The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-24
THE EVENING STORY
A seIf-Annihilated sutton.
(By Jeannette WaIden.)

T.
| Jean Boyce made this statement
without generalization, driven to 1t by
sheer ennui. 1t wass the third time that
she had been called upon to give ner
reason for not acQuiescing in Maurice
Ankeney's belief that they were MADE
for each other, and this time she want
ed it to be final
They had Just turned the corner into
her home street. Jean fastened ner
steps as she spoke with little laugh
of Impotence.
with disappointment in his frank blue
eyes, then speculation, and at last
amusement. Gould you care that mucn
for anyone?' he asked coolly.
"Oh, no. her tone was matter-o1-
fact Il couldn't. 1t isn't in me-"
"Oh. 1 see. you demand it as COM
plimentary quality in others.
He continued his scrutiny of her race
as a smart trap with man and We
man in it rounded the corner. the Wo-
mana stoutish blonde with noun
tain of lavender plumeS on hef heao-
was driving.
The warm color that came to jeans
cheeks as she returned the mans rec
IGNITION. deepened as the trap rom ,,ea
watching her and she felt the new,
strange intentness in his gaze.
AS for Ankeney. his expression sud
denly became a mixture of calmness
and stern determination. I'm do 1t,
he exclaimed. And for this apparently
eccentric denmark, he was rewarded by
pair of dark eyes.
do what?"
"Eface-I mean extinguish myself
by getting him for you"
The dark eyes became inscrutable.
IF you want Harold Buckley, you
shall have him. he continued precipi-
lately, as they mounted the steps of
easy matter. He is only dazzled by
her millions. It's you he really cares
for. Madge Racer has no right to
buy"
Maurice Ankeney I'll never speak
to you again" AS Jean faced him
with this emphatic announcement, her
bushes were fully accounted for by
her anger.
"All right, 1 might as well die one
way as another" and he was gone.
In the days that followed, Jean
Boyce had a new experience. Maurice
Ankeney had never stayed away so
long before, and she had missed him
q condition she had not thought pos
sible. Still there was was the counter
acting annoyance of Harold Buckley
and the heiress. It is true, she never
realized that she cared for Buckley
until she found that he was out of her
reach. But jeans self-analysis could
go no deeper than this, and her state
of mind became chaotic once more,
when one afternoon Harold Buckley
called.
Jeans resentment was not wholly
dispelled by Ruckley's keenly correct
fishing for a husband" he said, and
tits a good thing just to know such
women. 1t makes one expert at esti-
mating character
Jean interpreted this last remark:
"a man does not need to be bitten
more than once" and she found her
self wondering why she did not feel
fattered by his confidence. Still she
felt gratifed by her triumph in bring
ing him back. She did not understand
until afterwards why his next remark
quenched her elation. e
tShe has Maurice Ankeney on her
hook now. 1 never saw a fellow ma
neuver So" He spoke contemptuous-
ly. But he's welcome"
How small of him. observed Jean.
Then all at once she thought of
Maurice's strange promise to her and
She wondered--no, it could not be, he
only wanted cloak for his mercenary
ambitions.
Jean did not feel altogether compn-
mented by the ease with which Harold |
assumed his old relations. Still, when |
he asked her to take an automobile |
ride that same evening, she accepted. |
Her pride in Harold Buckeyes per |
sonal attractiveness was extended to |
his splendid machine as they went |
bounding over the road witt; leo |
October sunset in their faces.
Another automobile came footing up
behind them and passed rncln on the
road. 1t was occupied by Madge Racer
".
The vague depression thai had been
haunting Jean became poignant. She
felt misused.
Queer taste, he has, she observed.
with a curl of her lip. Then to hide
her pique she conjured a spirit of dar-
ing.
''Oh, let's pass them, do, dor
Harold Buckley, ready to please her,
or possibly for reasons of his own, en-
tered into the sport and put on power
with great abandon.
Jean was almost delirious with the
excitement of swift motion. Flow
jolly" Then came a sudden jolting
and a desperate adjusting of brakes
They had struck a rocky place in the
road. Before Harold could slow up
Jean was almost shaken from her seat
The SUMS rays, on a level with their
eyes, blinded them. There was load
report, scream from Maurics An
keney's auto. which they had grazed
in stopping, and they toppled over into
a shallow ditch, with an extra lire
hanging to one of their wheels.
Jean felt a sharp pain in her arm as
she picked herselfup. Then the diversion |
of what followed made her forget her.
self. The blond heiress followed up her
screams by an attack upon Harold, who
had just extricated himself whole from
the ditch.
Mr.. Buckley, this is a great way 10
drive" she cried in her high voice with
Its slightly foreign accent. why don't
you look at your road?"
But she was instantly Modified by
Harolds AFFECT apologies, and Shock
hands with him quite sweetly.
Maurice, who had got to work with
out loss of time had almost finished
putting on a new tire, when Jean felt
so faint that she had to sit down on
the grass. The pain was coming back
into her wrist
1t was just then that Maurice An
keney happened to look over his shoul-