The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-18
THE EVENING STORY
Turning the Tide.
(By w. F. Bryan.)

sugar in her tea with a carefully
cleaned palette knife and then but
tered her bread with the same utensil
There Is always a turn of the tide"
Sally Peterson shook her tiny small
head vigorously There is bound to
be turn5--when you turn it. My dear
nothing succeeds in this big town like
success
But you must first gain success
and that is not something SO easily
gained"
Nonsense declared Sally ora
cularly. Men and women are too
busy to inquire If success is real. Look
at the way L got ahead. 1t was all a
bluff"
"A bluff" Alva's eyes were wide
open. You sinful child, I know to
my own knowledge OF three checks
you've had this week"
Now, yes!' said Miss Peterson dis
painfully. 81 mean when 1 began.
was on the verge. I was stopping at
place more expensive than I could
afford. because one of the assistant
editors on big magazine stopped
there, too.
81 thought 1 could land him with
some of. my stuff. but he fought shy
of 1T. Then one day got check for
500 from another magazine. / don't
mind admitting that it was commits
SAOAA OA a lOLs VI SuOSCIlpllOAS lid0
turned in. The editor at our hotel
didn't know that when he cashed the
check, as I asked him to, and his eyes
bulged. My dear, I sent myself that
same check four times in the next
week and sold my editorial friend two
stories on the strength of my sue
cess"
But where could I get a check 20
demanded Alva. Sally smiled.
I'll back you. Get out Of this
ohoon int 10
cality. Rent good studio and leave
the rest to me. I'll ind the right sort
of boarding house for you. Why,
from this address alone they would
know that you were a struggling ar
fist and despise>you accordingly"
There were other but less import
ant details to be settled, and 1t was
the end OF the week before Alva found
herself established at a fashionable
address, enjoying the novelty of her
the success of the scheme. For what
her boarding place and studio now
cost each week she could have lived
for two months in the old way
The second day check came in an
envelope with a fashionable address.
Even the waitress was more deferen-
tial as she brought Alva her breakfast,
and the landlady beamed when asked
to cash the check. Other checks fol-
lowed. and almost before she knew it
to her studio.
Her work was good, and soon real
checks came in with orders for work,
and Sally Peterson, who was using
the fact that she was writing up So
ciety women for one of the Sunday
cudgeled her wits to keep up the sup
ply. 1t had been easy to ask for a
check for cash on the plea she had to
send some money to a friend and
OH be ncfn
Alva was still uncertain. From Puri-
tan ancestors she had inherited odd
notions of right and wrong, and 1t did
not seem fair to sell to her patrons
pictures that a few weeks ago had
been regarded with supercilious scorn
ted them. Under Sally's assiduous
coaching, she was becoming used to it
largely because there was no way out
Of it. 1t was not until Godfrey Mars
protest against the slight deceit be-
came strong
Marsden was a clean-cut young fell
low, far less aware of the importance
of his millions than were most OF his
associates. He was doing squire duty
to some Of his friends at one of Alva's
studio teas. Thereafter the young man
became a frequent visitor to the coy
studio with the simple lettering Miss
in black upon the door.
MaTSQen was not one 10 NJ grass
grow under his feet, and in less than
three months he had proposed mar
rage. For an instant Alva's soul
seemed filled with gladness, then she
with sinking heart that
the success which had attracted her
lover was all a sham, fabrication of
Sally Peterson and herself. Gently she
withdrew the hand he was pressing to
MS lips, and rose from her chair.
ST am sorry" she said DULY. II did
a. 1T Av~
It was wrong of me to permit matters
to go so far. Forgive me-"
She raised her big, 1ustrous eyes to |
his white, tense face, and held out her |
hand in token of dismissal.
'Is it that you do not love me 2" he
Urged. as it because of some fault of |
mine that you say no?" he asked.
You can learn to love me. dear. The
ault might be explained away"
mo no." she cried. ut is not that. |
+ ia because-I can not explain. Please |
10 not ask me to explain. she pushed
aim from her and sank sobbing upon
he Turkish divan:
For a moment Marsden watched her
He longed to take her in
his arms and comfort her, to insist
mon an explanation in the hope OF
clearing away the trouble, but, man
ike, he could not combat tears SO ne
,tole softly out.
Alya heard him go and she gave
way to q fresh accession or grler when
presently exhausted her, and she fell
INTO troubled slumber.
From her sleep she was reused by O
,efore she realized she had called out
before she realized she had called out
come in" and Godfrey stood before
Ter. -
ct met that little friend of yours
Town the street" he explained awk-
land she called me a fool for
eaving you before I found what the
roubIe was. So I came back" he
.dded. |
'I begged you not to ask" AVA re-
minded TREMENDOUSLY.
but Miss Peterson said to insist"
lie countered. "She is a tremendously
lever little woman"
81 am sorry I ever met her." cried