The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-10-30
THE EVENING STORY
without Regard to Etiqueste.
(By otho 3. senga. }

by He had received but the merest
nod OF recognition from Miss Dam
vers.
Ross. my boy he solloauized,
you must have made a mistake in
thinking you were invited to join this
festive crowd
He took a small envelope from his
inner coat pocket, and read portions
OF the note in mumb1ing undertone. !
AIDING caustic comments as he pro-
ceeded:
My dear Ross. Nm. dear Ross
feels pretty cheap=about % cents
worth at the present moment There /
viii be a small party of us at Wiers
from the 10th to the 27th.' Well, I'm
only two days in the rear-not badsfor |
laboring man. 1T would be very
pleasant II you could be there at the
same time. Nm, pleasant Won
der gust where the pleasure comes in
Wen mere we are, Ross, brace upt''
He furtively hicked the dust from
his shoes, and ran lightly up the broad
terraces to the hotel piazza.
He had hoped that Effie would wait
Tor him. She must have known that
ne was on his way to call upon her.
The torturing minutes seemed hours,
after he had sent up his card, and he
felt the scarlet flood mount to his fore
mead again and again, as some laugh
ing girl stole a second glance at his
handsome face and stalwart figure.
When Effie came down the stairs,
gowned in white, she seemed to the
embarrassed young fellow the embodi-
ment Of GOODNESS and self-possession.
her greeting was hardly courteous,
in degree removed from cordially,
and she spike with some asperfty
Why, Ross Brady, where are you
staying I expected you to register
here."
He crimsoned under the reproof Of
her voice and manner. Then the
/ square shoulders were set back, and
the heavy chin hardened.
You knew, Effie.s gravely, that
could not AFFORD the rates here. am
at a farm house a mile away. I can be
with you whenever you wish, Eff1e,"
pleadingly.
She seemed not to hear him.
and your call, just now, Ross"
! fretfully, is wholly without regard to
etiquette! I only came down to tell
you that you can come again tomor-
row. and be sure to send up two cards,
enc for me, and one for Mrs. Lyons.
the chaperon of the party
He laughed shortly.
Fife, the card sent up Is probably
the last one 1 have-my vacation Is
necessarily a brief one. and -
| "Oh, Ross" in an excited whisper
| there comes Miss Van Vance-do 20!
1 mustn't be seen talking to you ike
this She is from New York. and
awfully-''
Brady waited no longer. He bowed
toward the door. meeting Miss Van
Vance on the threshold.
She looked squarely into his eyes as
! they passed, with an expression that
about
shes a good deal older than Enc
and those other girls he unused. 81
wonder" then he shrugged his
shoulders impatiently. What differ
ence does it make anyhow? I'll write
EfHe note--I was a donkey not to
| think about cards. don't wonder
/ she was annoyed. She wants to be
correct about matters Of etiquette, Of
| course"
But Brady's honest heart was sore
/ indeed on the following day, when the
messenger returned with no answer
to the pleading little note he sent to
Efie.
He put on a rough suit of flannel and
started for a tramp, striding rapidly
along the country road, his handsome
! face moody and forbidding.
The sound of wheels reused him
| from his unpleasant reflections.
1T is country etiquette said a clear
voice, FOR one who drives to ask one
who walks to have lift.' .
He turned quickly. It was Miss Van
( Vance, seated in a light Stanhope,
driving a high stepping bay. She
smiled down into his astonished face,
/ reined and turned the animal with a
! quick movement of her supple wrist,
glaneing invitingIy at the seat beside
Brady had never before been chal-
lenged in just such a way, and his
blood rose. His usual dif7dence van
ished; he stepped promptly into the
vehicle and seated himself, saying
easily, is it etiquette for the one who
walks to introduce himeslf to the one
who drives ?"
1T sin't necessary" coolly. you are
Ross Brady; you were brought up on a
farm in northern Vermont; you have
studied all sorts of ologIes and tsns,
and you are now taking the advanced
course in metallurgy at the Harvard
summer school"
"Who told you p rashly.
/ mo one. I simply put two and two
together The sum is seven! wasn't
sure, but your question proves it
81 am easily trapped" admitted
Brady.
He felt sudden sense of ease and
confidence and of comradeship with
this stately looking girl. and almost
| before he knew 1t. he was pouring forth
the whole story of his aims and ambi-
tions, his plans and hopes, even to his
love for little Fife Danvers, and his
chagrin at her cool reception
Miss Van Vance listened interestedly
smiling half sadly.
Mr.. Brady she said slowly, Il am
older than YOU and have had, per-
/ haps wider opportunities for observ-
ing human nature And am ike
Samanthy Allen, 1 know women just
like book. because I've been one quite
SPELL It is a woman's nature to want
a man to beat down all barriers. even
those she herself has erected. Is the
hint suf1cfent, Mr.. Brady2''
II think So" quietly, "and thank
you Miss Van Vance.
He resolved to act upon the sugges-
ton, yet It was two days before he
summoned courage to go again to the
hotel
Miss Danvers is not here just now, =
said the laxative bellboy. that whole
party is out on the lake; that IS, they're
gettin' ready to go. You'll find them.
I guess, II you go down." pocketing a
dime with accustomed celebrity, they're
going in launch