The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-18
AYLMER.
rFrom the Chieago News.I

/
Hollis they were standing together when
Edith spoke:
DO you know that man who just
came in, Hillary? That tan, fair man
talking to Mary Nelson mean He has
a wonderfully striking face
That's Aylmer, don't you know?
''Your old chum."
Eyes. He just came today. I'll bring
him over. I want you to meet him.
Edith stood half concealed by clus-
| ter of palms and watched the two men
as they made their way toward her She
saw Hillary introduce his friend to a
number of people and thought Aylmer
| looked bored, but her eyes followed him
with a sort of fascination. Hillary was
handsome, there was no doubt as to that
| but he was distinctly of this world,
worldly, while Aylmer-
Her reverie was interrupted by the
mans voice
Il count it a very great pleasure to
meet you, Miss Morton. My friend,
Lance, has long pOrmised me the priv
ilege, but circumstances have always
prevented. The fates are unusually kind
to me tonight
zone might question the kindness, Mr..
Aylmer. I am not generally considered
amusing and Mr.. Lance seems to pur-
pose leaving you entirely at my mercy "
s'And is amusement the sole end and
aim of exiStence2"
TT seems to be with most people. For
unately there are a few to whom the
rule does not apply
may ask so personal a question? If you
must be amused or perish I will surren-
der my place to some one else, for am
not amusing, either. Hillary is, how
ever, if we may judge by the faces OF
those young ladies'"
'sBut he isn't frivolous though, real
ly.' Edith exclaimed, and then flushed
angrily as Aylmer smiled:
Not really?"
Instantly the mans manner changed.
Il have known Hillary Lance intimate
ly a great many years, Miss Edith, and
never once in all that time have I
known him to swerve one inch from
what he considered right. A loyal
friend and right royal fellow he al
ways will be-
Each of these two people had known
the other so long by heresay that the
commonplaces of ordinary first ac-
Quaintance would have been superduOus
and they talked instead of things and
people of aSplra lions and ambitions, of
life and its purposes, finding a wondrous
community of interests and ideas, the
real heart-sympathy for which every
| soul yearns. Sitting in the shadow of
the palms, with the glittering throng
passing and repassing before them, they
drifted into companionship so perfect
that speech was noneSSential. To
Edith it seemed like bit of some old,
half-forgotten dream, and it was with
visible effort that she brought herself
! together when at last Hillary appeared
before them.
t'Wen, you two precious people GER
tainly must have found each other en-
tertaining,'' he exclaimed. Il have had
my eyes on you for fully Is minutes and
I really don't believe you have said half
a dozen words to each other in that
time"
"Oh, but you are mistaken" said Ayl-
mer- 81 can safely testify that 1, my
self, have said at least seven.
After that Hillary found it almost i'm
possible to bring his two choicest friends
together and his loyal heart did not once
suspect it to be because of the self-dis-
trust with each felt and the fear of the
enchanted but dangerous land into
which their feet had once almost carried
them. He was at first puzzled and then
provoked at the indifference, almost dis
like, which each manifested toward the
other.
4 don't understand you at ALL AyI-
mer,' he exclaimed holly one evening
when after he had raVed at length about
Edith, the other had drawled non
chalantly, "She does seem to be pretty
nice Sort
Il didn't know I had talked in rid
dies, his friend responded.
You haven't. You haven't talked at
all. Hang it, any way, 1 believe must
have stated each of you with my de-
scriptionS of the other before Wou ever
met, for Edith acts just as abominable
as you do. I never thought she would
be SO ungracious to one Of my friends"
You didn't want US to go into rap
lures over each other, did your"
mo, but I wanted you to see what
any other fellow with half an eye would
have seen, that she is just the dearest
girl in the world
"Oh, no, old fellow, you didn't want
anything of the sort. You'd have got
jealous instanter if l had limited that 1
thought such a thing"
The days went by uneventually, Edith
and Aylmer meeting always on the
ground Of cool indifference, but some
times a word, or look or touch of the
hand would startle each with the knowl-
edge that they were again near the dan
gerous territory. Each knew and I'M
secret, a thought of the other which
would have been disloyal to the man
who loved them both so trustfully.
One night the three attended a con-
cert of which Hillary was one of the
patrons. They sat at D-.- side of the
church. About half way through the
programme there came an odor of burn
ing wood, and, just as it was becoming
noticeable, the electric lights fared up
and went out.
Just excuse me a minute Hillary,
said, land I'll go and see what's up
Just after he had gone, however, some
overtimid person in the room caught
the scent of the burning wood
and cried ''fre!' Instantly there
were swept out into the aisle, here they
were turned and jostled and crushed by
the frantic crowd. Catching Edith in
mis- arms, Aylmer forced his way out
of the current and they found them
selves alone in a niche near the stair
way. Then, standing there in the dark
ness, everything else was forgotten.
There remained for each but one real
ity and that was the presence of the
other.
Edith the man whispered, Edith,
my Edith"
The girl lifted her head and their lips
met in one long kiss
Stop
Hillary's voice rang out in the dark
ness. and the surging crowd stood still.
There is no fire, and has been none
except in the furnace. The janitor had
just put in some wood to hurry the heat
a little. The lights will be all right in
a few minutes; all. there they are now
Now if you viii kindly return to your
seats the programme will be continued"