The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-28
TEE EVENING STORY
AIicin.s Hone comm.

more indignant
who are you that you should de-
eide whether 1 need to do anything at
all ?" she blazed, Indignantly
II am your fance. and he was
beginning, when she interrupted him.
If that is your excuse for such an
unjust interference with my wishes,
can at least relieve you of your duty.
And she placed her engagement ring
on the table between them The young
man glanced at it without seeming 10
see it. Then he looked sharply at the
angry girl who was drawn to her full
height
too angry to realize what you are DO
ing. Put the ring on your finger
again; you don't mean this
Pardon me, do mean It,, said the
girl. Jelly.
The young mans face whitened, and
a hurt look sprang into his steady
brown eyes. Then he Strengthened up
and squared his shoulders and set his
strong chin firmly. When he spoke
there was a note of hardness IN his
voice which the girl had never heard
from him before and from which she
shrank mentally.
alicia, do you realize what you are
doing? We we're to be married IN
May; your trOusseau is begun, know.
And you've given me every reason to
believe you cared for me as much as I
you to do this one thing-for your
sake as well as mine-you are going
to give all this uD2"
The girl turned suddenly and went
to the window, where she stood look
ing out into the dripping garden. She
felt her lips quivering and she must
not let Bob see.
Bob looked at the crown Of dark
red hair against the deep green of the
window draperies, and his voice soft
ened.
This IS all I've ever asked of you,
Alicia. I've been too confident of your
love for me after you confessed it:
I've believed in you too utterly ever to
be Jealous of your flirtations. as many
another man would have been-and
to be .trailed in public because it
was you who did the trailing
Alicia turned and faced him again,
her foot tapping the floor impatiently.
rs the list of your virtues long
one, sir2" she asked.
Il shall not name them ALL he an
swered. calmly. 1.-The only thing I've
ever insisted upon your doing Is this
one We've talking about Give up this
silly concert tour. I've never said
word when you've sung for sweet char
ity's sake, or for any society affair,
even when the publicity of the events
has often made me writhe. This time
you haven't any real reason. You are
doing it for charity. It isn't even the
necessary ambition of the professional
to win q higher place for herself. You
Will get flattery from the critics who
do not think it worth the effort to spend
real criticism on society amateurs. If
they should criticise you honestly-the
way they do professionals, to whom 1t
means bread and butter-yOu'd see the
point I'm trying to make. I appreciate
the charm of you and your Toice as no
one else who looks and listens to you
possibly can, and, Alicia Fairall, I don't
want to see you damned with faint
praise nor Inundated by any conscien-
toUs critic Can't you see that
When you are quite through, inter-
rupted Alicia, you can doubtless find
your way out 1 must ask you to ex-
cuse me" And she swept from the
room, pausing once in the curtained
doorway as if to speak.
Unconsciously she assumed theatri-
cal attitude. Her face was turned back
over her shoulder and her lips were
parted a little. With her glowing head
and her soft green dress between the
heavier green Of the curtains she look
ed like a tall, beautiful dahlia, and Bob
involuntarily started forward. But she
closed her lips to a thin red line and
went on dropping the curtains behind
her. Presently he heard the tapping
of her slippers upon the stairs and then
the bang of a door.
He did not leave the house at once.
but stood al the window where Alicia
had stood, and looked out into the gray
twilight 1t was early spring. AS he
looked YEARLY at the sparrOWS on the
soaked lawn. Bob felt his throat tight
en-, and brushed his hand across his
eyes.
She couldn't mean it, he muttered.
as he turned and picked up the emerald
ring and slipped it into his vest pocket.
1T is too close to May for her to mean
that Then he sought for paper and
or o.
Dear" he wrote, If 1 have been
too harsh, forgive me. / have said too
strongly, perhaps, what believe to be
true, and all want is to spare both Of
US the pain any failure of yours would
be sure to cause. Think it over well.
dear. before you decide.
What 1 came to tell you today is
that our house is all done-the last
workman has left. I am inclosing
key-there are only two-and I beg you
will go there and think it all over at
least once before you decide finally"
He incIosed the key, and on his way
, out handed the envelope to the butler to
.'be taken up to Miss Alicia"
AS for Alicia, she had gone straight
to her desk and had written the fol-
lowing note:
my Dear Mr.. Courteney-I have
decided, as I promised I would by to-
day. about the concert tour. You
may depend upon me for your So
prano. And as I have been the only
one to object to the longer trip you
planned, I withdraw my objections to
that also. Under your management
I feel sure we shall be successful.
Sincerely,
ALICIA LEE FAIRALL."
When she had heard the closing OF
the outer door she gave the note to
the butler and took from him the en-
velope Bob had left. With 1t in her
hand she went slowly upstairs and
sat down before her crate fire. She
felt her anger melting away, and by
the ache in her throat knew that
tears were not far off. She tore open
the envelope, hoping to find some
stfmulous to her indignation, but at
the gentleness of the words and the
sight of the key to the home she and
Bob had so eagerly, carefully planned.