The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-30
August and December.

simmer seaside scene. A couple
on the sands. The man is speaslhs-
You are as dainty and as dehcauS5y
coIored as a miniature OF some 4,
time beauty. You ought to be set III
diamonds
She smiled up to him. Then she
withdrew her hand from his ana m
stinctively they turned toward the SEA-
They walked slowly down the PAIN
toward the waters edge. Iney I'll ea-
ed a narrow way beneath Gill thae
Sheltered them from view. and there
they sat down on a big rock and looked
at teach other Not very enterIa1nlns
occupation, cynics may think put y
them it seemed all sufficient.
IT'S fall. said Alice at last DRAG
cling her eyes away and looking across
the water The horizon was Velled IA
a light mist that now and then gave
vague glimpzes OF a sail.
.sYAs. IT'S fall.s' said Fitz Gerald re
gretfuily, but It has been blessed
..Why?" she asked, turning toward
him and smiling at the useless dues-
because have spent 1t with you"
1 he said and the answer, useless az 1AAe
question, made him smile too
But you will forget me soon snS
said drawing down her mouth and
assuming a generally woebegone air
.'Neverl Because love you!
Why had he not told her before
| Because he knew that she knew with
| out his telling; because fate mad ue
creed that this should be the time and
1 place. ,s
were around her From time I'm me-
/ mortal newly confessed lovers nave
| kissed each other. and these did not
! transgress the unwritten law -.
And do you truly, truly love me
he whispered
Yes she whispered back
Why did they whisper, when only the
! ocean and some sea urchlns ana q
And can you stand living on the
ranch with me2 And will you like me
in my cowboy clothes?"
II know that you look like q king IN
1 them. But I won't have to be a cow
| girl. will 1? would be SO afraid OF
you never shall see a horn if you
don't want to. And when shall the
aoh, its too soon to think of that.
isn't it2" N
mo I've been thinking OF it all
| summer. Haven't you?"
YES" she said unblushingly, rubblng
! her cheek on one OF his hands that she
! held in both her own. I can't AeaNe
| Aunt Martha until her sprained ankle
| is well, and the doctor says 1t VIII take
fully three months. Can't you wait 1or
| me that long2 ape
| how can I be sure that you love me
| when I SO far away? -,
| She leaned down and picked up shell
| that lay at her feet.
I love you" she whispered into it.
| Then she held it to his ear. DO you
| hear?' she asked. 1T says 1 love you
| doesn't it2 And as long as 1t says II
| my love shall last, and that means 1or-
ever"
It was December. Great changes had
/ been effected on F'itz Geralds ranch- a
wing had been added to the one story
| frame and as he was DESTROYS OF laying
by all he could Fritz Gerald had done
| great deal of the work with MS Owl
| hands A lawn had been fenced or and
plowed and rolled and planted, that the
spring rain might bring up luxurla.'
| growth of grass t1Jz Geraio IN M ~
| minds eye saw it always green ane
| CLOSELY. shaven A new artesian hao
| been bored. Packages OF flower SEEDS
for May planting were locked up IN one
| of the new closets. and just at noon OF
/ a cloudy windy day home came Fltz
Gerald riding a beautiful little plaeh
horse He was on sidesaddle ana mac
a gunny sack fastened to the pommel
that its Tapping and slipping mighll
prepare the horse for the Tapping ano
slapping of a woman's skirt
sAnv mail Flynn " he asked as rs
aismo1nted and handed the reins to the
/ man who had come to meet him
yes. sor; wan letter." said Flynn
with a knowing and encouraging smile
The letter was on the hall table. He
gloated over it for moment. Then
he opened it carefully. A dazed look
came over his face when he began &c
read He walked stiffiy into his little
study and read it again. 1t said:
MY dear, my dearest, I couldn'i
help it. 1 love you just the same
Aunt Martha made me do it. He Is
rich-odiously, Overwhelmingly rich
and he is young and never will die anc
leave me all his money SO that 1 car
marry you, and I want to marry you
Aunt Martha bounded me into It. She
talked all the time about how she nae
taken care of me ever since was {
baby and she said that she eouldn
live alone: that she would have to &C
to Oklahoma with us and that the eli
mate would kill her; that the doctor
said it would. And she upbraided ms
with my. selhshness in letting her slave
over me all my life and then to breai
her heart and drag her down to pow
ertv. for she says her money IS al
| gone; that by next month she viii %
penni1ess. And you know, dear, vol
: have nothing. So tomorrow l am Z
! marry him..
Fftz Gerald tore the letter in two an6
( threw it into the open fire. He jerkec
7 open a drawer in his desk, took out
: shell and held it to his ear. Then h'
roared like a wounded lion and dashef
the shell on the hearthstone, where j
[ crashed into a thousand pieces
rpIa noasnst Work Both Wavs