The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-11
THE EVENING STORY
Personally Conducted.


the girl was saying earnestly. VI
course I had pictured it all out to my
self, but / never imagined 1t would De
anything like this. 1t has BEEN" she
heavenly" she said at length with a
little reminiscent sigh. 1.-The only trou-
BILE is that it ends all too soon. LAY
after tomorrow we sail for home"
Lancaster looked at the pretty. eager
face beside him, and the pathos OF II
touched him. He was trying to imagine
how the word heavenly" could apply
to the dull, colorless wanderings OF
these personally conducted" tourists.
He glanced through the door into the
next room. There they were, gathered
about a tired-looking guide, who was
using his umbrella as pointer Whlie
he explained nasally: This, LADIES' ana
gentlemen, is an excellent example OF
Rembfandt's later work" They were
a weary-looking but eager group, an1,
ious evidently that nothing should
escape them. They lifted their tired
eyes to the picture indicated by tne
umbrella and stared at 1t duly Whlie
the droning voice reeled off its stere-
otyped phrases like some schoolpoy re-
citing a wel1-learned lesson.
I'VE must go back said the glrl,
glancing uneasily at tiny silver
watch. I'VE are missing lot.
You had better rest while" Ian
caster counseled. ''We1l take 1t all IN
L
quite as we'll as the guide does II
show you a Vandyke that they VIII
miss entirely. Wen take our time and
go back to the hotel leisurely"
The girl looked at him rowly-
"Then you've been here before? %
she asked.
Lancaster nodded his assent.
1--WE been watching you since you
joined us at Cologne" she said. MOST
of the time you've been very much
r h
before"
Lancaster said nothing. He was
wondering if some sudden Intuition
had given her an inkling of the truth.
''If you had taught school in Iowa
as many terms as I have" she said;
looked forward to this. perhaps you
would enjoy it as I do. But you've
been awfully kind since you've joined
us. You've shown me lots of things
I wouldn't have missed for worlds ana
that I'd never have seen but for your
thoughtfulness. Oh, I knew you must
have travelled this country quite ex-
tensively."
She looked at him with an intent
ness that was rather disconcerting.
"Tell me-" she said, why should
you, knowing all these things as you
do, care to travel with us?"
Lancaster regarded her for time
in thoughtful silence. Dared he tell
her the truth? He looked into her
clear, gray eyes and decided to risk 1t.
shall I tell you the real reason?"
he asked.
with a little note of surprise in her
voice.
"WelI. then" said Lancaster sturd-
lily. ait was because of you"
The color deepened in her cheeks.
"Ohi' she said with sudden compre-
hension. Her eyes fell; she was abb
stractedly pulling her gloves to cover
her embarrassment.
'You remember that evening at the
hotel in Cologne" Lancaster went on,
when you and L were partners at
whist III Joined your party-gthe next
morning. 1 wanted to be with you-
just to be near you.
II rather wish you hadn't told
me-" she said uneasily.
seWould you rather I had fibbed po-
litely?' he asked.
MOO" she replied slowly.
you see," Lancaster explained. 70
been poking about the continent all by
my lonesome, and to tell the truth, I'd
not been having a very hilarious time
of it. And that night at Cologne
he paused.
Yes that night at Cologne?" she
.sIt seemed" he said very gravely,
las if you fitted into niche in my life
that had been made for you and that
had always been waiting for you"
She was still nervously pulling her
gloves. The personally conducted flock,
headed by the guide swinging his UNI
breHa like shepherds crook, were Ill
ing out of the room beyond, bound for
the hotel.
Are --o,I going back to Iowa to teach
asked Lancaster.
Yes" she said quietly.
There was a rather painful silence
for a time.
thing very very desirable?" he pur-
sued.
mot always" she confessed.
ct was thinking" said he, that al
ter we got home I should like very
much to come to Iowa, if you'd let
me: and then I'd like to bring you
back here for little personally con-
Quoted tour all our own-just yours
and mine. I haven't showed you
tenth part of what I'd like to show
the party"
He leaned nearer her.
IT want that personally conducted
tour to go on forever" he added.
earnestness that the hot blood crept
even to her temples. He noticed that
her hands were trembling and that
her breath had quickened.
TT would be no end better than this
tour" said he. what do you think
Of it %
Very deliberately her eyes were lifted
to meet his. He read in their depths
an answer that set his pulses bound
Ing.
ooh, it would be" she began.
Heavenly" he suggested with a
gay laugh.
"Yes-heavenly," she said softly as
his hand closed over hers.-(Copy-
righted 1907 by ]. G. Reed.)
reIanJ,one MARRIAGES
There is a storm in the telephone
teacup in Paris owing to a circular
which has been sent out to the girl
telephone clerks.