The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-17
THE EvENING TOE.
Over the Garden wan


wall but after a few minutes I came
back aga1n-merely as an afterthought. |
Il wish to observe" remarked severe
", that there are three distinct freck-
les on your nose; a big one, a medium
one, and wee one-pa, ma and the
baby. dislike freckles."
It was not quite the truth, for didn't
on Decie.
She few into passion.
You're the rudest man ever saw %
she cried; Il wish I'd never taken this
hateful house! How dare you sit on
my Wall?''
absolute right to sit on the half of it:
as leading member of the bar know
the law
Better than it knows you. I some
times think" she returned sWeetly.
This was unpleasantly true.
Il can afford to waits'' said loftily
If you spent more time in your
chambers in town and less on my
wall
You would
Lose sunburn and freckles. and be-
come pale, interesting and an intellect
ual-looking young man
She snorted contemptuouSly.
Don't do that implored; its vul-
''what?'' she demanded Grossly.
Snort"
Il didn'tv'
sorry to contradict, but I heard you.
In the best circles it is considered IN
Don't talk to me as if were be-
hind counter, or a boarding school
miss. Unladylike! AS if T."
Were ever ladylike." I finished
- Il wasn't going to say that, Mr.. Lor-
Decie looks lovely in rage-she
mostly looks lovely.
Weren't you?'' I turned absently,
watching the sun ind out the warm,
rich tints of her hair.
II wish I hadn't taken this beastly
/ housed" she cried with a stamp.
But Mrs. Allardyce--
Mother! she wanted one of those
| new desirable family residences; but
as soon as saw this garden knew
| it was the very thing for US, so we
came, and now mother-awfully OBJ
stinate person, mother-says we've got
/ to move, that she won't stay IN this
4 damp house any longer
''She said that" gasped- How
ery-eh-smart!'' You see, Mrs.
/ AIIardyce was a typical British mat
i ron. But a thing like that shows you
you never know women.
''I said damp, Mr.. lorrimer, Decle
spoke hurriedly, her face very red;
4 then she giggled weakly for a minute,
and joined in.
You should speak more distinctly,
/ Miss AIlardyce," 1 said in gravely re-
proving tones; zone is so apt to mis-
construe."
1T is damp. you know" she has
tened to add.
returned. ct likewise was almost be
trayed by the CHASTITY ultra-respecta
biIity of villadom, but the garden and
the wall and a-er-vision next door
/ tempted me, and I fell. Now, on
windy days the kitchen fire goes out,
and my housekeeper says things no
gentleman could demean himself by
repeating, and I live on horrible con-
| coctions When it rains sleep under
an umbrella held at an angle over a
! bucket, which is all right as long as
I remain awake, but should 1 doze OF,
the bucket upsets and a stream of
/ water. goes down my neck.
You should have it seen TO, sne salo
unsympathetically.
TT scarcely seems worth while troub-
ling, for a lonely bachelor" L said pa
thetically; land it does not always rain
and blow, you know. Besides, the gar
den wall has it's conpensations!
rs it very disfguring?' she inquired
anxiously.
1.-The wall?''
NO, stupid, my nose!"
ITS quite an ordinary sort OF nose,
isn't it?' I returned cautiously. Not
that it is in the least, really, you know.
| II meant the freckles' I look
ed at her intently in my best legal man
ner-which is very piercing indeed, cal
| culated to make a criminal terrible in
his shoes.
Are your eyes grayey-blue, or bluey-
gray?'' I inquired
DO you think being freckled matters
very much?"
where
"Complimentsr' I echoed in amaze:
my dear Miss Allardyce, such was the
last idea in my mind. did not mean
Won a
Whom did you mean?" demanded
Decie, with supreme Indifference.
"Come up here and perhaps III tell
you" I said insinuatingly.
ION no account
.rWell. perhaps you are right; any
/ wav it's as delightful as it is rare, in
these days of the superiority OF the fair
sex, to be able to look down upon a
member with masculine supremacy. Up
here YOU would establish your right to
half the wall, and az equality with a
lord of creation. I beg you win remain
where you are, Miss Allardyce."
Then won't, So
'sTherei"
so give me your hand at once
ITS distinctly unladylike."
She looked at my outstretched hand,
ats grubbyl" she retorted.
you misunderstood. I was allud-
ling to your proposed elevation. Do
stay where you are like a tractable
spinster--
How dare you call me namesl''
But you are, you know" said
sadly: "and you've got to be, too, till
some one requests the pleasure of your
/ COMPANY in the Uncertain Estate
'I won't be called a sDinster!'' she
cried wrathfully. I'm not. T."
'rWhere do you keep him?'' I asked,
dropping my voice-'in the cellar?'
Mr. Lorrimer, you are detestable,
and I'm going in at once!"
Her cheeks were very pink, her
sswhy, they are violet" I calculated.
There's the coal hole I insinuated
softly; quite a homely little spot for
a. husband! But don't let me keep
you: you were going in, I think?''
''I'm coming up" she said, setting