The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-13
THE EVENING STORY
The Gcneralship OF phillida.
(By Nellie Cravey Gillmor,

4
! Every inch of space in the room
seemed to vibrate with the mad JOY
| of her mood.
Suddenly the telephone bell in the
corridor pierced the melody with q
prolonged, Imperative summons. Phil
Ida jumped up from the instrument
and ran out to answer it, the crimson
spiurging into her cheeks.
1885 Main!"
Hello, is that you. Phil ?"
Me-yes,'' she replied, ingram
| matically and TREMENDOUSLY.
Hartridge seemed to wait SECOND
Tor something. She distinctly near
his throat clear, and the kissing LttIe
sound that followed told Phillida tnaI
he caught his breath once or twice.
Then:
"Phillida," he said huskily, II hate
like the deuce to tell you, put II 20.
to be done. and there's no use putting
1t of; Il am going away
YES" he rushed on desperately,
Ito Mexico-this afternoon. Like d
fool, 1 took that $4,000 ana lnVesle s.
1t in r. & G.-lost every red cent OF IT.
The governor told me TO keep out %
bucket shops with my blamed foolish
ness, but-but-"
"Oh-h, Bil-ly!"
hoarse voice, 81 had been put next to
one of those private tips, and just
fell in. Now. shall simply have TO
ger down to work, and pay the price
Of my folly in the coin of grim ex-
perience."
For a moment there was no reply;
then the girls voice, drab, olsplrlteo'
drifted over the wire:
BILLY, how could you ?"
ssWhy, why it was this way, Phil.
he cried back eagerly, in final at
tempt at characterization. Il thought
If could double, or maybe treble, my
I;++Ia banl account we wouldn't have
so long to walt
Something sweet and gurgling broke
suddenly against his ear; Hartridge re-
moved the receiver and stared into us
and listened. Phillida was laughing.
Dear me, you stupid old goose,
she was saying now. II have all the
"Out of the question: he cut in
tartly you don't suppose I'm that
style of chump, do you? By JOve, no.
L m going to Mexico by the first train.
There's no end of a good chance down
there for energy and determination, II
a fellow has his living to make-if he
opportunities here for the inexper-
fenced, and-oh, we'll, anyway, I've de-
cided to try my luck. i
Muffled sobs shut him off peremp-
torily. Two receivers tangled stimuli
taneously in their hooks and. three
minutes later. Hartridge was on his
way to the Pendletons.
Phillida went back to the drawing
room, but it seemed all at once dull
and small and suffocating. She was
too unutterably crushed. to do any
thing but sink into chair and hold
her hands. Her heart felt like stone;
her brain seethed and whirled. Billy
going away! Her realization baked!
Her mind simply refused to grasp the
fact. And an hour ago she had been
hn ha Gf crir RI on or
In a daZed, hopeless fashion, she got
up presently and went out into the
flower garden. The beds were a gilt
tering mass of rainbow color. There
their gentle heads in silent sympathy
with her; myriads of violets looked up
modestly from their green nests and
condoled with her; perfect pastures of
Johnny-jump-ups peered pertly at her
from every direction. A sudden
shadow cut through the streaming
sunlight. Phillida turned and lifted
her face to Hartridge's panied eyes.
"Billy," she said, you were only
joking!'
He spoke with a gravity she had
not seen in him before.
"Not by any means, Phillida. When
I rang you up. it was with the intention
of saying good-by without seeing you.
II felt as though I could not bear 1t.
But when you took it the way you did
and explain how necessary it is that I
should co.
PhiIlida dabbed at her eyes with her
handkerchief and choked back sniff
f1e.
eff you really loved me, Billy, you
would not think of going"
Hartridge frowned, half way be-
tween hurt and displeasure.
"That is just why am taking this
step; it offers the quickest route to our
happiness"
sBut, dear, it seems so foolish and
quixotic when I have"
"Phillida!" he interrupted sharply,
you are not going to send me away
all ?'' His tone
sank to an appeal on the last two
words.
Suddenly contrite, Phillida came up
to him and gave him her hands. Twin
tears, like wine drops from her wine
brown eyes, slid shiningly down her
locked fingers. She lifted her lips, soft
and red as rose leaves. Hartridge
caught her in his arms and kissed her
quickly, twice. The gatelatch clicked
and he put her away from him alb
-uptly, turning to go.
my train leaves at 500. I shall
write as soon as I get to my destina-
ion. Goodby."
Phillida shook hands formally with
her lover as Mr.. Pendleton came up.
When Hartridge had finally disap-
oeared, after a few words with her
'ather. the girl turned and questioned
he latter with her eyes. She was won
1ering what had brought him home
1t this hour.
81 am leaving on the noon train for
Phil; important business. |
VIII you see to the packing of nv
hings? BY the way, what's young |
going down into that death
lole for, all by himself? He'll be sure
o catch yellow fever and die especial |
Y as there's no one to see to him. tt
t isn't you, is it, little girl ?"
He did not wait for an answer but |
vent on in the house. and left Phil /
ida standing amid the flowers, white
md shaking. Life or DEATH Her
q oh Z,