The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-09
TIE EVENING STORY


I
fort, II read, and wait orders.
He had been waiting orders for four
days now, and repeated kilograms TO
the office had simply brought forth
repetitions Of those instructions.
4 Randolph was sick of it all. Ever
since he mad refused point blank to 4
| consider the question Of & marriage to
some girl his father had picked out for
4 him, he had been exiled to the road as
special salesman, and had been jumped
i from east to west on the most absurd
propositions.
There might be a man coming to OLD
Point who wanted to buy suspension
/ bridge. but Randolph could not see why
i ne had not been sent to the office Of
/ the firm instead of being Slipped to Ola
Point; not that he objected to a week
at the famous resort with nothing 10
4 do, but the uncertainty Of 1t all was
irritating. He decided to send another
/ Telegram and headed for the telegraph
office.
He never got there, for just as he
swung around a corner of the piazza
| the preWiest girl he lad ever seen ran
/ into him as she dashed along the piazza.
1 By the time mutual apologies were con
Cluded Jack had forgotten all about Ihe
| telegram. and had come to the concIu-
sion that he was satisfied to stay at the
Point as long as the office decided ne
was needed there.
Instead of going into the office, he
volunteered his services as guide TO
4 Marjorie Carson, who had arrived the
night before, and it was Well along n
/ the afternoon before he even thought Oh
the desDfsed telegram.
He met Mrs Carson on their return,
and that evening he changed his seat
to their table and was installed as their
/ guide an dcounsellor More than ever
/ was he glad that he had refused 10
accept his fathers dictum ana marry
+ someone else OF course It would
make an awful row when he wrote
that he was going to marry Marjorie,
I but he had gained some recognition as
an engineer. and 1t would not be hard
! to make his way if only Marjorie
would accept him.
Marjorie's frank friendliness was
scarcely encouraging to his hopes, bul
/ as the days progressed he gained in
her favor, and before the end OF his
first week he had begun to fatter him
self that he was making Roadway.
Mrs. Carson clearly approved of
him. Early in the acquaintance he
had taken pains to acquaint her with
=! his history in an impersonal sort Of
way that did not sound ike a formal
announcement, and she had smiled
i and replied that she had heard of his
father. After that she had been much
in the background, and the young
people went boating and on other ex-
cursiOns alone.
It was we'll along in the third week
before he even ventured to speak of
4 coming home one evening, and in
saving herself from a fall as she
stepped on a loose stone, she had
caught at his coat sleeve. He had
thrown an arm about her and had
kept it there until with a rosy face
she had disengaged herself.
I can get along all right now she
said, as she stepped ahead. He laid a
hand upon her shoulder
IT hope you can't he said simply.
10
always needed me-
81 don't" was the savage answer
IT don't ever need you. and I wish
you would go away"
Pardon" he said quietly 1T had
no wish to be offensive
They went along in silence but as
they parted at the foot of the piazza
steps she turned toward him and held
out her hand.
'.I am afraid I was very rude" she
said simply FWiH you forgive me %
If you will take back what you
said, " he answered pleadingly.
st think you re hcrrid," she exclaina-
ed with a sudden shift from her peni-
tentiaf mood. IF you were q gentle
man you would not annoy me in this
! way"
She sped up the steps before he
I~could demand an explanation, and left
behind her q much puzzled swain.
He was too tactfu1 to reopen the
/ question that evening, but for half the
, gone to his room and vainly sought for
an explanation of her odd remark
That she liked him was apparent.
( He could not see wherein he had been
offensive, and yet she had spoken as If
? he must understand what the matter
was.
He was still puzzled the next morn
ing when they met at breakfast but
there was no opportunity for an ex-
. PLANTATION until late that evening. Just
before the party broke up, Jack and
Marjorie were standing on the piazza.
The others had moved toward the en-
trance and had left them alone in the
corner.
what did you mean, yesterday
he asked. II was not conscious Of Civ
ing offense."
much as It does me-" she answered;
'tbut I don't want to talk about it. SO
good night"
She sped down the piazza. He turn
ed half irresolutely, then with a sigh
he turned back and went down the
other side.
: That night he walked the floor again.
but no solution came to him, and at
last he threw himself upon the bed and
slept a sleep In which Marjorie per-
petualIy danced before him, ever elud-
ing his grasp, and vet ever entreating
him. Some Intangible barrier seemed
to be separating them, and he had the
uncomfortab Bile feeling that II he could
determine the nature of this barrier he
would gain her hand.
So strong was this impression that
INN ediateIy after breakfast he sought
. Marjorie on the piazza.
you've been mystifying me long
enough" he said abruptly. 81 want
to know what It all NJ eans."
fAs If you didn't" she said scorn-
fully eve caught you and mother
laughing over it lots OF tines
81 assure you that I do not know
what you mean" he said.
-fa4
bv your fathers orders she scoffed.
st saw it all the moment mother said
you were here"
Randolph gasped. you don't mean
20 say tnal you are me eifl Aathef
wants me to marry he cried.
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