Evening star., 1921-04-17

chain. half a mile from the nearest
approach of the excursion steamers
which ply up into the orange coun-
try. An hours padding takes the am
bilious angler to the mouth OF Doom
river, deepest and widest OF Florlda
streams, a paradise of game, infested
with venomous snakes and ltsei
winding like a still serpent out OF the
heart of a whispering and treacnerous
swamp.
Out of the current of Florida's hurry
ing, spendthrift, overdressed' oVerp,
ed winter pilgrimage, a TN! trlChie
tired folk finds its way 70 the pian
tion house which old Miss Earohei
depleted of a once handsome fortune,
conducts for such paying guests as
come reliably introduced MOST VI
who seek the quietude are, III III. nv
favorite euphemism OF the piaee;
quite we'll" 1t may be SUSPICIOUS
Cough as in the case Of elderly Miss
French, or it may be inaenni.ss
"neryes." such as the middle-aseo
and commonplace Betterfields are sup
posed to suffer from (wlth colnp,i,;In
lions in this instance OF chllulihe
belief in spiriustic meSsase1, o
may be, though young Peter Deiano
is the sole entry under this heao
drink. ;,-
1t would nave Seerneu 10 oe nv
ment or disability that oroushe
sylvia Glenn to us, in March. When
we were all we'll settled into our
routine. Across our seml-fosSlnleo
existence she swept like NltdiiAiils
wind. She was splendlolS ieIhinins
creature. long-limbed, deep-bosomeo.
supple and strong as a young tree IN
spring with the suggestion OF passion
in her wide-set gray eyes, and the as
surance of strength to control II IN
her firmly modelled chin, She nao co!te
in. unheralded. from JasonVlile. Win
a letter from cousins of the Gardhers.
needing, but certainly not looking as
if she needed. "a month to rest UP IN.
so she said. She took up her quarters
alone in Honeysuckle cottage. few
Yards from the main plantation house
where the rest of us roomed lmmeoi-
ately the atmosphere of the place
changed.
among US at once fell In rove WIN
the newcomer would perhaps be ex-
cessive. Certainly young Peter pelann
did In his boyish. Uncontrolled and
somewhat blatant way he made that
apparent. No less prompt and obvious
was the subjection of German Gard
ner, the easy-going. Intellectual but
charming nephew of the proprietress:
but his was the wistful and humble
attitude. 1 suspected. also from the
first. Hecker. the ferret-faced. pros
porous lawyer from Washington.
chiefly because, upon Miss Glenn's ar
rival, he ceased to talk and think
about his dyspepsia. and began OBJ
viously to think. if not always to
talk, in terms of Miss Glenn. which
was doubtless good for his ailment.
whatever the effect upon him 9ther-
wise.
Concerning the two remaining bach
elors. Prof Rainey and Sherwood
Charlton. it would have been difficult
to make an early estimate. The pro-
fessor. an oldish young man. who
den College. had been sent to Gard
ners' with strict medical injunctions
to put on twenty pounds or make his
will Him i judged to enjoy nat
ural immunity from undue feminine
influences. Charlton was a more un-
young man, with face which would
have been almost beautiful were it
not that in repose the expression was
that of one haunted by vague but
unacceptable dread. A late arrival
pulously polite and considerate. no dis
position toward any companionship,
with the exception that twice he had
Joined me in my walks. Now he be-
came all unobtrusive attention to
Sylvia Glenn
THE girl accepted anything with
simple, and sunny naturalness.
Homage Of men was clearly the nor
NAL atmosphere Of her life. Here she
returned Tor 1t a frank and trustful.
but always self-respecting. comrade-
ship extended to all, to the wistfully
slavish Gardner as to the mild and
pedantic professor-even to Hecker.
whom. + think, she really disliked.
naI
siege-for it promptly developed into
that-she defended herself with good
humored laughter and gentle ridi-
cule. Yet I think she felt the charm
OF the boy-his effervescent cheeYi-
ness. which was. however. prone to
black humors Of the spoiled child.
From my viewpoint of disinterested
observer it was the developing rela-
tion between her and Sherwood Charl-
ton. which became most interesting.
Almost from the first 1t seemed to me
There was q look in her eyes when
they strayed to his face-questioning,
puzzled. almost anxious. Hecker and
Delano observed #: and so hatred
came into our peaceful circle. and
eventual tragedy.
That should have been the one in
whom Charlton conf1ded his troubles
was. think. matter Of chance and
the confidential influence of night air.
Restless, I had risen. dressed and
walked down to the little pier one
morning about 2 o'clock. When I saw
. canoe. the only craft then in COM
mission at Gardners', rise on the swell
Of the down-bound excursion steamer
Just passed, 1T seemed to be unoccu-
pied and adrift; but presently a figure
Strengthened up from the bottom of
1t: and when ! hailed it answered me
in Charltons quiet voice
Trying to sleep" he said. padding
In and climbing to a place beside me.
ANY luck?"
Not much. Sometimes / can get to
sleep in the open air when the four
walls OF room seem to choke me.
Do you know the cold sulphur
spring.
couple of hundred yards from the
house"
Yes. They don't use it now. There's
q clump Of tall palmettos there, very
thick. I've thatched the leaves to-
gether for rough shelter and swung
q hammock there to lie in nights
when my room is too much for me
You could walk along the road ten
feet away and never know any one
was there. But tonight even that
vas too shut in for me-"
This was unwonted expressiyeness
from our local hermit. But more was
70 come. You're an older man." he
II my brain was clear I'd think it out
Iof myself But insomnia twists
things so for one. II makes you ex-
eegerate where your own interests
are concerned"
For exampler
Weli-Delano." he said after a pause
Hello didn't suspect that YOU were
in,