The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-02-15


Anne early in the evening, he had sal
a few betraying words. Since then bot
of them had fioated in the ether that
never breathed but once.
There was not much in Bowie's lodging
I to tempt a lovers reverie. and so sens
bly, he went to bed to sleep off the brit
time intervening before the hour when
was his custom to be in his office, begin
ming mis- days work
Not so Anne Sherbourne. After reach
ing her own quarters and dismissing tn
tired maid with good natured injune
: ton not to show herself till after lunch
con time, she went for a moment int
her mothers bedroom in response to
summons from that lady's voice.
Was it a good ball? Mr.. Baxter too
you into supper, didn't he? Really, fin
him very clever and entertaining
Quaint, 1 should say"
Very quaint" answered Anne.
rs that all you have to tell me. child
I don't understand why you are so hold
back with Mr.. Baxter He has certainl,
a very large nature. Gives untold sum
in all the charities one knows about ant
y
wants us to go to New Orleans for Mard
Gras in his car, we to name everybody
else he will ask? He has been so nice t.
us 1 couldn't we'll refuse
Go back to your dreams. mother
mime said Anne, kissing an eyebrow
panoplied by crimping pins. Don't waste
these precious hours talking about Mr.
Baxter. L have a sort of conviction he
will not follow up that invitation to us
to go to New Orleans for Mardi Gras.''
When she again reached her bedroom
frock she had worn that evening. Miss
Sherbourne, who had all the day in which
to sleep, dropped into wicker chair be-
fore her hearth and bro'1gnt together a
few sticks and a few embers, that soon
gave forth a CHEEKY blaze. Nesting into
her blue dressing gown, with its long
stole Of yellowish lace. she stretched forth
her feet to the dragon andirons reflected
in the tiled hearth and fell to thinking.
1t had come at last-her opportunity,
She was twenty-six and he was twenty
five. thought that made her vince. Her
experience had shown her the result of
more than one such marriage among her
friends A husband who had kept on
maturing long after the wife had reached
her prime. A husband whose boyish face,
appearing in the wake of settled wife
provoked the usual jokes from idle
lockers on. That was a phase of it she
would have to meet. unless time could
be induced to rob Walter of his enchant-
ing juvenility of contour, the immortal
ity'' lines of the marble gods in the Ro-
one, took delight in Walters looks.
Stretching out her hand impatiently
toward the silver mirror on her toilet
table, Anne went with it to the window
and remorselessly pulled back the close
drawn curtains. In the stealing daylight
she looked at herself, drawing after the
long breath of relief.
She was beautiful still, with the beauty
of first youth By not so much as the
breath she conveyed to her own mirror
were her surfaces and tints impaired.
1t was with her still springtime, seed
time. the season of her glorious youth.
Walter should have no cause to blush for
the comrade who would walk lifes ways
with him.
For SO long people had called her cold.
If she had at first seemed so. because
Of her hidden resolve never to marry
until her heart told her it had walked. and
also because it was the fashion in her set
for girls to be cold, she was now proving
herself a recreant to custom. Already
she was longing for the hours to speed
on that would bring him back to her.
Already she was specializing feverishly
Ipon the battle she should have to fight
20 belong to him, and go out of this
house, so filled to overlooking with ma
erial creeds and petty preachments, into
he new life that Walter would provide
or her. Already she had determined to
light this battle to the death, and was
olissful in so determining.
.
A day later both her talk with Walter
md her announcement of their engage
rent to Mrs. Sherbourne had been ac-
''Of course. you expected me to refuse
ny consent observed that lady. over
whose brow the crimping pins had now
nut forth well coiffed pompadour. And,
{ i am not very much mistaken. you
Tere prepared to be as heroic as Brun-
lilda in defying me. Well. shall give
'ou no such opportunity. Answer me a
ew questions plainly and without at
empting flowers of speech. and the mat
er may be adjusted amicably out of
curt, as the newspapers say
Anne. who knew her mother well. had
81, II
taccato and emotional way. She blanch-
d little in submitting 10 inGuisition.
In the first place. does Mr.. Bowie
ropose to live with us or TO have you
we with him? In the former case. must
emind you that you and l are both rather
ct in our ways. 1t is not as If you were
Eighteen and l had not insomnia
We shall have our own home. mother. !
Walter stipulates for that.
And where will that home be-
Anywhere" answered Anne impatient 8
'. He doesn't care. and certainly / ]
ave had enough of mere cabinetmakers' .
nd upholsterers' work"
Have you told him. or shall /. the ex- I
CT amount of the income your father 4
1T youe"
Was IL necessary? I told him / have
tribe of my own-enough to dress upon.
, give books and Christmas presents !
nd that you are not very rich
Trust other people to have told that
efore. He can't have many illusions as
, our wealth But 1 should Ike him
, know that nothing but continual
isgusting strain on my part has kept
: for years in our proper place in 90
ety. That ] can't do anything much for
GU apart from myself To your mar
age / have looked forward as time
hen I could fold my hands and rest
did seem to me that with your beauty
nd exceptionally good position you would