The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-30
THE EVENING STORY
The Mood of q Maid.
(By Cecily Allen.)

The girl leaned forward, after scan
ming the road in both directions, and
touched the chauffeur's arm. The
great crimson car came to a painting,
deliberate standstill.
The girl did not wait for the chauf-
feur to help her. but sprang lightly
to the road and vanished into the
woodland on the right. The chauf-
feur turned the car as If his thoughts
were concentrated on the necessity Of
making the smallest possible turn in
time of safety, in order to be pre-
pared in time of emergency. And
then the great crimson car shot back
in the direction from whence it had
come.
Safely screened by the underbrush,
the girl found clearing in the wood
land and sat down on a moss-grown
log. Deity she unwound the
swathings of chiffon from her hat
barring a face delicate and sensitive
as the anemones opening at her feet.
She drew OF her gloves, and felt of
stopped to gather flowers. Finally,
with the blossoms forgotten in her
lap, she leaned forward, her elbows
on her knees. her chin propped in
the palms Of her hands, watching the
woodland life around her.
Chipmunks and squirrels scam ered
along the edge of the clearing. Where
the sun shone upon tangle of fern
and jack-in-the-pulpit, two robins
perched pertly on dry twigs and dis
cussed the troubles of May-moving
days. From the shadows of the wood
mering Of woodpecker.
Beyond the screen Of underbrush
automobile and smart turnouts spun
on toward the race tracks, where the
world of fashion was foregathering
An hour passed, and then, at the dis
| a n nf ri xxyhi
the girl sprang to her feet, dropped
her lapful Of flowers and ran to the
roadside.
Bearing down upon her was a GRIM
son car, twin of the one which had
dropped her so unceremoniously an
hour earlier.
But the resemblance stopped with
the car. The chauffeur in the first
car had worn a spick-span uniform in
tan color, from the tips Of his highly
polished boots to the crown of his
heavy red cap. The man in this
car wore a disreputable looking storm
coat of English cloth. shabby visor
cap and pair of goggles, which had
certainly seen more prosperous days.
He was scorching along at a fine
pace-but the girl calmly stepped to
the edge of the road and waved a de-
| tanning hand-a bare hand at that. The
machine slowed down and the man
made preparations to descend, as be-
| came one hailed by a maiden in dis
| tress, but again the girl raised de-
! tanning hand.
| my car met with an accident
| thought, perhaps am very anxious
| to reach Dalton this afternoon. Per
| haps you were going that way. Would
you give me a lift?''
She looked up eagerly into his
startled face. Then the man coughe6
dfscreetly. swallowed a smile ano
sprang from the machine.
'eI was-or thought I was-goint
to the races, but I am sure 1t will bs
much more pleasant at-er-was i
/ Dalton you said ?''
The mans accent was English. TIL,
| admiration in his eyes was the sor
that knows no nationality. The CIR
| flushed beneath 1t, and sprang int
the car before the astonished mar
could assist her.
For a few moments the car ran OF
in silence. Then the girl spoke
abruptly.
mile further we will strike the old
| Dalton turnpike. There we will not
meet"
| II understand" he interrupted
| gravely-and the great car swerved
| into the crossroad. running through q
stretch Of woodland.
Again the girl seemed plunged In
| thought, but at last the man re-
marked a bit lamely:
| 90 Perfect day, isn't it,"
| The girl looked up at him shyly
Her eyes were soft and luminous
| "Oh, have had the most beautiful
| hour there in the woods. I've never
seen anything half SO wonderful as
those little creatures doing just as
! they pleased. Just as soon as the
| birds tired Of one tree, or bush or
| fern, they flew of to another. They
/ = = <aI- - yf
| think Of being like that all your life!'
The man looked at her curiously, as
| II she were a new specimen of the
genus feminine and entirely worthy OF
deep study.
at is all so different from what
ing that Marie Will be right there
with my chocolate. And then will
come cards and mails and flowers,
and Aunt Margaret OF course Aunt
doing things right under Aunt Mar
raret's eyes are very tiresome-
don't you think so ?''
at am quite sure 1t must be a ter
| r,ble bore" replied the man gravely.
| "And then seeing the same people
80 that YOU will see no one that
aunt Margaret has not seen first"
TIE man bit his lip at this naive
confession. ;, .a a.. civ,
| "Do you know, sdIu tn1 81
ing confidential as the car lazed alons
over the tree-hung road. I've aiways
Srsamed of having man come 60 my
rascue lust Ike this-a man I had
resuu known-a man quite. different
fron, anv of the men I have ever
met nan at her side
She paused and the ,e. man 1naa al her sue
"Now. there was Bessie StewaI
fshs married Jack Coghlan Ineya
| zone to kindergarten ana osnc.ns
keCnoc1 to~efher And then Sne 8oHo