The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-09-07
TIE EVENING STORY
Angles.
(By Lulu JohnSonN

tufe."
Ethel Deane pointed her camera at |
with an 'Al right she wound off the |
film.
"I'll send you postcard as soon as
1t S developed" she added. I'm sorry |
you came. You'd make a great be
fore and after picture for the hotel
advertisements. l declare Agnes won't
know you when you get back, you've
grown so stout and handsome"
Her big brother smiled at the COM
pliment, and Ethel clicked the camera
again.
That will make a good advertise
Il wish 1 could smile like that"
You could fnsinuated her broth
er, "if you were as happy as 1 am
Back to home and Agnes!" scoffed
Ethel. Here comes your train, Jack.
I'm sorry you have to CO. This little
| vacation has done you a world of
| good"
Deane kissed his sister goodpy ana
swung onto the train. glad to get out
| of the press of the station platform
| and into the comfortable wicker chair
in the Pullman smoker. He was sorry
his vacation was over. He had worked
hard for two years and needed the
| rest. He was going back to Agnes
| weston, and tender smile played
| about his lips as he drew a tiny leatn-
| er case from his pocket and glanced
| at the picture within. It was one or
Ethers snap shots, but the girl was
| caught more of the personality of her
subject than a professional could have
done.
ut will only be few days now, lit
photograph. 'I1l be in town tomor-
row, and Sunday week you'll be there,
too. It's some comfort even to be
| nearer to you
Il IL eli
pocket and Redeemed as he saw a man
across the aisle watching him with an
| amused smile. The mans lips were
puckered, and above the roar and rat
tie of the train Jack caught the shrill
notes of The Girl 1 Left Behind"
He smiled at the mans mistake, for
EtheIs kiss had been most fervent.
The stranger, however, could not know
that she was only his sister and that
the train was bringing him nearer to
the girl whose photograph was in the
} case.
There was no formal engagement
, between Jack and Agnes Weston, put
an understanding existed that when
his salary was increased there would
be an announcement. The raise had
come in the shape of promotion while
he was on vacation. A letter had told
him that on his return he wouId sit
/ at the superintendent desk. He
: wanted to start back at once and tell
Agnes OF his good fortune, but had
J sacrificed his vacation last year in his
struggle for advancement, anG ne
needed the rest. Agnes had gone to
| visit relatives in distant resort, and
Ethel wisely persuaded him to stay.
Now he was on his way to town. and
in another week Agnes would join him.
He could then put the question, to
: which the answer seemed assured.
1t was a trying week. Had it not
been that Jack was busy getting the
angles of his new position he would
I h a Inv nod fv-of han 1a1
for the west, as no letter had come
from Agnes during the latter part of
: the week. He telephoned her mother
to learn the time of her expected ar
, | rival
Jack was at the station when the
train rolled in, but the greeting chilled
} him. In place of the sunny smile the
| girl was coldly formal. She addressed
him as ''Mr. Deane," and insisted upon
going home alone in a cab.
Il Deane was in despair. He could not
argue with her in the station, and not
until after dinner did he go to the
house for an interview.
!, The explanation was simple in the
extreme, Agnes declared that she nc
longer loved him. That she was glad
, she had discovered his true chara
before it was too late. More than thai
she would not say. After a brief hall
hour Jack gave up, and left the house
to pace the streets and dumbly won
der what had happened to make 81
great a change in his life.
Perhaps when Ethel returned she
might be able to find out. 1t was OBJ
vious that Jack could offer no explana-
ton when he was not conscious of hav-
ing given offense, and it was with
leaden feet that he sought his home and
tumbled into bed to toss until dawn.
Haggard and hollow-eye he rose fol
breakfast and made pretense of 60
ing through the meal. He was idly
slipping his coffee when the maid hand
ed him a thick letter from Ethel
There was the promised postcard
with the crowd as a background. There
was also another card showing him
looking down with a tender smile into
the eyes of girl. whose ardent glance
was even more fervid than his own.
The girl was an entire stranger to
him, and Jack wondered by what trick
of photography Ethel had brought
about the result. He knew how she
delighted in performing the seemingly
impossible He turned to the letter for
explanation.
Dear Jack" he read. do you re-
member that 1 promised to get even
with you for playing that joke on Ben
, Drummond and me? I guess I've done
it. 1 am inclosing one of the postals
I promised. That silly little Bedford
girl was smiling right behind you when
you smiled that silly smile because
told you how handsome you were. From
the angle at which I stood 1t looked
as though you were smiling at her,
and she was making moon-eyes at you
| instead of Dick Oden- Dick is just off
| the edge of the film. sent one of
these to Agnes on Monday, and. I'M
less 1 am very much mistaken, you did
not enjoy your Sunday. Let this be a
| lesson to you not to play tricks on your
affectionate sister. P. 81 am send
ing this same explanation to Agnes.
In an unlucky moment Jack had rem
dered Ethel and her latest adorer ridic-
uIous Ethel had sworn to the reveng-
ed, but Jack had paid little attention
to the threats. Now he could under
stand what Agnes meant when she said
she knew him for what he really was
| He hurried from the house to the tel