The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-06-29


thinking of the I've boxes Of cut flowers
Perhaps the dragoness xsmeunbsTet
them, too, for she Redeemed Not al
all, Mr.. O'Neii, not at al. You have
| been most polite-and kind But you
must realize that while on ahipbodrd
promiscuous acquaintanceahip Is per-
missible, on land 1t Is impossible. An
O'Nein and q Burtcn-HalIowen might
meet on shipboard; once landed they
follow divergent ways. Can't you see
for yourself Mr.. O'NeilI?" she added,
in more kindly tone.
Billy saw-he saw himself and lie in
a new light II Mrs. Burton-Halio-
wells viewpoint was the correct one,
his belief in himself crumbled to moth
ingness.
The shock. however, was only mo-
mentary. Mr.. william O'EeiI1 might
have no ancestors, il family trees be
taken in evidence, but he had in his
veins some good fighting blood. While
he was saying. Then ali can do Is to
thank you for q very pleasant voyage,
and to wish you good-day, he was
planning ambuscade. ITO the daugh-
terr'
Afilicent was Fastening up the cabin
stairs when he stopped her by an i'm
perative touch on her arm.
Il must have q few moments alone
with you, Miss Milicent."
Though she only answered quietly.
VERY well, Mr.. O'Neill.s. the fash Of
his eyes sent the shy color to her
cheeks.
He slkilfully piIoted her to the friend
~ shelter of the boat, then began alb
ruptiy: 1T Is Just this, you have to de-
eide whether you ever want 70 see me
again"
ATilicent began to tremble. "Mamma."
she huttered.
IT have seen your mother" Billy in
terrupted, impetuously, and she has
refused to allow me to call on you when
am in Philadelphia
The girl caught her breath sharply.
20, how could she, how could she be
so cruelH' she said DULY Suddenly she
hid her face in her hands and began to
cry.
Billy was exuItant. Foil number one
for the dragoness." was his mental ex-
clamation- Daughter and may ac-
complish something's"
Daughter at the moment had resolved
into a trembling, tearshaken bit of girl
hood. AS the sobs brought him back to
the present, Billy's heart overruled his
brain This little girl-she must care a
| good deal. A wave of tenderness swept
over him. He was brute. Why did
he not stop her crying2
He took her in his arms and pressed
his lips to her soft hair.
Don't cry, little girl he whispered,
Il love you
This statement was a surprise to
/ Billy himself. And yet It must be love
this tender, protective feeling such as
the other nice girls had never inspired.
To Milicent it was a promise of
Heaven. She raised her head in incred-
ulous Joy as Billy repeated firmly, I
love you, and I am going to marry
you
But Afincent again buried her face on
his shoulder. II cannot" she declared,
despairingly. 1T would kill mamma
her heart failure
''dilly, dear, I have had a talk with
the ships doctor about that-you know
4 frlr
and he says that she has no more
heart failure than I have. She Will get
over it and forgive US, If you are only
brave"
Milly decended to the stateroorn and
repacked her handbag before Joining
her mother on deck.
! When the steamer locked, Mrs. Bur-
ton-HaIlowe1 was relieved to find Mr.
/ William O'Neill, nowhere in evidence,
while her daughter, far from being cast
down by his desertion, seemed unusu-
ally cheerful She was therefore free
/ to give her attention to a search for a.
customs man. When she returned to
/ the pile of luggage MiliceHt and her
handbag had vanished.
Mrs. Burton-H alIoweu was bewildered
and frightened and angry, IN turn. The
assistance of all the people on the dock
I produced but the same result-AIilfcent
and the handbag we're gone.
When, at in the evening, exhausted
by visits to police headquarters and de-
tective agencies, she finally reached her
hotel, the clerk handed her a telegram.
Mr.. and Mrs. William O'Neill Informed
her Of the happy event.
Mrs. Burton-Hallowell promptly had
an attack Of heart failure, during which
she greatly missed the services Of the
devoted Milicent- But she did not die;
she lived to declare that she would
never forgive them.
'O'Neilli' she exclaimed in abhor-
renee. And he calls her 'tMillyi"
Copyright, 1906 by ". R. Caldwell.)