The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-10-29
LOVE AND LuACS
BY MILDRED WHITE.

Homer Brant drew his car up sud.
denly at sight of the lilac bush. To
him in the roadway came the sweet
haunting odor. Indefinably the per-
fume brought to mind the girl he had
so recently and so quickly learned to
love.
Homer had stopped there, on his
| way to an engineering camp higher up.
He had intended to remain over night,
but with Justine Jordan's coming, his
visit had been prolonged.
During the first day they had visit
ed together. upon the hotel veranda.
the second found them roaming the
wonderful country in his car; at the
end of one short enchanted week,
Homer caught the girl I'm his arms,
speaking out his love for her. And
| that had been the end. Like some
startled bird she had escaped and
| flown from his embrace, and when
| after troubled night, he awaited her
morning appearance, humble in his
apology-she had not appeared at all.
Instead the hall boy had handed him a
| note in peculiarly characteristic hand
| writing.
'Dear friend" it said, "when this
reaches you, shall be up among the
| hills, fulfilling mission which has
| been postponed Just one week. Spring
time, and lilac time, tempted me to
linger. When 1 meet you again, hope
it may be in the more prosaic and less
romantic atmosphere Of the city. With
best wishes ever-Justine Jordan"
| Whereupon, Homer, inwardly Tuning
at his admired ones practical GOODNESS,
babe the inn good-by, and began a
searching tour of the hills.
| What could be the delayed mission
at which she mysteriously limited and
which brought her to this isolated
| country?
He alighted and made his way to
the lilac bush which grew beside the
| open window of q vacated log cabin !;
looking inside, he was surprised to
see reclining camp chair in the CEN
ter. of the room. Entering curiously.
he sank into the chair, idly drawing
| from it's side bracket a recent Illus
trated magazine. Some person evil
| ueutIy Luttue ILLS Tuuc SueItci iCou-
ing place.
/ Gazing through the open door across
1 the vista of glorious scenery Homer
mentally complimented the reader on
his choice of location. Then as he re-
/ placed the magazine a pad of writing
paper fell from the rack, one glance
| at the bold and pleasing handwriting
brought quick flush to his face. Sure
ly this and the penmanship Of his own
hasty note of dismissal were the same.
| So Justine had found her way to this
deserted cabin then her stopping place
must be in nearby farm house. The
heading of the closely written page
caught his attention, dearest" he
/ read, ooh, my dearest!"
| Homer Brant's heart pounded furi-
ously, as his eyes forcibly followed the
lines: ACROSS the miles have trav-
eled to our trysting place, and you
| are not here Instead, find the low
ing note you braved danger to leave.
Beloved, let not your courageous spirit
| falter. Without one look into your
/ eyes, without a touch of your dear
hand, could not go back to the world.
Some way / shall manage our meeting.
Never in my heart can there be room
for other than you. am,-YOur Own"
i The pad slipped from the mans
| trembling fingers. So this was the
secret Of the softly brooding eyes /;
and love after all these years had but
found him to make mockery.
/ Homer sprang to his feet, as girl
came through the doorway. came and
| stood a moment, surprise and diff
fidence in her gaze.
/ Cuisine ~ he cried out sharply, then
still inwardly raging, pointed to the
written pages at his feet. II read
your letter through" he said, 81 even
forgot about scruples and it has show
| ed me why you ran away from my
i love. But want to KNOW" he straight
/ ened before her, 81 demand to know,
why any man dare to ask a woman to
meet him i'm secret. dare bring her in
i to threatened danger!"
/ Across the girls somber eyes fash
/ ed her transforming smile. ''That
| man, is a German spy" she replied.
Brant came suddenly close, fiercely
Il ne Caught Her WTlSlS III SIdop,
"And you," he breathed, "you-'
i For a time she stood, looking steadi-
i ~ into his face. 'Iet me CO." she
said at last, "and / will explain"
/ When he Ioosed her hands, she smil-
i ed, and going to the camp chair,
brought back an open magazine hold
ing 1t out before him.
/ Dazedly he read the title of q story,
'sIn Love and War;" and beneath it,
"new serial, by Justine Jordan"
"You are more privileged than 9TH
ers," she laughed, "for you have read
| the beginning of a later installment.
/ That is what came out here to write.
/ The cabin is my study"
/ $50" he said slowly, "you are a
/ great author. little Justine"
Not great" the girl replied. Every
simple, love and lflacs-that sort Of
| thing"
"And in your own life, you have no
4 rca for louo2-