The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-27
NOT A HERO.
IFrom the Boston Post. ]


silenced her opponent. He stood lean
ing against the stone of the tower wait
ing her pleasure to remove from the
scene of contest. But her line of
thought held her fast, or perhaps the
beauty of the Belgian landscape would
not release her. At all events she did
not move, and he waited. Finally he
ventured to suggest: Wont your
Aunt Laura be tired of waiting?"
She turned her eyes from the brown
Scheldt flowing below as she answered
carelessly: Aunt Laura? Oh, she
doesn't mind. She preferred to let us
come up without her. She adores the
cathedral, and it isn't time to be hum
cry
Ben Ripley had been in Antwerp four
hours, three of which he had spent with
Frances Deere and for at least an hour
the two had been on the cathedral
tower engaged in the argument already
mentioned.
Ben had asked where Frances meant
to spend the winter 1t was natural
question, for they had been neighbors
and friends always at home in America
Even when he was at college there
a very warm friend. So did he, except
in the intervals when having become
too warm he was obliged undergo a,
cooling process.
Her winter, she said, would be one of
hard study. Aunt Laura would select
masters for her and she would work at
art, music, nguages-anything to
keep busy. Then he began to argue that
she was all wrong. She ought to go
home to her mother and not waste her
youth (She laughed ScOrnfully) and her
beauty (she smiled proudly. Then she
asked him why he lived on Banbury
Road and studied mathematics at OK
ford instead of going into business with
his father in New York. He answered
that he wasn't worth considering; that
she was the only person in the world
worth talking about, and the climax
of his whole argument was that she
should go back to America, engaged to
him and wait for the glorious life they
would begin together next year when
he had taken his doctors degree.
But she was relentless and wouldn't
even attempt to answer his question
whether she cared for him at all She
grew a little impatient and said he
ought to see that she couldn't. think
about such things; she was interested
in carrying on her studies and in moth
ing else. Finally he said he supposed
she expected him to start for Oxford
that highland wanted to be contra
dicted. But she agreed that it would be
the most sensible thing to do.
So it had all ended, and she had be-
come absorbed in the landscape and for
getful of him until he mentioned Aunt
Laura, and they started down the
tower. Ben was three or four steps
ahead, two-thirds of the way down,
when he heard a stumble. Frances had
caught her foot in her dress and fallen.
He had just time to brace himself with
an arm against either wall when she
slid down upon him.
Get your footing quick, and don't
faint he said.
I'm not going to faint, she an
swered; land I'm quite well myself, ex-
cept that my hat is crooked-not that it
matters in the dark
Slowly he dropped his arms and she
passed on before him AS they came
out into the light he motioned to
carriage crossing the narrow court.
fsFThRrf isn't moment to lOSe.' he GX
planned, ''if [ am going to get my boat.
You are sure you are not hurt?
Perfectly sound. Did I frghten
''Wel1, yes; it didn't seem exactly safe
for either of us to have you come
tumbling down on top of me. But 1
must go. 1 shall see you again some
day. Frances"
Somehow he got the cathedral door
open for her, handed her an umbrella,
took off his hat, pressed her hand and
low his movements, she only felt his
eyes resting on her as if they could not
turn away till the narrow side door
closed behind her
After a few minutes Frances found
her aunt and they left the cathedral.
where is Ben? ' Aunt Laura asked.
Gone to England to do his work as
boy should, and we are going to Brus-
sells tonight
Aunt Laura gave a little sigh. 1t is
hard to be patient with youths per
The next day the two sat at a small
table in a small patisserie near the top
of the Montagn de la Tour waiting for
chocolate. Frances was struggling with
the Rotterdam daily paper. 1t was
hard work to make any sense of the
queer language, but suddenly she stop
ped appalled, at a sentence she fancied
she understOod-an accident to the Ant
werp Harwich boat and something too
Dutch for comprehension had happened
to the passengers.
aunt Laura, order the cakes, dear,
and I'll be back soon. I'm going to get
a Christian paper and Frances stepped
into the street, with visions of bursting
boilers, enVeloping waves and fires at
sea, and in the midst a strong, smiling,
white face with pleading brown eyes.
A low carriage was just creeping up
the almost impossible hill, and in it
sat the owner of the strong face and the
smile, but somehow the brown eyes
had ceased to be suppliants, and turned
conquerors in the brightness of the
| Brussels morning.
He was before her, her rejected lover,
| who had saved her yesterday from a
broken crown and today from a broken
heart-for had he not refused to play
! the hero in that channel calamity of
which she no longer sought to read the
particulars?
! "Oh, Ben, thought you were drown
| edl' she said in voice he had never
heard before.
He sprang out of the carriage and joy
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