The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-20
TIE EVENING STOR r
4'he Inevitable Man.
lRv IzoIa Forrester.

Wait" laughed jolly Allan,
prophetically wagging his forehnger
at the two figures in the hammock
Just you girls wait until the newt
able man shows up. and see where
your friendship will be- Pouf! Blng'
Up in smoke"
There have been men-''began
Irene. loftily.
Il said the inevitable man." pro-
tested Jolly. THE man, the right and
only one. I know there have been;
wasn't one Of them last year? But
honest, it will do me a world Of good
TO see the right one come along, and
have both of you girls fall In love
with hiTn-your tastes are so similar,
you know" He lodged the CUSHION
that whizzed from the hammock in
his direction dexterously. And then
see the tumble in girl loyalty You
won't speak to each other, and every
time the other one goes by with the
inevitable man, the one that's frozen
out viii say, Cat.
Jolly, there is limit, you know.
even to your imagination" Dorothy
Arnold rose from the hammock, and
stood a moment, her arms appraised as
she fastened in some refractory halr-
pins. They were pretty arms plump
tanned and bare to the elbows so
was their owner pretty, the very pref
test girl at Northern Lights except
one. and that one her closest friend,
Irene Nethersley.
It was nearly a month since the
two girls had come to the inn at
Northern Lights to spend their sum-
mer vacation. The Lights" was not a
fashionable resort, strictly speaking,
its guests and their dOings were not
chronicled in the Sunday papers, but
to those who knew and loved 1t, II
had beauties far beyond NeWport or or
Atlantic City. Perched high on the
pine-crested bluff overlooking the sea
was the inn Winding woodland
paths led to 1t from the shore, and
back IN the hills were trout brooks
and deep glens. Long before the Inn
and its satellite cottages had been
there. the lighthouse had held its own
upon the rocks of the bluff, and it was
the light from its lamps which mad
given the north point OF Shelter Is
land its name, Northern Lights
1t was an odd summer crowd tnat
filed the inn-students resting, stu
dents studying. people in search OF
peace above all, and yet about these
steady guests who came year IN and
year out, there played perpetually the
transient, merry summer buttertlles
who came and went with the weekly
steamer.
Jolly Allan was a permanent fixture.
AS son of the owner of Norther Lights
at large, he occupied a privileged posi-
ton But even with DorOthys dark
eyes gazing at him in naughty dlsap-
Droval he did not retract one word,
ssJust wait" he said Last year he
didn't come, but he will this time.
Arm in arm the two girls walked
leisurely down on of the cliff pains
that led to the boat landing. Both
were tall, both slender and goloen
haired as sisters, but DOrothy's eyes
were dark and grave, and Irene's We're
blue as the bIuebells that grew IN the
rock crannies at her feet Ihey were
cousins, and college mates as We'll
Every year only drew them nearer To-
gether, and made their friendship
more sure, and with all their little love
affairs there had never been snaoo"
Half way down the bluff the path
made a turn, and rustic seat nao
been built there. Kneeling on 1t, the
girls leaned their elbows on the back,
and watched the White Queen steam
smoothly to the dock, and dtsem bark
her usual quota of city deserters-
It was sunset. and the sea lay silent
and rippleiess, stained crimson ana
purple from the suns rays. Most OF
the passengers were taking the main
road I'D to the Inn. Only one ugnre
came toward them, a figure IN gray
flannel and as he came, he whistled-
The girls watched him idly, dfsinter-
estedIy. without moving from their po-
sition. Men were common at the
Lights" even men in gray fannels
who whistled. But as he came up the
path and faced them at the turn, they
realized that this man was dl1Iereht-
1t wasn't anything special about MIN,
he was merely a strapping, neallhy
youngster, clear eyed, clean shaVen,
with lips ready to whistle or smile ana
brown hair that waved above his tan
ned forehead. But it was the quick,
frankly astonish ed look in his eyes that
disarmed them. as he glanced from one
face to the other, look that SPOKE
volumes, but volumes with a double
dedication. o.,
' Dorothy did not answer. After that
first long look in the strangers eyes,
she had looked out at the crimson sea-
Irene flushed slowly, and pointed up
the path.
ers are she said. and he lifted his
gray travelling cap and went on, but he
did not whistle.
For a few minutes neither girl
spoke Then Irene sighed. half to her
self, and slipped her arm around her
cousin waist.
Dolly wouldn't it be odd If he were
the one2 You know what Jolly said
the inevitable man.
And Dorothy pushed back her hair
with a quick, half impatient gesture,
as she turned from the sea.
1T is late" she said. Yes. 1t would
be odd if he were-the one"
As Jolly said a week later. he was
it. all right And gradually. Jolly's
smile deepened, and he went about
with his hands in his white duck pock-
cts wearing mysterious look Of wis
dom beyond mortal ken, for his
prophecy was coming true.
Dudley Graham was the strangers
name Jolly exulted in 1t. It couldn't
have been better. And when. after
couple of days, Dudley showed himself
possessed of an unlimited "wad" to
boot. and a disposition to scatter it,
Jolly's admiration changed to respect.
and he hoped Dudley's choice would
fall on Dorothy. because for himself he
always had preferred blue eyes.
But Dudley apparently had no
choice. The cousins were the prettiest
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