The Topeka state journal., 1908-07-18
THE EVENING STORY
A Shift OF the Wind.
(By Elliot Walker.)

Shift OF the Wind.
(By Elliot walker.)
The small desk from which Pauline
pushed away her chair seemed hv-
ing menace to her distracted mind.
An hour before she had seated her.
self with brave resolution to
straighten matters. and now after the
worrying hour. heartsick and hopeless
over the result. the woman stared In
despairing wonder. What should she
do?
There lay her little bank book. the
| pile Of neatly arranged bills, her
check book, three letters from insist
ent collection lawyers and. most dire.
| full of all, a writ of attachment placed
polite man who wore brass buttons on
| his vest. This man had surveyed her
surprise with an air Of benevolent
suspicion.
The emptied pigeonhoies appeared
| to siare at her like eyes OF reproacn.
Also the red figures IN her recently
| ralanced bank book. indicating sac
| overdraft. The bank had a dreadful
| way Of accounting for Its errors. and
invariably put her in the wrong. She
| would not go to the bank There was
| only one thing to do.
Opening a drawer. Pauline drew
| cut a photograph. gazed at 1t, moaneo
! like hurt creature. and, finally, with
\ smarting eyes, began to tear the card.
Her fingers trembled: she could not
| see for tears.
"I can't" she whispered. dropping
the picture. HE is only a memory
now, but I can't destroy it. When
am Mrs Winch-John-oh!"
| Her maid was answering the door
bells clear peal Pauline,s ~ fingers gers
hair. What on earth did Carson
| Winch want at this time of day?
| I'm in the library. Matte" she
called, a bit amazed at her steadiness.
Its Mr.. Winch. ma'am." pushing
| "WeII. show him in here. I thought
it sounded like Mr.. Winch. Is he
alone?"
NO. ma'am. Another gentleman is
with him.
"An right I'll see them" she push
ed the telltale books and papers In
heap and rose to draw a curtain for
softer light Pauline was nearly
twenty-eight and showed it in the sun.
| The men came In smiling.
1--WE brought Dean Wickham to see
you've heard me speak of him"
| "Oh, yes, I'm very glad to meet MI.
Wickham" Pauline's nand went out
cordially to grasp the clutch OF
! bronzed, bearded, thick-set man, who
regarding her admiringly.
4 =
| two" said Winch. 'I can't stay. III
get around again before noon and
carry him of. Pauline"
There was that in his tone sugges-
tive of proprietorship and familiarity
| which grated on Pauline's nerves. 1t
was a new note, something more than
| usual, and the woman felt a pang OF
resentment. Carson should wait q
little longer to pay for that.
Pauline had been quite gay all WIN
Il VIZ 1a4f 6xy6 az
| aunt must be about dissipated, Mr..
Winch thought. Pauline had lived on
| legacies with small doubt of more
coming at opportune times. Some
| thing always turned up.
Her disregard of consequences
wants had talked. The tradesmen had
| rubbed indignant noses. Winch heard
rumors and chuckled good-naturedly.
| Pauline was a superior woman. He
wanted her and meant to get her. 1t
/ was merely question of patience.
Lately his reward seemed in his hand.
Pauline's negatives lacked the true
| ring.
After his CHEEKY departure the hos
tess talked brightly to Wickham. and
soon had the stranger recounting bits
of his history. She liked the man.
There was a fine streak of simplicity
in his direct, crisp manner.
"Mr. Winch tells me it paid you to
wait, grubbling away on that lone
some claim in Alaska she said.
"Yes, it pays to wait when one has
a feeling about it."
"You mean a doubt of the wisdom
of leaving a thing?"
That's it. There have been lots of
u.s." he continued. Il tell you five
| years makes an awful difference. The
isolation, the rough life, the doing for
ones self, rarely seeing a woman, and
never a cultured. refined lady. grows a
coat of fur, all right. But I've made
my pile. If have lost five years of real
living. I'm satisfied"
| Surely" said the woman. mot all
are as fortunate"
That's the worst Of 1t. It is heart
breaking to think Of some fellows;
gentlemen, you know; confident,
eager, impatient, anxious to strike
quick luck and to go home with flying
i colors. They can't wait. They get to
roaming. and heaven only knows
where some of them land. One loses
all trace, but, now and then"-he
paused for a moment. half smiling.
Pauline Allard had grown pale. Her
caller did not notice the droop of the
fair head. He went on speaking.
'I've felt mighty sorry for one chap.
We were real friendly. He couldn't
| wait. I took over his little claim. for
tri1e. 1t was next to mine. Bless
you! it proved the richest dirt of all
Wnen L got 10 WOIklHS IL 0cep. ne
was daft on surface finds. And off
went my hopeful acquaintance in spite
| of entreaties. Funny"
Again he smiled, queerly.
"Mr. Winch must be delighted to
have you here" remarked Pauline,
absently. Her thoughts were wander
ing in a dreary vista Of toiling disap-
pointed men, far from their homes,
reckless. proud, the sort that never
would come back bearing the brand Of
failure.
"Oh. Carson. yes" returned Wick
ham, "he's decent enough fellow
after his fashionEI-II beg par
i doni There Miss Allard YOU see how