The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-24

ing on herself. st should have been hor-
ribly jealous of every beautiful woman
paint her! I could forgive her face, but
not her shoulders. I'm such a poor little
bag of boneSi''
1 wanted to tell her a hundred comfort
ing things, but 1 knew better. She was
not in mood for anything but what she
considered the truth.
1T would have been a real calamity if
he cared" she said. going on with her
pitiful argument against herself HE
must be free, if he is to succeed. and oh,
he has geniusl Did you see his head of
Gerard? Oh, it would be a crime to come
between him and his career couldn't
wish it to happen. / care as much for
his success as do for him."
"A man couldn't care like that,
said, with a long breath.
Perhaps it's just because know it's
hopeless anyway, and SO put on a tine
leaning back, as though tired beyond ex-
preston. I can't answer for myself any
more, not since I've caught myself night
after night, refusing invitations and maxi
ing excuses to stay at home, just in case
he should drop. 1t; Did you ever hear of
anything so abject?
We sat silent for awhile. she staring
into the fire with the same hopeless look,
while but this story is not about ne.
Then a. door slammed, and in instant
she was her other self, alert and self
How. did I come to. tell 70 uall this?"
she exclaimed. 1.-The storm made me blue
your honor. that You'll never tell this or
even hint it to any one else all your life
i promised readily enough. wasn't
likely to want to tell
Tt was the same kind of an afternoon
nearly two years later. that I hunted up
Powers in Paris. His success hadn't
brought a bit bigger head with it, and
he was as glad to see me as if we still
belonged to the same world. Almost
his first question was about Genevieve,
seen her for a year, and though she had
promised to write to me, / had never re-
eeived more than one or two conventional
'sThat girl" said Powers thoughtfully
meant more to me than any woman L
1 held my breath and waited Powers
was never moved to a burst of conf
dence in his life, but he was always ready
to coolly analyze himself, body and mind
and SOUL. for anyone who was Interested
I don't suppose a man eyer was as
much in love as was, and fought it so
resolutely, he went on. 4 suppose she
knew it--girls generally debut I never
really acknowledge it to myself till the
day 1 sailed, day something like this
Then-whewi'' He shook his head, his
| eyes contracting at the memory.
But why did you fight?'I asked.
soluteiy uncertain and the big fight be-
fore me. and 1 wanted to go into it free
I was horribly ambitious, and when it
came to choosing between myself and my
work, myself had to go every time Be
sides, it would have been brutally unfair
been years and years before 1 could
marry. How could I know was going
| to be so lucky?"
Then. she didn't carer" I asked. I
| had sworn not to tell and heaven knows
I didn't want to, but the secret was fore
ing its way out in spite of me. 1 felt as
| though l had two lives in my hand
mo, she was just q good comrade. and
I tried to fool myself by taking the
same attitude though / don't suppose it
| fooled anybody else. If she had ever
! shown the least symptom-oh, I'd have
| given in in a second But she never
cared a bit-said goodbye to me as
| jolly could be the night before left"
! The secret was scorching my tongue,
| but my promise to Genevieve still Kept
me debating.
Her features weren't a bit good. but
she had the most attractive face / ever
said. TT had a beauty higher than that
| of form and coloring, a sort of iuspira-
| ton I have tried a. hundred times to
/ catch it, especially in that martyr over
/ there on the easel. It's look of pluck
4 and radiance and-oh, don't knowi
can't get it,
1 knew. and opened my lips to speak,
| then hesitated again.
TITS so strange he went on "She
| always prophesied that I would fall in
| love, quite deliberately, with some beau
| tiful peasant girl over here. a woman OF
| the people, perfect physically, with a
| lovely nature, and no intellectual power
whatever. Queer, wasn't it? But l for