The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-04-27
A FINGER OF FATE.


IFrOm The KING
I was very much in love There could
| not be the slightest doubt about it All
my friends remarked the signs and de
! plored the fact suppose was really
4 very bad company.
They called her a hirt- MY beautiful
1 Gertrude filrt! And I could not but
| acknowledge that they We're not alto
gether wrong. But then, Gertrude Dix
! on is fascinating, with a pair of spark
1 ling brown eyes, an apple blossom COM
1 plexion. and the voice Of a song bird
Are they not sufficient attributes to the
pastine of flirting?
And throughout it all I felt that she
really cared for me. True, she firted,
/ but sometimes in q serious vein. AL
ways, however. she laughed me off when
I approached her with my heart in my
hand. And went away more detected
/ than ever
Ny best friend, Phil Mason. admon-
! ished me; but in vain. Cant you see
she's a fifrt, old man?s said he.
only smiled.
Il feel kind of responsible. too" he
added. If hadn't introduced you to
her there would have been none of this
bother"
MY dear Phil said !, that was the
best thing you ever did for me"
He shrugged his shoulders and NUT
tered something inaudibly.
I hate to see man fooled by wo-
fan" said he.
You misjudge her, Phil answered,
| quickly. Il know her better than you
do
Well my mother has asked her down
to Noodley. and as you are coming with
me, perhaps things may happen Per
4 hapsl" And he laughed.
Phil was very much my friend. and
was almost too eager to help me
picked up my small Gladstone and
I began measuring it.
What are you doing . asked Phil.
Miss Dixon admires this very much,
so am going to buy her one just like
/ it, answered.
You waste a lot of money! he
laughed
He went out with me. however. and
we succeeded in purchasing a bag iden-
teal with my own.
It was a week later that Miss Dixon
and we two Travelled down to Woodley
4 together My suit had scarcely pros
pered meanwhile. She encouraged ne
without seeming to, but, with the ut
most dexterity. avoided anything APP
preaching q, proposal
Phil said she played on me more than
ever There was no doubt she fiirfed
/ with others, too / knew it, even while
/ I felt, and even she almost let me 6noW,
that was the favored one.
She had accepted the bag bought fol
| her with a so good of you, Harry" aud
had it now with her For me to buy it
seemed to be as natural as for her to
accept 1T meant nothing.
! In the railway carriage Phil was err
ratio almost rude.
Hal has the blues" he said to her.
nodding at me. why don't yor cure
him?"
I'm not a doctor" she laughed,
but you know the cure he persisted.
What is it," she asked
"A fitting reward.
You are really obscure she said.
Then viii you not take up the case?'
/ he TESTED.
You are evidently familiar with it
and should be the DOCTOR" she retorted
She had the best of it. and smiled at
I her victory.
He Will not take my advice said
Phil.
Then you must leave him to Fate"
Il will" he smiled. "but I think I'll
Al the station Phil took charge of our
two bags and his own, and we walked
down to WoodIey together.
About an hour later I was sitting
alone in the shrubbery when I heard
footstep, and Miss Dixon came up to
rive been looking for you" she said.
quietly.
II wish [ had knop,-r.s answered.
And then I noticed that she looked
Is there anything the matter Can
I help you2" I asked
Can you ask?" she said. almost
scornfully
4 should consider it a privilege
'Indeedi" She laughed.
Miss Dixon began, I'VE have
known each other a long while"
But little, it seems she interrupted.
1T may be-" I retorted quickly, that
I know little Of you, but I have loved
you for all am worth"
Really she said, sarcastically.
i do not understand, I stammered-
Why do you speak like that2"
''Ah, why? OF course have no right"
Miss Dixon-Gertrude, / burst out.
Sir" she said, sharply.
waited to hear no more, and looked
at her face, where tear fingered on
her eyelids.
Il had thought she said, that there
was one man who was truthful and
honest 1 had-ah! but what does it
matter2''
in mine, but she quickly withdrew it.
tsGertrudei" / whispered.
And you can still pretend she said,
haughtily. that you care for me?"
Your honor!'' shelaug1ssd. like that.
Ali And believed in you
She did really. care for me, then. I
was at her side in an instant
NO. sir" She waved me away. '"You
may keep your honor. Perhaps you can
reconcile it with this and she handed
me small packet
For me2' I muttered.
7 put the paper around Them she
She stood looking at me while undid
the packet which contained the photo
graph of a pretty girl and several let
n don't understand why you have
given these to me- I said, at last
MOI" she queried. 7 didn't expect
you would
Then why
why have I done so?'
4 admit it was foolish" she said II
suppose 1 could hardly expect you to ac-
cept them honestly
Accept .them2'' They are not mine.
I know nothing about them
HAT she laughed. II knew you
would say that"