The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-13
Mr.. BASSINGTON'S VISITOR

u1Ale DADNA4tW L Wv ~ HAJAA VAD
Outside in the Temple the afternoon
sun was shining gayly, Frightening with
its gold the grim, time-darkened houses
But the cheerful rays did not penetrate
I within a certain room on the second
floor of a house that looked even more
/ sCmber than those adjacent w hat
! light there was came through the win
dow as if reluctantly, and dimly showed
a figure bent over q desk engrossed IN
work.
Ii one could have peeped in at that
room at the same hour on any day Of
! the year one would have seen the same
still figure at the same occupation; ex-
! cept during the vacations, when Rich
ard Bassington left work and tn
Temple behind for time and sought
some place where the air was fresher
and sweeter.
It had been urged upon him that now
he was a famous K. C. he should leave
the chambers he had first come to when
struggling junior and find a more
imposing suite of rooms But he chung
to the old ones with an affection that
was more the outcome of long assocla~
ton than of any actual beauty or con-
venienee they possessed, for they We're
sha bly, and mean. and up two flights OF
stairs which clients grumbled at a gooa
deal
Mr.. Bassington had had a busy day.
and returning a few minutes ago from
the courts was anticipating a hasty tea.
to more work
But somehow he could not this after
noon easily riVet his attention. as long
ha bit had given him the power to do,
on the work before him There stared
up at him from those dry, rustln9
papers, as if drawn upon them by IN
visible fingers. a girls fair face, with
gray laughing eyes and a tangle OF
wild. sweet hair; in a word, face
from past he had hoped was dead ana
done with long ago had come to haunt
and disturb the present.
He glanced up at the calendar above
his desk 1t was her birthday, he re-
membered. He supposed it was that
which had brought her so persistently
to his mind today He placed his pen
down and half closed his eyes. Like
dimly remembered music. her voice
seemed to float to him across the gulf
of years. Why did the achin2
memory of Il come back to him now ,
She had long ago passed out of his life.
and even though some of the bright
ness of it had stolen away with her,
she had left him his work.
I have that" he murmured. half
aloud 1T must suffice, now and al
ways" Yet in that moment the wealth
and fame he had won seemed but as
Dead Sea fruit, turning to ashes in his
mouth.
He thought of certain thousands that
lay snugly invested. OF what use We're
they to buy back the past or give bin
once moro the chance to win the only
woman he had ever cared or would ever
care for2
With a self-indulgence that was I'M
usual to him he was still contemplating
this dream-sweet face. with the laugh
ing eyes and merry lips when there
came rather lmDerlous knock at MS
front door. and breaking from his rev
erie he FASTENED to answer it.
Standing outside was vision N
white. No 6gment of the brain thia.
but vision of flesh and blood-a child.
a little girl with grave. inquiring glance
and pretty face flushed with excite
ment
Il told you ] should come to see You,
Mr.. Bassington," she said to the aston
ished barrister. "and [ made nurse
bring me this afternoon. l have sent
her back to the hotel. and told her to
I said I was going to have tea with
zrO--"
She had crossed the threshold and,
following the bewildered lawyer, she
stopped short in the middle of the room
and looked at him with candid blue
eyes.
I'm afwaid" she said, pronouncing
her words with delicate precision, that
Bassington. I believe" she added. with
dreadful solemnity. that you've forgot
all about asking me-"
But this terrible indictment Richard
/ Bassington FASTENED to deny He re-
membered meeting the child a week ago
at a friends house where a juvenile
party was in progress He did not know
her name, but he had been attracted by
her quaintness. After the manner Of
/ children she had asked him a number of
questions. where he lived, and whether
! she might come to see him. with a grave
4 seriousness that was natural to her, and
4 he had replied in the same strain that
upon any afternoon he would be pre-
/ pared to receive her
Why should you not think I am
/ pleased at your visit2" he asked, little
awkward1y He was unused to children
! and not at ease with them.
When I go to my fwiends they all
ways kiss me" was her indirect an
sWer.
oh I see.'' he replied, with a laugh.
~Wen. that is an omission soon rem
edied" and catching the child up in his
strong arms he kissed the sweet ba by
lips. That seemed effeetually to break
the ice between them. and in a few mo-
ments the little girl was explaining how
she had obtained permission from her
aunt-a lady careless of children and
whose brains were woolly in the after
noon-tO come out with her nurse to see
1 Mr. Bassington.
Standing alone as he did in the world,
with no tie no one to love or care for
him in return. with nothing to live for
but incessant work in which he found
his only dreary pleasure, Richard Bas-
sington was almost surprised to find
that he was still human, and that this
dear child with her r,1-etfv vvaVe seemed