the bringer of good news. "Couldn't
be better"
yes, it could" corrected Vernon,
and Hester permitted herself still to
overhear the conversation. I'VE were
going to get some nice little blonde
haired girl to dress in Dutch costume
and add local color to the cottage. Pop
got the costume straight from Hol-
land, and we were going to get one or
the maids to dress up; but the only
blonde one got huffed ut the last min
ute, and the brunette ones wouldn't
do. I'm going to start out tomorrow
and get one. The trouble is we don't
want the kind of show girl you'd get
from a theatrical agency. We want
a nice, fresh-looking girl, that looks
as if she had grown up In a tulip
bed"
Just then the young mans eyes
shifted, and for the first time he saw
Hester. There was slight start In
his manner, and Hester somehow be-
came aware that she had f1axen hair
and that she certainly did not look
like show girl. The young heir to
the Pope millions lowered his voice
and drew the young man he was talk
ing to aside. Hester would have fol-
lowed them to hear their conversation,
but it was obviously. impossible. How
ever. she still stood there by the white
fence drinking in the beauty of the
color, and waiting to hear what she
might when the young man returned
to the fence.
It was only a few minutes later
when young Vernon returned, and,
coming very respectfully to her,
asked her with considerable embar-
rassmenf If she would be willing to
be the Dutch girl. She was just. the
type, he said, and If she didn't need
the money she could contribute 1t to
the Red Cross. He said that he was
very anxious to have some one by the
next afternoon-Saturday because his
father was coming in to see the show
for the first time, and he had so
wanted Dutch girl in the cottage.
Hester thought minute. Saturday
afternoon was a half holiday. She
could "give notice" the first thing In
the morning. She was only cog In
the wheel at her Office; another girl
would do as well as she on Monday
morning. For whole week she could
spend her days there in that wonder
full tulip garden. She accepted, and
before long she found herself alone In
n little dressing room donning the
Dutch peasant costume that was ap-
parently made just to fit her small,
plump figure.
OF course, the young man fell In
love with her, and,- of course, when at
the end of the week he told her so.
Hester, who was very strict prfnci-
pied little girl, was as troubled as she
had ever been in her life before. She
really did like him; she felt that she
could not let him 60: Still .-r.
"But, what about that beautiful
dancing lady you eloped with?" she
asked him naively. And the young
man laughed and laid his hands on her
shoulders tenderly. They were inside
the little Dutch cottage few minutes
before the afternoon session OF the
exhibition began.
"You didn't think was Vernon
Pope, did you, little girl? Bless your
heart, you thought that, did you? Why,
I'm only the head gardeners son. But
father and I get more out of the
Pope millions than the Popes do. for
we are lords of the estate that young
Vernon is too sophisticated to enjoy
They don't know one tulip from an
other. They just go in for them
because every millionaire has to 90
in for something. SO you'll maxry me,
won't you? Even If am Tom Daw-
kins, gardener, instead Of Vernon
Pope. millionairev' .9tg.,-as s,
And Hester honestly could not see
why any girl would not hundred
times rather haye married Tom Daw'
kins than Vernon Pope, with all his
millions: -. /,