Show SENILE ipen ILE ADA FEW FERRIS john folsome Fol mascot saved him just in the nick of time when folsom was son bont tto to the P philippines ho he told miss bliss ferris that he w would have something very important to write to her as soon as aa he had bad established himself it was something ng which he could not say to her then because ada perils forris was rich and folsom had his way to make in the world but when lie he looked into her eyes he be know that she would wait that the kind that would wait years perhaps for ever it was lonely in manila in of men friends who took one out to dinner and whom one entertained at ones bachelor quarters in tact fact john folsom had bad only one real friend minnie his little monkey who had been captured a tiny baby in the forest mindanao she was the tiniest tin test and most affectionate creature that he had over ever seen ono day he found her perched gravely in front of ada for fei als photograph examining it evidently with approval for she made a little chattering noise that thai signified ha happiness pj some day minnie sald ald folsom as phe snuggled into his bis coat some day wo we three will be in a world of perfect happiness then be sighed for he had not written to ada ferris so regularly as he had been used to do perhaps it was because hla his promotion camo came slowly it could not have been because of lil HI ith cintree aintree Aln Ain tree judge Aln Ain trees daughter Y Z held it toward him who was the belle of the american colony and who distinctly liked folsom there could not have been a greater contrast on than between lilath and ada lie he one proud mirth loving self willed the other gentle sweet and affectionate in his heart folsom know knew that his new flame could not compare with a ath the girl whom he had left behind him dim in boston put but ada ferris was lar ar away and lilith was near and in its ills loneliness lonell neBS he found it impossible 0 resist her overpowering attraction personality vibrant with youth nd ind his bis he be knew as aa soon boon as he should say ay the word that would make her his minnie did not like lilith cintree aintree Aln Ain treo tree chere had never been any love lost between them the very first time that lilith and her mother called at hla his bachelor quarters I 1 think he was giving a tea that day the little creature ran screaming from her and climbing the curtain pole sat eat at that sate safe ele ration and mowed and grinned at her minnie se beem to like me 1 laid ald lilath one day dont you think you fou ought to get rid of her john they called each other by their first names aames now now 1 I mean she paused in well calculated confusion john knew what she meant they had bad been strolling along the wae 1 I er front together and lie he had never elt her influence so strongly as aa that day but at the words a sudden chill fell upon him and before his bis eyes I 1 there iose rose the gentle image of ada ferris waiting her hei letter never altered in tone ex sept ept that they had become a little more reserved a little more distant in response to the unconscious change in his hie and ever he halted between bet w een two loves now resolutely faithful to ada and now overpowered by the allurement of judge Ain treas laughter the old life seemed very far away now the now new life was pleasant and il luring he had been taken up by the colony everybody believed that ho he and lilith were engaged ho must make hla his decision the day of his decision came it was has a perfect afternoon in the season lf at rains john folsom his little companion perched on hla his shoulder was seated in a swinging chair in judge Ain trees garden ile he had brought minnie with him because she whimpered so BO when he left her and aad because ho he felt somehow that she oho was a talisman to him deep in his heart he knew that lilith would never bring him happiness but her presence drove reason from his brain and deadened his heart against nil all memories of the girl back east lilith was seated in the hammock under the tree and all the other guests had discreetly withdrawn to ao a di distance stanco chobad she bad meant to capture him that day and never had she looked more captivating she was waa dressed all li in 1 white chiti tier her little fatt in their neatly stung shoes swung to and fro with the motion of the loo hammock han mock over her head ehe carried a white parasol jol del folsom looked at her annu and the thi was on him ile ho camo came to her side ark th he be began hoarsely t atul na her hand 1 I I 1 ile he choked hir 11 nl could not continue on ills his shoulder shou ide one arm about hla his neck V muttering and scolding silo she y I 1 to warn him hut but john was past WM to ing now et t just then he beard the judge callin b him folsom Fo leom come herel here ho be yelled wa 11 come and got get some borne lead iced att aft for lilith and fill ile he hurried A w away glad of tho the re respite glad to corn coa T e j r poso pose himself he must be articulate oil 1011 he must be clearheaded clear headed tor for he had tob P tell lilith about ada WW liel and yet he kaow she would not botu care she would have n no 0 berl scruple iB ve about usurping the others place JB 30 to hta his surp surprise the monkey left bil 88 shoulder and sprang trig to tile the lowest ll 11 branch of the tree tred under which the hammock hung folsom hurried away gg t and presently coming back with the theja a lemonade saw something which a aa 0 bounded him bim M a lilith in an access of fury halm had reached up arid grasped the monkey j to 0 and now holding her fast by the throat p t with one hand was thrashing tier her with V the other the little animal was near neap ite ly choked she could not scream but gp ri with both hands bands over her head strove ap y vainly to ward off that shower of stun ning blows then folsom came up ca as ulith flung filing the creature from tier her br I 1 minnie crept sobbing into johns ed arms ile he turned and faced the tha girl W w who disheveled and flushed with pas afi I 1 slon stood gazing at him uneasily w 1 I thrashed the little beast eba afie afi c said t what did she do to you asked U john quietly B she sat on the treland tree and made faces H er at me lilith answered petulantly K ea and I 1 tell you john unless you get alp rid of the beast you must she had meant to say get rid of 0 me but something in johns face checked tier her w im sorry if I 1 hurt her john she sha S said eald but the little wretch hates me ma m and I 1 cant bear to be hated I 1 want H e to be loved john she added lifting her face toward his A sudden loathing bior for her came with his now understanding he bo said eald a woman who ba would beat a helpless dumb brute J h would beat beath a child ya what do you mean she cried dut but lie he said no more holding tha th js monkey tightly to him he walked y J away and lilith knew she knew y that the mother instinct which alone alona can hold a man had failed her she aha know knew that she had irretrievably lost him he had found her out at last little to mascot said john when he set minnie down upon his table theres a long letter from some ono one in boston that we answered yet shall we write to her bar this afternoon and minnie picked up his pen just at that moment and held it toward B him copyright Copy richt 1913 1912 by NV G chapman |