The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-02
THE EVENING STORY

az Gretchen Graydon. }


Sarah-Susan Gum"
Billy turned all colors. Connors, his
chun, laughed explosively, and said, as
soon as he could speak: Billy, call
that positively immoralI You had bet
ter be counting twins. How ever viii
you fix it? You may propose to Susan
and be rejected or accepted by sally
You may even be married wrong. Think,
too, Of being always mere gunner's
mate
Shut up Billy interjected, his face
scarlet. but grinning in spite of himself
Wait till you've seen her, at least
Mother makes fun of her names be-
cause she can't find fault with her any
way else. And Sue isn't to blame-she
didn't name herself, nor choose the fam
lily she had to be born in"
No. But you do choose the family
you marry into" Mrs. Wheat cooed-
She was less than twenty years older
than Billy, and still very pretty and
very lively woman.
Connors thought her stunning. So
did his Uncle Tim. Harking back sud
denly in his mind to something a year
old, he whistled aloud. and asked
abruptly: Say, Nanny Wheat, is it
the same way with Tim? Did you turn
him down because you wouldn't be Mrs.
O'Toole?''
It was Mammy's turn to blush. The
blush made her younger and prettier
than ever. Who says I had the chance
I
stopped as both the youngsters growled
derision and unbelief.
Tim was the worst ever Connors
said, decidedly. Couldn't eat nor sleep
used to hang out of the windows all
Prom week just to stare up the street
toward where you were staying. In the
greatest fldget, too, to get his place
fixed up new. And then after he'd
walked about with you one teeny half
nour, he quit-cut out everything, ex-
cept my allowance, and scooted across
the pond with just half a steamer kit.
Don't say you don't know why, Nam
my! It won't do any good. Not with
us two. We know. He wented-because
you sented him. Poor old Tim! You
have heap on your conscience Nam
my How could you do it?"
Don't you understand, Larry, dear2"
Nanny said, still blushing. 1t was
all on your account couldn't bear to
supplant you" Her eyes laughed, but
Larry Connors saw under the laughter.
II that was your game, you went
Blind he said. Don't you see. Tim is
SO near the years of indiscretion-they
begin at 45-he'n sure fall victim some
how, somewhere. You ought to have
taken him, Nanny. Then, indeed, my
future would have been secure"
Where is he? Have you heard from
him lately?" Nanny asked, her eyes
suddenly downcast.
Larry shook his head. He was tear
ing around toward the midnight sun
--~--S ~%A~
mind him of you" he said. But that
was six months back-long enough for
him to be buried or married.
He always talked of Ireland"
Nanny began, signing family.
But he didn't care for it, unless you
were there to see it with him." Larry
interrupted 4 think I'll cable him to
come back right away. Maybe he will
be ready to sacrifice himself for your
whim-carry off the adorable Gum,
and so save Billy
''Ihad rather-almost-s had Billy
Nanny said, inconsequently. Tim is a
dear, but-'Hon. Mrs. Timothy O'TooIe!'
Dear me. could cry when I think of It!
Why wasn't he born something else ?"
Smith, Jones' Brown or Robinson
Larry commented.
Mrs. Wheat got up and walked quick
~ away.
Billy went to the window. Larry,
staring after the vanishing lady. was
amazed to see her head droop and her
bosom swell Clearly she was on the
point Of sobbing. He followed her soft
ly, and said, as she flung herself on
couch; Tell me. Mammyi You're
playing game. What is it?''
How did you guess?'' Nanny said,
speaking very low, with her finger on
her lip. You mustn't ever let Billy
guess it, she said He doesn't know
about our money. It came to me from
my uncle-the dearest, strait-laced soul.
He thought second marriages sinful
spiritual bigamy, he called them. So
kept my fortune, which will be Billy's
fortune. on condition Of remaining al
ways q widow. Now you see why had
to send Tim away"
LAS If he cared for your money! And
he'd never let Billy lose" Larry said,
exultantly. But he bent his head rev.
erently to kiss Mammy's hand. as he
added: But, oh. you are a brick! You
made up all this about the name to
blind that blessed boy?"
Il had to-there-there wasn't any
thing else-Tim was such a gentleman"
Mrs. Wheat said, smothering a sob.
You won't tell him Larry, but all this
teasing over his sWeetheart's name is
just to keep him from suspecting. I
don't really oppose him. although
think he is making a mistake. He has
promised to wait a year-long enough to
find 1t out for himself"
What's wrong with herr" Larry
asked.
Every thing-but mostly that she's
too old. and wise. and hard" Mrs.
Wheat said comprehensively I mean
that she was born too old-actually
they are but a month apart She is
much too clever to care really for my
dear, big, laundering, pretty boy, but
she cares whole lot for what he can
give her-you ought to see her cycling
my pearls. I could forgive her a little
if she had no pearls of her own-to be
rich and grasping is SO much worse
than to yearn for what one never has
had. I could break up the match to-
morrow by letting her know 1 hold the
purse strings-but that would lose me
my boy-and he's everything"
tShe shan't have him, and you shant
lose him. Listen! I've got an idea,
Larry said
Nanny bent toward him, her brinn-
ming eyes shining. They talked in whis-
pers for two minutes, then Larry rush
ed away, headed for the telegraph Of
fee
Exactly three weeks later Nanny
Wheat. with Larry in attendance, went
up to the city upon a steamer day. The
pair got back late to Fernbrook, and
slipped into the hotel by the side en-
trance wholly unseen. But soon there
was Inscribed upon the register in Lar
: