The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-05-10
AT HIS OWN GAME.

well, it has been a pleasant month
anyway" he said at last, urged thereto by
a desperate feeling that he must say some
thing at all hazards
eyes, " Elaine assented dreamily, Every
pleasant
Her serene, unconscious eyes gazed
straight before her into the hazy distance
with rapt, faraway expression.
"And, like all pleasant things" Cyril
went on in the same desperate way, sit
must come to an end, I suppose. All
pleasant things come to an end, don't
they?"
Elaine turned the calm light of her gray
eyes full on his face.
81 suppose, she said, ''you mean you
are going away?'
Eyes, 4" he answered. 'tI am going back
to town tomorrow. did good deal of
thinking last night, and I-wen, I came
to the conclusion that-that things were
getting little beyond me-
Elaines eyes had wandered off to the
distance again
80 you are going away tomorrow she
said after pause.
Yes" he answered, lowering his voice
to a tenderly regretful tone. fare you
sorry?"
She contemplated him for moment
with an enigmatical expression. Then,
"No, - she said. II am glad, because if you
did not go 1 should have to- and 1 want to
stay a little longer"
And then she laughed.
To say that Cyril was surprised would
be to put things with ridiculous mildness.
Elaine laughed again.
"YOu did not expect me to say that did
you? she asked. -
NO. - he answered, drawing a long, deep
breath.
''You expected me to be overwhelmed
with utter desolation at the prospect of
your going didn t you? Well, perhaps
might have been, only, you see, I shall
still have the tennis and the boating and
the fishing and the one thing and another
to console me after you are gone and
am easily consoled.'
Cyril said nothing. He only stared at
her helplessly, wondering if she had taken
sudden leave of her Senses
Elaine saw the look and read it Alright
az am quite sane" she asserted, nod
ding her fair head with great gravity and
decision. LAS sane as you are-saner, per-
haps." Then, all at once, she dropped her
bantering tone CHOW, let us talk sense, "
she went on; "let us understand one an
other"
81 wish I could understand you" said
Cyril, with dazed, uncomfortable sort of
feeling that something had suddenly gone
wrong with the laws Of the universe.
Elaine nodded again.
"You will in half minute, - she said.
"Now listen to me. L am going to state
two facts. Fact number one-you are tired
of me. Fact number two-I am tired of
you. That's the case in a nutshell"
Cyril thrust his hands in his pockets and
became suddenly and deeply interested in
his irreproachable boots.
'sBy Jover' was all he said.
ri am tired of you," she repeated.
Don't get cross. am not rude, only
truthful. I am stating fact. 1t is my
nature I always get tired of men in the
end. 1t is only question of time. Most
things in this life are, 1 think.
''Men, " she went on rehectively, ''charm
you up to given point, and pail upon you
afterward. There is a great sameness about
them"
Cyril started, as well he might It was
somewhat of a poser to hear his own in
most thoughts and sentiments put into
words in this calm fashion. How often had
not he thought just what she had said,
with the slight difference of substituting
the noun feminine for the noun mascu-
line!
t'You speak," he said sarcastically,
''from experience, no doubt -
She looked at him serenely.
Eyes" she answered II do. know
men pretty thoroughly now, which is
great achievement, and know myself, too
which is q still greater achievement,
though you may not think So 1t is always
the same. So long as am not sure of man
so long want to be sure of him. But the
moment 1 am sure of HMM that
ment 1 cease to want him. never felt
sure of you until last night. Until then
you had always eluded me, and I could
not tell if you were in earnest or not, but
last night you showed me that you loved
me-for the moment-and that was the
end so far as l was concerned. - She
paused. II showed you that 1 loved you,
too-for the moment, she added present
ly, land that was the end far as you
were concerned. Last night was the eli
max, and after the climatic people like
/ you and me-cOmes the reaction"
Once more she paused.
"By Jovel'' said Cyril again.
He could not think of anything else to
say.
Truth to tell, he felt distinctively
small, and that is feeling that does not
conduce to a mans general good humor at
any time. He was beaten at his own
! game and vanquished with his own weap
! ons. The situation was novel one, but
! it lacked the charm that novelty is COM
/ monty supposed to possess. This girl,
! with her angel face and innocent eyes, was
not the simple, trusting maiden that he
had believed, but very queen of coquettes,
! flirt of a different and more dangerous
caliber than any he had met before Life
! had its illusions-and it's disillusions.
Don't be Cross said Elaine in a per-
! suasiVe tone Don't bear malice. Shake
hands and be friends 1 shouldn't have
talked to you like this only that know
you are just like me. don't know how
know it, but do. Instinct, I suppose
-womans safest guide. 1 didn't know
it until tonight. 1t came upon me all at
once My convictions generally do. 1
know you feel just as feel and think as I
think l know you wanted until you
thought you could have me, and then you
didn't want me any longer. Now confess.
Am not right?'
Cyril took the little hand held out to