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Show CHRISTMAS it t AMELIA By John Scott Douglas OTENOGRAPHEKS hovered - around as Marta Manning unwrapped un-wrapped the package that had just reached the law offices. There were startled gasps of admiration when the paper fell away, revealing a ! potted camelia. Large and pure white, except for crimson-touched I petals, its heart was filled with delicate deli-cate golden stamens. "Oh, how beautiful!" Tessie gasped. "Who sent it, Martha?" "My boy friend," Marta said her tone warm with happiness. "I didn't know camelias bloomed In time for Christmas," said Bess "The Dai Kaugura does." said Marta. "But it's all crimson. Thi? must be a new hybrid that Colbj Blake stocked for the Christmas trade." Could Colby have developed it himself? she wondered. She remembered remem-bered the day, when he had been showing her around his nursery, that she started to enter a small, new lath house at the back. "Don't ", .. PIPY-,, i '"' fin rsX - !YYfV On the point of refusal, she remembered the broken date. "I'd be glad to, Mr. Ladd." go in there, Marta!" And then he'd been embarrassed as only a big, redheaded outdoor man can be embarrassed em-barrassed by his own rudness. "Forgive "For-give me for speaking so sharply, darling. You'll understand, some day." In the two years since then, he'd never explained his strange words. It was but one of the things that had marred a more perfect understanding. under-standing. The many broken dates were another. Engagements he could not keep because a truckload of plants must suddenly be delivered, deliv-ered, or a customer must be seen about the laying out of a new garden. gar-den. "For you, Marta," said the switchboard girl. The girls dispersed dis-persed as she picked up the phone. I She heard Colby's voice. "I feel terribly to beg off on another an-other date, darling. But Roberts sprained his back lifting a tubbed tree, and had to go home. About twenty customers are coming in to pick up Christmas plants this evening, eve-ning, and someone must be here. Let me explain about that camelia" cam-elia" SICK WITH disappointment, she said, "Never mind," and hung up. Tears pricked her eyes. Wasn't : she ever as important as a customer? custom-er? "Garral Ladd wants you to take a letter," said the switchboard girl. Any of the other girls would have gone Into a tizzy if he'd suggested a date. Only Marta had had the chance to refuse him, not once but many times. For to her, he wasn't quite real. Now, with a confident smile, he dictated: "To do the town on Christmas Christ-mas Eve with a lovely young blonde like you would make this my most wonderful Christmas. Will you say, 'Yes'? Devotedly, Garral Ladd." "To whom shall I address it?" ,' asked Marta. "To Miss Marta Manning." Her cheeks grew warm. On the point of refusal, she remembered the broken date. "I'd be glad to, Mr. Ladd." That evening, on her way home to dress, she stopped at a nurserj to buy a small tree for her apart ment. The tree, she recalled with s pang of disappointment, that Colbj had promised to bring when hi called A woman loaded with bund les was leaving the nursery with i plant identical to the one Marta hac received that morning. "Isn't it lovely?" the womar asked, noticing Marta's glance "It's the new hybrid developed b the Blake nursery." And she tolc Marta its name. Marta stood stunned when th woman left. Then, abruptly, sh turned back to her car, thinking "I can call Garral Ladd later." She found Colby wrapping rec paper around a pot holding one o the new Christmas camelias. "Can you forgive me, Colby?' she asked humbly. "I'll help wai on customers so we can be togethei Christmas Eve. You've made me s proud and happy." "It was the only name for i flower so beautiful, darling." She felt a touch of awe as shi stared at the camelia he was wrap ping. How like Colby to express hi: love by naming it the Marta Man ningl |