The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-11
THE EVENING STORY
His Homecoming.
(By Cecily Allen.)

LIS AAOAHCCOAAhAiS.
(By Cecily Allen.)
She was extremely fair to look |
To Nat Gregory the realization of |
this fact was nothing new. But some |
how just at this particular moment. |
1t was borne in upon him afresh and
at a novel angle.
Her hair was blue-black so were
her lashes, and her eyes were Won
derful blue, which, somehow, some |
times turned to an equally wonderful |
violet.
The last time that Nat had looked |!
into them his own had been full of |
singing unshed tears. How could he |
stand six months in Panama, with the |
light OF those blue Cor were they |
violet) eyes denied him?
But her notes had been so brief |
and unsatisfactory that even in hot, |
lazy Panama he had caught himself
reading between the lines and find
ing there a selfish soul, the small mar
row soul OF the girl given to personal
conQuests, the soul stepped in admira-
ton and fed on compliments.
She was smiling at him now across
the cars broad aisle. and above
great granny muff Of gray squirrel.
That huge mass of fur made her face
look all the more piquant and ex-
quisitely dainty.
Occasionally the man on her right
intercepted the friendly chances
which Peggy Barton shot at the newly
returned Gregory, and he glowered.
Nat Gregory knew just how the chap
felt. He had intercepted the same
sort CT glances and they had made
him squirm, too.
She. simulated a tiny cough and
instantly raised the muff again. The
cough was good excuse for a fetch
ing pose, but somehow the absurd lit
tie receptions annoyed Nat Gregory.
1t is SO sometimes with men who have
| had their minds and souls opened
and broadened by travel and contact
with men of affairs.
So he let his glance wander to the
girl next to Peggy. She smiled at the
returned traveller, too, but it was
| different sort of smile. a wholesome.
sense of ownership behind it. Peggy
| Barton always assumed that air with
| member sister Janet, never.
For you see, Janet was the ugly
duckling Of the Barton family. ia
nous for its pretty daughters and the
good matches they made. Janet was
the youngest and she might not have
been considered homely If Peggy had
| not been so brilliantly, scintillatingly
beautiful by contrast.
There were those, principally
| women and young men without pros
poets, who said that Peggy Barton al
| ways dragged her younger and less at
| tractive sister around with her as a
| foil.
Something of this was passing
through Nat Gregory's head as he sat
| watching the little comedy. The
other chap would be furious If Nat
| crossed the aisle and talked with
Peggy. and Peggy would be furious
| If he did not. So he would strike
a happy medium. He would join
| the party and talk to Janet.
| How we'll he could remember their
many trips together, Peggy, Janet
and himself-to the links where he
and Peggy played golf and Janet sat
| on the veranda or disappeared in the
| woods where wild flowers were thick;
| to the matinee, where between acts
| he and Peggy discussed the love in
terest Of the play as If it were a per-
| sona1 matter, while Janet read the adj
| vertisements in the programme; to
! the rink where he and Peggy skated
| together and Janet found some girl
| friend as skating partner or sat
against the wall making humorous
| mental comment on the circling tide
| before her.
| What a jolly little beggar Janet
| had been in those days! If she had
| been bored she had never shown it,
| and-He was standing before the trio
now
| The man. Fred Marsden, had been
| duly introduced, Peggy had turned
| the full battery Of her wonderful eyes,
| without the aid Of the granny muff,
|
| face, and Janet had murmured some
! thing about "old times
ST haven't slrated-why, it is nearly
year since I've been on ice," he was
| saying to Janet 1--WE a good mind
| to get admittance to this party and
| give you all a chance to laugh at my
awkwardness. Do you think I could
rent a decent pair of skates at the
| rink?"
Marsden was politely but not
effusively reassuring Peggy was
ais on skates. and Janet just muir
INJURED DO come
'I wonder how 1t will feel to the
little girl If she has a real partner all
afternoon" thought Gregory as he
locked his skates. Before he and ia
net had circled the rink a dozen times
he realized that she was splendid
little person on the ice and most ap-
preciative listener. never giving
thought to the tricksy steel beneath
her trim boots.
No, she was not tout" yeti Next
winter, perhaps, she might come out
at tea. She was still the little sister
Of the reigning beauty. And didn't
he think Peggy handsomer than ever ?
He did, and he said SO. with hearth
ness and a lack of tenderness that
more experienced girl than Janet
would have interpreted correctly.
They fingered so late that the rush
OF nOme-golng tollerS caught tHeIl III
its swirl on the return trip. When
they reached Gregory's corner, Janet
mechanically extended her hand.
Indeed, I'm not going to leave
you in this crush. 1 know I'm self
invited member of this quartet, but
Marsden has his hands full to steer
Peggy through the crush. You'll need
me-"
Janet flushed-and dimp1ed. Nat
almost gasped. He had never seen
dimple in her chin before, but then
Janet had never laughed up into his
eyes In just that way.
I'm coming up to call tomorrow
night, IL I may" said Gregory as they
drew near the Barton home
you'd better ask Peggy il she'll be