Americus times-recorder., 1919-12-14

MUSE A little over a Wpp; befora
they mad come to the country 70 Stav
TWO weeks under the chaperonaoe NJ
Auht Evelyn" at her summer home
MIS- Bradford was really am amt to
only one Of the girls, but as tbe others
expressed Y "She seemed 70 haIono
10 the rest Of us just as much as to
hlSie' With the exception of Louise
strand all the girls had come ont IN
ENJOY their vacation But with Ioriso
1t was different. She had coma ou,av
from the city to forget-if such a thing
were possible; forget a certain young
man and the happy hours she had
spent with him; forget the other girl
who had sprung up suddenly from
nowhere and taken him away from
her-the girl who had taken the sun
shlne out OF her life. If she could only
forget!
= Mrs. Bradford had gone to town
early In the morning.
The girls were Just trying to de.
cine now to spend the day when the
telephone buzzed.
Oh Louise, you answer It," came
cry from the direction of the sink.
A minute later Louise returned to
the kitchen and said: "Its a young
man, Elsie, and he wants to speak with
you"
Elsie dried her hands and went to
the telephone: "Hello-yes-oh, when
did you get back k?-That would be fine.
Well, there are fve Of US In alive
could go any time. Let's go early and
bring our lunch. Wen bring the lunch
II you'll provide the fruit and tonic.
Eleven o'clock-all right-at Pointed
Rock crossing. All right; good-by."
All this was a meaningless string of
endless sentences to the other girls,
Who had gathered around Elsie, so
the moment she said "good-by,"
chorus of voices cried out for an ex-
planatiOn.
"WhO was it,"
What did he wantf"
What does 1t all mean?"
Zone at a time. please" interrupted
Elsie with mysterious laugh. at
was Bob Tracy. The Tracys are old
friends Of Aunt Evelyn. used to play
with Bob when l was just a wee tot
and came to visit auntie, so we have
almost grown up together. He's been
away at college, and has just come
home on vacation with some friends.
He heard that there were few girls
over here with me, and wanted us to
go on a berry-piclling party, so l sug.
gested making picnic Of it,
Just the thing" enthusiastically
from all the girls except Louise, who
said nothing.
An hour later they wer" ready to
leave the house, each with a small pail.
A large basket containing hastily
prepared lunch was on the top step.
"Where is the key7" asked Ruth.
"Why, | thought Aunt Evelyn gave
it to you"
"And 1 thought some one else had
it,"
"What shall we do?" asked some
one.
"Weu. | don't really care much
about going" volunteered Louise, trying
TO hide the eagerness In her voice,
"and it's a shame to keep the boys
waiting, so / could just as well stay
at home. l can find something to read,
A few minutes later Louise, with
book in her hand, sat down by the
window, thankful Of having escaped
the blueberry party. Just then she no
ticed some one coming up the path
toward the house. At the same time
she noticed a basket on the top step.
"Why, l do believe the girls have
forgotten their lunch" and in the same
breath she added: "Who can that
man be"
She went to the door and opened 1t.
As the man came nearer she thought
she recognized a familiar gait In his
walk. Suddenly she became very
white
Gould it be-" she thought.
Just then the young man reached the
step and glanced up.
Louise :" he cried, as he fairly new
mp the steps.
"Jack !" was all she could say.
After one happy moment in his
arms, thoughts of the other girl food
ed her mind. She tried to push him
away from her, but he held her close.
Louise, dearest he said SOFTLY
why did you run away from me ike
thatW
Then she told him about seeing him
ont driving with another girl; how
she had at first felt angry, then dis
aopointed; how she had shed tears
and then gone away until he had gone
to college.
81 thought you would come to say
.Good-by' before you went away she
4nished "and l didn't want you to
offer anv excuses for another girl But
how did you get here?" she added
"I felt as though I had nothing TO go
home for this time" he told her. so
when Bob Tracy asked me to Spend my
rocatton with him, I accepted the in
vitation Then he dragged me on TO
49,. Li,,otarrv nicnfc today. When