The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-17
TIE EVENING STORY
Temper and Green Tulle.

Aree ana his own man again. She was
caprictous. inconstant, vain: she was
| seif-willed and full of wiles; she was
on, she was Alexandra Lee He would
not link of her.
A great deal that had happened that
nlgnt was blurred to him. But the bang
OF the carriage door as they started
/ nome Teyerberated in his mind like tho
crack of doom. 1t had slipped from his
nand and swung to with a crash. Al
sXanora's laugh Knocked him. with
any one else, George, I'd have said the
door slammed
he rememb ered how she looked as he
turned, something strange in her ewes
tnat matched. in impression. the misty
Alutd1uolnous ruflings and bllIowings
u nef soWn-that frivolous, dutterinE
SlnSlVe green tulle he had wal ched All
evening as she danced with every other
man IN the room-with Herbert Hartley
dawdling, dangling derelict, a signpost
70 every path but those of rectitude-of
al men IN the world, Herbert Hartley.
FROM her carriage corner Alexandra
signed. I've had such a good time. and
now suppose there's the piper to pay
II you mean there is Hartley to set
tie for
Herbert? You've a tone that hints
at thirdly and fourthly. brethren and
song than a sermon
That began it He had never meant
90 quarrel, only to deal with her in a
nrrn. prompt fashion, as a man should.
FIRM, prompt he had been, with certain
ABILITY of exposition that served him
Wen in courts of law, but with Alexan-
ORA
She bent down as he ended. Are YOU
lnere, Alexandria" size asked of the
floor; Poor dear, there is nothing left
70 pick up. Oh, I'm tired, tired! I'm
stifed. I can't breathe. There. take it
back!' And she tossed the ring across
to him. Now one can draw free
BREATH
Alexandria he begged.
But he had cut. ard she meant he
should pay And hers was a pretty gift
of table turning
He held his anger down. No more
doors should slam by chance about him.
and it was only as they neared the house
that he interrupted.
I'VE haven't gained anything this
way: Discuss me again. The point is
Herbert Hartley.
Then I must put on my bonds
again? Where is the ring?"
But he hadn't the ring
You had it last
Il laid it in your lap
But L was not in her lap, nor the
seat, nor the carriage. Alexandra
laughed. "Oh. thrifty George, are you
sure you've not taken it back for safe
keeping ''
He stood long moment at her door
And Hartley ?" he said.
Insistence was match to her powder
How can answer unless we're en-
gagged, and people can't be engaged
without rings, can they, George? You
seem to think with mine on that [
fail to remember. Bring it back to
me, and-good night"
After week Of wrath mingled with
pain he got himself under control and
wrote her. But the answer came back
the same absurd, maddening. almost
insulting reiteration-the ring, always
the ring. A perversity first, or a pre-
text; did she use it now as weapon -?
He hadn't the ring, she knew.
Life was turmoil once Alexandra en-
tered, and he remembered with what
perverse astuteness she had said her
self, I'm like a mustard plaster on
your mind. You'd better take me off
before raise a blister
But she was in every wind that blew,
and without her nothing was worth
while that once had been.
So for fortnight he had gone about
his accustomed ways, and though many
f1utter of familiar skirts had set his
heart a'-Jump, yet he never had met
Alexa since that night. Then a case of
some importance took him out of town
with such sharp demand upon all his
faculties that he had known a sort of
respite.
But back IN the town his work was
all to do again. He went his way
INV II ~ Ills Ol4lCGs he bowed 10 people
who drove past with a swift hope that
Alexa would not be with them. And
then unexpe ctedly with a group near
the Hurds-there was Alexa.
Yes, 1t was Alexandra and Evelyn
Hurd-and with them Herbert Hart
ley.
The group stood until he had almost
reached them, when Hartley turned
and Evelyn went back to the house,
while Alexa stopped by the Hurds'
waiting carriage.
He knew she had seen him long be-
fore, butt was one Of her insinceri-
ties he most disliked-she acted out
acute surprise He put a sitter guard
upon himself.
A sitter guard! She called it by
another name She hated him when
he was like that. How futile he made
her feel, how trivial. how vain. Well,
at least she would make him feel
once more and betray it; she would
wiring out of him a protest
And then her mind rnisgavs her.
Was she being left with the situation
on her hands? Would he accept with
out protest2 Would he never speak?
She looked up and then down again to
her ungloved hand on which his eyes
were fixed. A seal ring of Herbert's
took the place of the one that was
lost. A 1oke-a stupid joke-but stu
pidity lent her a stammering tongue.
George, Georgei" she called after
him, but she entreated only an in
flexible back. With Herbert's name on
her lips and Herbert's ring on her IN
ger, she was indeed left, committed to
the situation the last of her desiring !
Alexandra Haunted Herbert Hartley !
in Greenheld's face, she waved him |
abroad like a banner. If the town
hummed with rumors of her, she |
helped the rumor wax, but helped 1t |
to no explanation.
But with her family there was one
topic that, like the weapon used in |
committing crime, seemed always |
impossible to dispose of. The Nile |
green tulle; why didn't she wear it +? |
And that was the one thing she could /
not do.
1t was their house dressmaker that
in measure vanquished her at last.