South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-08

looked heavenly IN white.
Then his young brother Billy
came in.
"Ah there. PAUL. studying the
flora and fauna I see" he remarked.
facetiously.
Paul laughed off the idea, and
asked, caTelessly:
Il say. Billy. who is she?'
Flora Merry, the Matters gard
ener."
What"
Honest But don't get funny. I
tried it and il didn't work. In
formed the Mater. she did. Girls
aren't bit square" cheerfully.
Paul. who knew Bnly's "funni-
ness Of old, acquitted Flora Of the
charge at once. He looked out OF
the window. but she had disap-
peared. II seemed TO be a habit OF
hers.
Mrs Sargent came in just then.
an anxious frown on her handsome
forehead.
Garden help is so scarce this
year she complained I'VE need
body but ignorant little boys"
Paul was silent. lost in thought.
Mother. don't you tnink-I've al
ways liked gardening could help
-
''YOU,"
Why, yes. Be the best sort Of
vacation for me, say"
Mrs Sargent nodded Anything
that would be good for her beloved
Paul
Why. ] suppose YOU could help
now and then until we find some
one"
And Mother" hastily. when you
speak 10 Miss Merry. don't tell her
I'm a son of the house Might
strain the situation" And his moth
Ter agreed. Refuse her Paul? Well,l
When. the next morning. the new
gardener whom Mrs. Sargent had
mentioned approached her, Flora
scarcely looked at him. a rose vine
ing at some distance from the rose
vine. The new hand was secretly
rebellious. Was il for such results
that ne had shaved eff his small
mustache?
He had learned casually from his
mother that Flora's three brothers
were over there: she lived next
door in small bungalow with her
mother, and she had applied 10
Mrs Sargent because she was pas
sionately fond of gardening, and this
-.
had just finished college.
"Has scientific ideas. 1 suppose. E"
ruminated Paul, spading away for
dear life.
Later. Flora came to see his
work This time she looked at him,
but she didn't recognize him. Then
she looked at his work and was ap-
palled at the sight She sank down
onto the fresh earth and laughed
and laughed.
eco and finish it," she gasped.
"ItH be a trench"
Paul started. Lord, he'd dug up
the soil two feet or more.
Mrs. Sargent said you were COM
petent." Flora insinuated.
Il am. I merely haven't had eN-
perience."
They laughed together at that;
Flora couldn't help it, and it result
ed in having him help her with the
sIugs He had said he was trained
to kill anything!
In a week they were fully ac-
Quainted and two feet or more
lin love She called him Paul
because he hadn't given any other
name. and she couldn't call a mere
gardener Mr." even though she did
feel that it would be more fitting
with this particular gardener.
The last day OF his leave he pro-
posed He knew il wasn't fair but
he had a romantic idea OF testing
her.
Gould you support a wife on forty
month She asked, practically.
Good Lord, no." he exclaimed.
"No man could do that"
Wei, then"
But Flora. do you love me. say 2"
'Er-does that natter" she
asked. and fed.
Paul felt that he had bungled the
affair. but he could be certain OF one
|thing-the important thing!
Late that evening he saw her in
the garden. He was all ready to
leave. and was spending the last
hour i'm the library with his mother
and Billy. But at the flash of white
among the roses. he rose impetuous-
ly and left the room with an inco-
herent something about his lug
gage
For Paul had suddenly conceived
an idea. He made his way across
the lawn and stationed himself in
the shadows by the gate that Flora
would pass through on her way
home.
The moon had risen when she
came. Paul caught her before she
saw him. and held her, she protest
ed vocally.
Paul. oh. Pawlli"
ON. JOY, The harassed young man
took his innings He laughed. the
brute. and then kissed her
Isn't one Paul as good as anoth-
err" he asked, moving with her out
into the moonlight.
you, Why YOU must be Captain
Sargent. " she cried. in confusion.
Yes. bright little girl, And say.
here's "a minister on the way 70 the