The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-25
TO BE CALLED FOR.

Penelope had gone out to keep her tryst
beneath the copper beech.
AS she walked quickly away to the
trysting tree her thoughts were busy-back
at that night just a week ago, when she
had stood beneath those purple dropping
branches with Herbert Maclean beside her,
and he had whispered intoxicating sugges-
tions into her little pink ear; but, best of
all, he vowed that he loved her. He didn't
ask her to be his wife, but he had asked
her to meet him again beneath the beech
at shutdown, and-Well, he loved her. The
rest was sure to come right.
She could see the path to the village
from where she stood, and soon in the dis
tance she espied a speck coming nearer
Yes, it was hel But as the ''speck" adj
vanced she saw that it consisted of two
figures, not one only, as she had hoped
two figures, both men. Herbert was
marching along, swinging his cane, cut
ting of heads of dandelions as he came
The other was shorter and broader He
carried stick, but he did not swing it,
At last they came SO near that she could
distinguish their faces clearly.
"HelIol The little wench isn't here
yeti Who'd "a thought of her giving her
self such airsY''
Is this the chosen spotP The altar of
Cupid?" asked another voice, strangely
full, melodious voice.
"This is the place, sure enough" re-
6DOnU60 116TDOTG. MnaG SQ6 means
not being here first can't imagine"
''Not being here hrst9'' A smile of
amusement played round the others lips
"1s that the way you do it-'ladies first
even at the trysting tree9"
Women are always so beastly unpunc-
tual, - said Herbert. 'fThey can't fix a
time and keep to it, so I always name a
quarter of an hour earlier than I meSSl to
appear. "
"Always2" There was a note of scorn-
full Interrogation in the tone.
"You don't suppose, " Herbert laughed
foolishly-''you don't suppose that this is
a solitary instance? Hal hap
Il suppose you've met her often be-
fore2''
''Not this particular her. my dear boy.
But girls are cheap. One must amuse
oneself"
"Amuse oneselfP Girls oheap?'' repeated
the stranger angrily. "Do you mean to
say you're such thorough paced cad as
to-
DRAW it mild, old chapl The girls all
right. We're both playing at the same
game. -
s'You're sure of thatP" Maolean stirred
uneasily beneath the others flashing eyes.
You re sure she holds things as cheap as
you do?"
''Well Jovel old fellow, really never
asked her. She is a pretty little thing.
It's dull in the country without some fun.
And I asked her to keep the tryst' -
''Never imagining that it would be
Kept" interrupted the other soornfully.
''Oh, yes. She's only girl I expected
her to have kept the tryst. To tell you the
truth, I expected she'd have kept 1T till
called for expected she'd have been
here long ago"
''Well, I'm of. You and don't agree
in our ideas about women and honor, you
know. We never did,
"And never shall, old chap, while you're
so beastly straitlaced and old maidish, -
said Herbert, laughing.
But the other had turned on his heel
and was striding across the soft green
sward in a whirlwind of disgust
''Girls are cheapr How the words an
gered him! Was this girl-this pretty
Penelope-really making herself SO cheap
in her so called lovers eyes9
If Maurice Deane could have seen the
''pretty village Penelope just then, he
would have needed no further answer.
The stars were all out as Pen crept
home in the summer night. Her grand
mother was mapping before the dying EN-
bers, so, slipping off her shoes, the girl
stole softly up the stairs to her own little
chamber.
$50 that's the way the cat jumps, is
it?'' Herbert Maclean stood facing his
friend some weeks later, a CLEAN of amuse-
ment in his eyes. 1.-THE old grandmother
is dead, ana zen Is D6lESSS the family
stocking -
'Heiress to a great deal, it seems" re-
sponded Maurice Deane slowly. 1.-THE old
woman was much better off than people
thought. Penelope has quite fortune"
''And Penelope has smiled on you, eh2''
sneered Herbert jealousy. 'YOu didn't
go to see the old grandmother without
knowing it was worth your while. Oh,
you doctors are such precious humbugsP'
Maurice didn't vouchsafe any reply to
the taunt. He had gone to Drybridge three
months ago as locum tenens to the village
doctor. His time had nearly expired, but
he had made many friends, and the little
flower faced girl and her aged grandmoth-
er were among the closest. Maclean's
name had never been mentioned.
Maurice Deane wished her grandmother
had left the girl beggar or that she had
not died just then. There was something
he had lately longed to say, and the fam
lily "stockingful'' seemed to form bar
rier. He wasn't the kind of man to whom
girls were "oheap," and Pen seemed to
him the fairest that ever breathed.
Herbert Maclean walked homeward in a
meditative frame of mind.
However, it wasn't too late to mend, so
before he slept he penned and posted
neat little note. Would Pen meet him at
the old tryst the next night
The next night he was in good time at
the appointed spot. As he approached he
saw that no one was there, only white
patch, an envelope, was pinned to the soft
brown bark, while on the messy ground
at the foot of the ancient beech lay par
eel The note was addressed to him in
PENS own neat little writing:
MR.. HERBERT MACLEAN.
To be kept till called for.
Hastily tearing open the note, he mas
tered the contents;
1 came that night. could not help hearing
what you said. Take back your promise, take
back all you have ever given me, and please