The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-01
il CHANGE CT MIND.

1.-THE four years must have seemed a
long time" said the old lady, sympa-
thetically
They did," agreed Ronny, softly.
glancing at Maud. She returned the
glance, smiling, and hated herself for
be compared with the length of the last
week." was what she wanted to say.
They felt like a hundred was what
she did say.
had a wild desire to add: Il wish they
had been"
The old lady, who was Ronny's aunt,
nodded approvingly.
Who would have thought that the
pair OF babes you were four years ago
could have kept it up so long?"
Kept it up!" The phrase Jared
on Ronny. 1t was characteristic of the
man that his first thought was whether
it had Jared on Maud. He looked for
he knew so we'll. It came, and all his
sympathy went out to her-for the
wrong reason, as it so often does.
She was thinking: Can 1 keep it
I?''
She could, and did, and it took Ronny
at least another fortnight to find out
that she was acting. She was smiling
softly to herself, and for a moment he
stood watching her. He was not a con-
ceited man; he might perhaps be ex-
cused for supposing himself the subject
of her thoughts. At any rate, he did
suppose so. He said: MAUD, have
you seen your mothers scissors out
here? She asked me to look for them
This was far from the truth but he
knew Maud would never remember his
question She was too busy hustling
the real Maud out of sight.
Come in she said making room on
the seat beside her. II haven't seen
you for an age."
IT'S tremendously hot in here, isn't
it?'' he said. Shall we try the orch
like. and III guarantee it shan't give
I think We'll sit under a tree" she
said. "A hammock is SO haughtily re-
mote, though comfortable"
Il think we won't" he said I'm go
ing to tell you things. and I'm not go
ing 10 have your eyes eating into my
soul Get into the hammock where you
She got in. deceived by his bantering
tone. as he had intended her to be.
Sit right underneath me-" she COM
manded only so shall I be assured
Il will" he said. only SO shall 1 be
assured that you can't see me-
Maud"
Eyes?
"D'you know what it's like to be
hypocrite-not for a minute or an hour,
but always-to live a lie for weeks,
months on end?"
He felt her eyelids contract. though
he could not see her face.
II can imagine it," she said
Well, I'm that hypocrite. 1 want to
tell YOU that. Oh, Maud. Maud. won't
you help me out?"
1 cant-imagine what you want
me to say" she said, heIplessly.
DON'T know how to say it myself
he answered, gloomily. t know I'm a
eur and fool. but-can one help these
things happening? There's a girl in-in
Australia"
With a sudden quick movement she
turned on her side. and hung over the
edge OF the hammock as far as she
dared Then she made her first sensible
remark for three weeks:
There isn't"
There was silence. and the hammock
was ominously still
I'm finding out" she said at last,
VIII i!Ro dignity, why you did it,"
You're finding out whether vou like
MN as much as you thought YOU did
oe1ore you looked over the hammock. ;,
Plg! she said, bitterly, and he was
amply rewarded. Who's him ?" she
added, cautiously, after a pause.
I don't know" Another pause
I've found out why you did it -
on may have made a mistake" he
said, hopefully. Tell me-
oh, no, haven't I know quite we'll
l must have said or looked something
that made you think I wanted to be
free-that liked Jin-Jim-MacdonaI
that ! liked him so much that
that"
Did you say it was Jim Macdon-
Yes. 1 mean Oh. you'll never be-
heve me. How could you But when I