The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-03
THE EVENING STORY


(By Constance D Arcy Mackay.3
Gordon Keith and Tod Rogers were eat
ing supper In what they called the living
room" of the shack when the stage,
dust-covered and numbering. drew up IN
front of the door. There was a girl on
the seat By the driver She leaned for
ward impetuously.
This is FL Paso, Mr. Keith's ranch,
isn't it2'' she demanded by the way Of in
PRODUCTION I'm Drusilla Cameron, and
I've come to surprise my brother Ned"
And before the astonished Keith could
reply; she had scrambled down over the
wheel, while the stage driver, grinned
widely in delight at the situation and
admiration Of the girl
She was all in brown. from her pongee
chestnut color and SO weEe the eyes that
OF her smart travelling hat.
Besides she continued, I knew that
everything all fixed up for me. and I
wanted TO see you just as you really
are!
You've certainly done that, Miss Cam
eron, laughed Keith. with a rueful
elaIlcs az tne helter-sl5eIter supper taDle,
ana the walls where leather saddles and
skins and gayly cOlored magazine COW
ers jostled for prominence. Rogers, who
sat speeches., coffee cup in hand, at her
first entrance, now went to help the driv-
er with her luggage. while Keith, rising
to his duties a. host babe her welcome,
and hung up her hat and coat on a peg
on the wall. he apoiogized profusely for
the Appearances Of the supper table, the
the heavy china, and the plated knives
and forks from which every vestige OF
silver was fast Disappearing; but Drusilla
laughed, and said il was just as she
hoped It would be, and please since she
was rayenously hungry, couldnt she be-
And where was Ned all this time. she
questioned. and when would he be in2
She was dying to see him He had told
her how well and tanned he was, and
how good Keith and Rogers had been
to him during his four months stay. She
could never thank them enough for what
they had done for the boy, and-Oh, there
/ he was now.
And she rushed out the doorway as a
! falrheaded young fellow of eighteen came
/ galloping up on his broncho.
wen clear ont and let them have sup
! per together said Keith to Rogers. And
while that's going on I'll fix up nay room
/ for her and you can ride over to JessOp's
willing to cook for US for couple Of
| weeks. She isn't equal to the waldorf
Astoria, but she can get good, plain
This sure is the most excitement we've
had since Big Pete shot up Las Zorro
Later in the evening Drusilla- diselaim-
ing ali fatigue, sat outside with Keith s
| banjo on her knee. and sang them all
You could just see the lights of Broad
wav and hear the clack-ciack OF the ham
his breath.
could see the Texas plains rolling away
to the sky line, shadowy, inlmutable, full
or the mystery or the UlS1t. Inc wind
blew past them sweet with the breath OF
great spaces. The stars shone very large
and bright and clear.
Drusiila's lips parted
NO. this isn't very much like it." she
Are you glad?" Keith challenged.
slowly. IT'S the frst time I've ever
been on the plains. In fact it's the first
time that I've ever been away from the
metropolis, for summer resorts full Of city
people don't count, do they?
They do nOtt' said Keith decidedly,
For an instant their eyes met. and Dru-
silla was conscious of the strength OF
a man who seemed as immutable as the
plains themselves. He was above the
average height. bronzed and deep-chest-
ed. and his gray eyes had the direct
searching gaze of those accustomed io
looking at great distances. In the days
that followed. 1t was Gordon Keith whe
naonopolized the greater share of her
time and thoughts. and it was with him
she talked and tramCed and rode. On,
; those rides-Vith the horses feet thud-
ding under her her face glowing with the
exhilaration and her hair loosening and
streaming out ike bright pennant!
hreatIllessly. refining IN. that she might
fasten her rebelliOus hairpins, Nothing
wave Of the whip nothing between yoI
and the edge of the world"
Keith turned to her
Then you are beginning to feel the cal
of It. ., he said quietly. .as I hoped you
would. And now I can say what I've
been wanting to say ever since frs
met you: will you marry me- Drusilla ~
She Shock her head
ssT'rn sorry she said softly. ooh. Sc
sorry, It would be venal to tell yoy
how much your friendship has meant te
ane-you must have guessed that already
But what YOU ask is impossible
@HThen you do not-care?"
"Carei" Her voice wayered on thu
: word. ''Ah. you don't know how neai
$ I've come to loving You, and how I've
, fought it down, for 1 knew 7 couldn
give up what's calling to me from tn
city I've left-ail the eotilions and din
ners and teas Of the life I love Ant
5 YOU belonged to Il, too You've confessed
seechiug gesture. why did you ever Civ
{ because was sick of being a puppe
in evening clothes, because I was tire,
$ to death Of the shans and the tfnsel ant
! the falseness. and I wanted to get gu
+ where could breathe deep and look III
! to the. stars and feel that was a man
mo, no" she begged. Don't ask me
l for I couldn't. I couldn'tr
= In silence they rode toward the shack
The long light Of the. sunset glow wal
across the plains. Bright clouds wer
piled up in the west. Against the moltei
Sky of red and gold a cowboy rider lopez
: IN picturesque silhouette.
i ITS big and free and beautiful Dru
! silla murmured to herself, but it's no
, 4 week later she went east. and he
o going left great gap in the lives Of tn
: home in November Rogers openly mourn
. ed her departure.
Don't seem natural he complained
mot to hear her step about the house, o
= | her songs IN the evening
1 But Keith. who felt her going mosi
!. | kept silent, carrying with him a IonRinl
+ that would not be stified.
:: Brusilla had given her promise to write
=. vet she was slow in fulfilling It Eve
+ Ned erumbled as day after day went b
& / and no word came from her save a tele
Z gram saying she had arrived safety. an
q a few picture postal cards covered wit
: hasty scribblings. Rogers made excuse
. for going to the mail softener than wa
4 / really necessary. and his persistency wa
:, at length rewarded, for one day ne re
! turned with three letters in Drusilla'
: handwriting. His was full Of amusing IN
r cidents; Ned's of gossip and sisterly al
"a lection; but 10 Keith she wrote.
i You were right after all. am smoth