The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-20
THE EVENING STORY
TeIegrapIly 81 the souI.
~ Edith ii. Doane.1

-e----~e-
warm, sunlit room.
Horrible disaster! Wreck Of the
Limited! Twenty people killed. Extra!
Extra!''
The girl before the fire started nerv-
ously. She was pale and her eyes were
large and dark with excitement. She
listened 1ntently till the last faint sound
died away. Then mechanically she
smoothed open and re-read the bit of
yellow paper In her hand:
Limited wrecked. escaped unhurt,
viii be with you tomorrow. John Bron-
son." the telegram read.
With little passionate cry Of relief
and JOY she pressed the crumpled yell
low messenger to her lips.
All the next day she listened anxious
~ for his ring and yet when he finally
came-tau, broad-sbouldered crossing
the room to her with a quick easy
stride, she could find no words for the
wild rush Of JOY that envelOped her,
but stood, motionlesss holding out her
hands to him in the dim, hrelit room.
Martha, Martho!'' he said, INSTEAD
lily, grasping the slender, outstretched
hands tightly in his own. And when
she did not speak
Martha, have I made a mistake? DO
you want me to stay2 Tell me the
truth
yes, yes!" she answered, tremuIous-
ly, leaving her hands in his in her tu
multi Of delight. "I-oh, can you not
yes" he said, gravely, IT know"
II never meant that other she went
on, breaking into low, nervous laugh
ter. Il knew even when said it that
didn't. Then--yesterday-on the
clasp of her slender fingers frightened
on hist don't know what should
have done If you had
She stopped abruptly, and with
heavy shudder burst into tears In the
strong, tender clasp of his arms
TINA oFfcrTE7o r6G she glinnp0
away from him and dropped into the
deep leather chair drawn up in front Of
the fireplace. A little sigh escaped her.
She motioned him to a neighboring chair
but gravely, and not with her accustom-
TOO far off. can do the subject
justice only at close range he object
ed.
down at her. She was looking straight
before her, Wide-eyed and rnotionless,
staring into the dancing flames. he
regarded her searchingly, and as If inn
PEELED to the question because Of her
extreme stiffness.
"Of what are you thinl1ing?' he ask
ed.
She turned to him, drawing her breath
quickly The logs in the fireplace famed
up in sudden brilllance, and for the
first time she noticed his pallor and the
dark circles under his eyes; his race,
too, was graver than its wont, IN spite
of its great content.
It have forgotten how hard it was
for you, too" Martha said, with quick
contrition do you know, Robert =
she sat up suddenly, her eyes dark with
horror-1I thought I was there with
YOU I heard the shriekS- saw the
red glare Of the flames. I felt the train
sway and Jar as the cars ahead crashed
into the engine. Obi"
She broke off with a long, shuddering
" ssT2(IIsv+ >, s1,a safd solennlx- sI did
see it I-Was-on -that-trainI
He looked at her strangely, then seat
ed himself on the arm of the big leather
chair, and, slipping his arm AROUND hel'
drew her gently toward him.
''It was yesterday she went on IN
choked voice, nervously clasplng ana
unclasping his hand. I was sitting
here, and I kept thinking 1 saw you
You were sitting in a car, smoking,
and laughing and talking, and all the
while some dreadful thing was creep
ing up beside you-clOSing in around
you would not see. With all
nv might I called to you to come away,
and almost that same instant came
terrific Jolt. and the horrible grinding
sound of crashing cars. I tried to close
nv eyes to the binding glare of the
spreading flames, and them was
here again-just sitting here before
the fire at home"
A sob shook her, and he drew her
closer. Then she went on again, nerv-
ouslv. in a -smothered voice, a lit
tie pause between each sentence.
THE dream haunted me. Then your
telegram came. Robert '-she changed
her position somewhat and regarded
him earnestly-''I did not dream It.
saw it. Tell me that you believe did
not dream it.
But how could see 1t when I was
here in this room all the time?" she
went on with a little laugh. Then her
nerves. already strained to the break
ing point, gave way and her slender
BODY ouivered with heavy sobs-
The clasp Of his arms treasured her. |
He drew her head to his shoulder. and
they sat in silence in the fast darkening
room, lighted only by the flames leap- !
ing in and out between the heaVy logs.
His voice, intense and hushed, was
the first to break the silence
81 was in the front part of the train, !
in the smoking car" he said, gravely. |
It had finished one cigar, and was
about to take another Indeed, the (
cigar case was in my hand. and was
lust about to offer it to my companion |
when looked up and saw-you. There
YOU were, standing just inside the door I
at the end Of the car. remember you /
standing there. so I must have seen your I
whole figure; but all that noticed were |
your eves-intense-com OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES /
with some message-fastening on mine /
with a look of passionate, agonizing ap- /
II do not remember that was sur
prised. NV only thought was that you |
wanted me. AS I went down the aisle |
toward you, you opened the door and I
nassed swiftly into the car beyond, your /
ewes. with their compelling appeal still I
fastened on mine. So. in this fashion, /
in a. sort of trance, I followed you from /
car to car, till we stood in the obserVa-
ton car at the end Of the train.
ssrrhen I came to my senses. I started |
to cal you, to cry out. and just at that /
moment" he went on, his voice tense /
with emotion, 1.-The train struck an open /
switch. and the engine left the rails /
and Moved into the ground, tearing UP |
the track for yards.
Martha pressed closer to his side, and |
he bent and touched his lips to her fore
The logs in the fireplace burned low. /
- L :. -, .-rar.r din and Wagna and |