The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-16

said the lady of the apples; so he held
her till she had them all. though the
task was robbed of a full half of the de-
lights he had anticipated
now" h said, when she was on her
feet again. "go quickly. Oh. poor you'll"
SIZE cast me off," he said.
I should-if / were she!"
And then he turned in haste
But, if she does, come back to mel"
she called after him.
"Weli-and what? Be quick."
And I'll give you a bite OF an apple
il there's any left" h laughed
The girl he was engaged to had seen
it all, h said, and forthwith
her right to that connection. She SEEM
ed to have seen even more than all, con-
slderlng what it to when she
went over it in words. Low tastes and
the society of the ill-bred, she told him,
would be his ruin. Then she tossed him
over to ruin, declaring she would have
non of him.
You are free" she said Cby no means
for the first time), "anc l know exactly
how you will use your reedom.
Il hope you'll have the opportunity
of using your as WE'LL" he said, stung
into retort at last.
4 might nave knowni" she cried.
ooh, what 1 have been spared! Every
fresh face
so few faces are fresh.' he said; and
that was really unkind. for she had a
salloW complexion.
I am not going to 1t any
more she declared. having herself
talked the subject bare. "Go."
And he went. But he was a gentle
man, and previous to going he had tried
his best to sOOthe her even
to frankly owning that-from her point
J OF vleW-she had cause for it. He had
| tried to close his ears to the echOing
| voice, his eyes to the laughing face, of
the girl he had left under the apple
trees He did all he could to shut out
the sweet. sudden vision of freedom, OF
ToIo0Co ron, q 4onfirIfxy which bod OIL
ways irked him 1t was not his fault
in the present that his past faults were
accounted objectionable. He only went
when he was certain that he was power
less to re-rivet his chains.
He was not a ooetical young man,
but some verses the lady who had re-
linquished him was fond of quoting
came to him as he wandered back to
where the cause of the mischief $50 he
devoutly hoped) still awaited him. He
waited, on his part, until he was quite
certain that she was there, until he
stood in front of her. and then he re-
peated a verse out loud:
When the apple tree reddens never
Lest we lose our Eden, Eve and l."
$50 she has sent you adrift?' said
the girl, seated under h apple tree.
But Ewes all right"
He flung himself beside her.
Ewes all right" he echoed. God
bless her! You haven't finished the ap-
ples?"
"Notyou're just in time. Here's a
whole one left" and she passed it to
him. That's the prettiest side," she
said, pointing; "you may bite it there"
Really"
TT seems a BETTING the oc-
c~asion," she said.
There" he said, as he handed the
bitten apple back to her. But 1 knew
what was good for me the moment I
saw it, before I ate of the fruit"
You are not keeping very closely to
the original" she said.
Eve is all right" he repeated.
Dear, 1 love you! Am II"
He bent toward her. They were so
close under the shelter of the Did apple
tree that she could hear his heart beat;
he could hear hers.
Her cheeks were redder than the APP
pies, and there was a strange, new
note in her clear voice. Wait" she
said; II thought I could deceive you,
but I can't. 1 saw her there before L
let you-seize me-"
He did not speak.
81 know she does not love you; she
almost said SO. She said things about
you to me she never could have said if
she truly loved you. l believe she loves
someone else better. 1 must not tell
why I think it, but 1 do"
Still he did not speak.
81 knew felt sure-that you did nor
properly love her."
She waited a moment. "Can you for
give me?" she asked, very softly.
IF love prompted your"
Il uppos that was it." she admitted.
Love and apples.'