The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-01

nor to1ne either; it's not hattering to q
woman of my age"
'sShe's handsomer than ever as, of
course she ought to be, - he added, smil-
ing with little bow to the elderly lady.
''You must take her in to dinner, Mr..
Lester. She'll think it a godsend to have
g new partner in my house."
Mrs. Marmont seemed little surprised
too at seeing Mr.. Lester. She looked for
just an instant as if he were ghost, and
then she took his arm, saying gayIy:
''Why, Il thought you were in South
America. Are you sure you are not and
that this is not your astral body hero
among your dull old friends?''
81 know too we'll that it Is my very
self, - he answered quietly.
ST came back with New Years reso-
luton to stay at home, he continued
ST suppose ought to do that. My mother
and my mothers affairs need me, and we
always resolve TO do what we ought at the
beginning of the new year, don't we?
But don't know; already I'm thinking
of flight, of going to Egypt on something
that can be called business
''Why, it's terrible to think how New
York must bore you.' Mrs. Marmont
spoke half neutrality-suspicious. as if she
were bored herself.
f'Bore me? You don't remember me as
a bored person, do you?'
Mr.. Lester did not dance. He devoted
himself to whist with ancient and nervous
partners. Mrs. Marmont never played
whist, and she danced eagerly for awhile
with young cousins and old uncles, but
she lost her interest in that exercise early.
Perhaps it was too frivolous to suit bud
ding deaconness. She sat down at piano
in an aleove away from all the company
and softly played bits of old melodies
Lester turned his head and listened to the
3 III
till an indignant partner sternly recalled
him to business. Mrs. Marmont and her
father were among the first to leave. She
came up to Lester just after the new year
began, looking very stately and yet very
kind and put out a straightforward little
hand.
81 hope you won't go away" she said,
"and''-there was a little break in the
continuity of her speech, then she went on
-'and hope you'll come and see me-
"Thank you," said Lester and nothing
more.
''Let's not talk now,' she said YEARLY
when her father began to speak of her
wild scheme on the way home She
dismissed her maid and aSietly and swiftly
prepared for bed, but al Hr the lights were
out, as she lay in the dark, she began to
sob like a little lonely, famished child, and
the gray winter dawn was creeping into
the room before the sobs sank into long
quivering signs, that did not break the
light slu1nber that at last blessed her.
The next day Lester was standing list.
1essly at club window. He had tried to
talk to his mother that morning about the
probability of his again leaving her, and
that lady had, first impatiently and then
plaintively, refused to listen to any such
suggestion. As he stood there Mrs. Mar
mont passed.
Testers face flushed and paled. He
Drive where you like for ten minutes"
he said to the cabby, and at the end of
eight he told him where to go, and pres
emily tho cab drew up in front of one of
the old fashioned, luxurious houses of
North Washington square.
f'Mrs. Lindsay" said Lester when he
was shown into the presence of the white
haired, bright eyed old lady he had come
to see, friend he had known from his
childhood, I'm not going to beat about
the bush. I've come to ask you some
thing. r.
''Sit down. Once I'd have thought it
must be an offer of marriage; now sup
pose you've come to decide some wager &C
cording to my memory of ancient history
''No, but have come because you know
everything, and because you are so dis
Greet. This is it: Where-noI Who did
Linda MarmOnt marry?''
(Which Linda Marmont?''
s'What There are two? Great JoveI'
Lester only breathed this apostrophe. 1t
was as if he had not strength left for vocal
effort.
"Of course there arc two. Though it is
rather odd, with name like that. You
didn't meet-no, you weren't here that
season that Tom Marmont's young niece
came here from back in the country some
where and Linda, our Linda, brought her
out and married her off to Mark Weber.
They are travelling in Spain now"
"How in the world did she come to do
such cheeky thing as be named Linda
Marmont?'' Lester asked the question
with deep resentment. The old ladys
dark eyes twinkled as she looked at him
shrewdly.
''Why, she was named for Linda Leland
the families were very intimate, you
know. That was the way that marriage
of Linda's came about; the families made
it up. My son, your silence tells that
you've said all you have to say, and beg
that no sense of the duty of politeness will
keep you here. Perhaps your wager is a
very important one"
'FYou are the best woman in the
world'-
"And very discreet"
"And very discreet" And with a happy
laugh Lester stopped and kissed her with
cred hand and was gone.
But his happy mood was not to remain
unbroken through that winter afternoon.
When he sent up his card to Mrs. Mar
A.LAls.