The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-06-27


ness Of spring was in her eyes as she took
s seat, paid her fare and tossed the little
purse into her coat pocket. She was quite
chic and seasonable.
She had gazed at the bold and straw
hated individual, at the fat woman and
the uninterosting baby, and then her
eyes travelled slowly down the row Of pas
sengers opposite. Suddenly they stopped,
lighted with surprise, and q little rose
flush crept slowly up from her white neck
and hid among the little curls beneath the
hOwery hat brim. He wal young and
good looking, and they shook hands as old
friends do. he seated himself beside her
For a moment neither said anything
Then she bestowed Q little smile upon him
and made the highly original remark, So
long since / We seen you. -
90 Yes, it's good while. Why, it's spring
again. Fancy, eight whole months. We've
missed two seasons. -
eyes, but then never do seem to keep
up with my summer friends, - she answer
ed.
Summer friends2 am to consider my
self in that interesting category, I sup
pOse9''
''Why, OF course. But have you heard
from any Of the NIoricheites SINGER What is
the news?"
Well Aryoclla Dilby is married. .
He half turned his head to see the effect
of this piece of intelligence, but if he had
expected ?. sensation he was disappointed
The girl beside him smiled and said:
Is thar all?''
AREN'T you surprised9'
well, lardly, to be truthful You
know, Ajabela was always q lover of
mankind was always prepared for such
an announcement. But then no one can
blame her for being a flirt. All the girls
at AIOriches were rather good to the men,
and Arebejla was the leader. Why, there
was Ned Davis and Hugh Darlington,
and, why, even You were rather gone on
her, 1 thought, two years ago Somehow
you dropped OFT very quickly. She was Z
pretty little thing, but, of course, not tbs
sort Of girl you would find congenial But
then you are q dreadful 1irt, too, and 1irts
can see through one another. I suppose
Why, we were very good friends ourselves.
Do you remember how we used to slip
away between the dances and 20 down to
the noorlu.g when the whole bay was wash
ed in moonlight and the little waves
splashed softly against the beach?''
81 never firted - Virtuouslv
Good graciOusl Indeed you did fiirt
with me--vely desperately, too, for
week. Now, admit Why, [ was afraid to
send you a card when I got back to town
for fear you would ling yourself or your
knees and ask me to fly with you before
got my e.utu-ln wardrobe"
How embarrassing that would have
been, to be sure.
1T would, indeed, because Tom Bron-
SOM
oh, bother Tom Bronsonr'
81 do bothe- Dom Bronson, but you
needn't be SO cross You know Tom Bran-
son was quite in love with Arabella two
summers ago, and when they got in town
the very first thing he did was to propose. 4
A very mean trick of Tom BRONSON lie
does that every October. Two ye1rs ago
it VVSs ArabellS, last Eear it was-but neg-
er mind Arabella was awful'y Angry
about it. She likes tn fiirt docs Arabella.' 80
''Why do you insist that Arabella Girts?'
How absurd 20 ask ne such ques-
ton. I know Arabella, and unless she has /
changed she VIII lend her husband a pretty
dance SHALL ever forget the night of tie
Yacht club bcIa Arabella gave up her
room to some cue and came to share nv
quarters. She looked very pretty that
night, ana all fils boys were IN n state Of
ecstatic happiness or gloomy despair, ac-
ccordiag to how they had come off in the
scramble over he dance order. At thar
time / think we All faucied she was really /
going to settle down and marry Lrcd +
Cross. He played tennis wei and sailed (; +
boat like an angel and '-
What's that about sailing an angelo
"And IS hs was simply rolling in wealth +
Arabclla actually admitted that she liked I
him, said the young woman, calmly ig-
nOring the frivolous Interruption
Very good of Arl5ellc, m sure Z"
50 Yes, WASH { it, Well, anyhow, on THAI T
particular night she Summed up FOR me al I
the men she had ever known. Said I vas I
younger and all this, and gave me advice I
by the yard. And who do yoL think she T
said shc liked bcs5 gJnong all the adcrers +
she had ever had2'
He was discraetly silent
"Why, Reggie ESylcs YOu are sur
prised, OF course. Wen, so was l. She de
clared she would marry Reggie. but she
C1H not 7lOc-5 larfuar f,sl1,-p1f live
a fiat on s. 600 a year As Tor all the 9th
ers, she didn't give snap of her finger
Poor Reggie couldn't even stay more than (
his two weeks vscation, and he wrote aw-
fully dull letters, but that perverse cree
ture used to kiss those letters and Vice.
over Rcggle's poverty and her own eXtr2v-
agant tastes, and all the time she was try
ing her best to catch Tom Cross. The fun
NEST part Of it was that he got tired Of her,
and as luck would have it he and Reggie
got acquainted and maybe they exchanged
cOnddences-anyvvay he never asked Ara
bella to marry him She was piQued, but
I suppose, true to her principles, she has
married some fat old mOneybags and has
forgotten him. Who was it, the witch Of
Endor or Ophclia who said, When shall
we three meet agains' How stupid of you
not to know. I wonder when I shall see
Arabela. Maybe sic viii 60 to Moriches
for q week if her husband has q yacht
Very nice, I should imagine to revisit
the scene Of her many triumphs. What be
came of that Fayles boy? Shot his head of,
I suppose
"Oh, no Reg is AL right Arabella's
fckleness didn t wound for long He found
her out, as every one else did. But how
aWfuly I am chatteringi This isn't q
breach of confidence. is it, now that Ara
bella is married and we never see her?''
For q few blocks they rode along in com
parative silence, and then he said: Il
must leave you at the next corner. So glad
mot vow When Won 500 Ara fo11a rIa4ea /