The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-24
THE EVENING STORY
A Matter of Honor.
(By CIarissa Mackie.)

Richard Hilton held up a restrain
ing hand.
Don't go on; know what you
mean" he said heavily. He was
hand where a curious ring scattered
prismatic rays of light in the June
| sunshine. -t-
She followed his glance toward the
| ring and. her cheeks flushed hotly.
"Of course It Is Littleton, after all"
he said a. IL stating an undeniable
| fact. Then. with a slight bow. he
turned and walked away down the
sandy shore.
Miss Vincent looked after him with
dazed brown eyes and Q strangely
numb feeling at her heart. When he
had rounded the lighthouse point and
| disappeared within the shadow Of the
tail structure she shfvered a little as
| II with cold. She had been perched
among the powders under the shelter
ing cedar-clothed banks when Hilton
had FOUND her an hour before. and
still she sat there an hour after
his departure with wistful. dreamy
eyes fixed on the flashing sails beyond
| the breakwater.
Hello, little cousin! Been looking
everywhere you you'll 1 might have
| guessed you'd be somewhere by the
| sad sea waves" Jeffrey Littleton
swung himself to a seat beside her and
gathered a handful of white pebbles
| from the crannies Of the rocks.
He was slightly built. rather good
looking young man with eyes placed
! trifie close together and small rose
bud mouth like a girls. He caught
| with an air Of possession that changed
| to CONSERVATION as she pulled 1t
| hastily away.
II am only your fourth cousin, JEFF
frey" she said petulantly.
1T is quite evident that you wish
| hn rel LOT ofs
! tant,'' he said ruefully. He took care
full aim at a stone down on the
waters edge and shot a white pebble
| downward. How do you like Miss
Wendell?" he asked with elaborate
| careleSsness.
"She is charmingi" cried Helen en-
| Enthusiastically; ct like her immensely;
you know we were at school to-
gether, although in different classes"
"Handsome-whatd do you think ?"
| Jeffrey asked.
"She is lovely" said Miss Vincent.
! looking curiously at him. For the
first time since their engagement
three years before jeffrey was show
| ing interest in another woman.
HOW gladly she would have well
coined the diversion during the last
| twelve months Of her awakening to
what love really meant! But no. JEFF
| frey had been a devoted lover, appar-
emily blind to her growing indiffer-
| ence toward him.
The fact that their betrothal was a
| family affair and as yet unannounced
| would have made it easier for her to
have told him the truth and thus
| broken off the engagement, but GER
tain pity for him had stilled the words
| that had so often trembled on her
| lips, for only since the advent of Rich
ard Hilton into her world had she
known what love was-that sweet, up
| land path that one knows, instructive
| ly, leads to heights of bliss-heights
| whence it takes a lifetime to descend.
word and 9 love come too late. She
had turned Hilton away and-Jenrey
was speaking again in slow, hesitate
| ing way, very unlike his usual manner.
"You remember that day in Rome
| when we were looking in the window
of old Rieoni, the goldsmith, and we
both saw the-ring ?" He touched her
finger gently with one hand.
Eyes" she said little breathiessly.
1t was not often that Jeffrey spoke Of
been singularly free from sentiment
"And you admired it's quaint setting,
and so I bought it, and we called 1t an
engagement ring" he went on lightly.
"It is needless to relate that the
joiced greatly, and that our boy and
girl attachment settled into a Darby
and Joan f1atness." There was a tinge
of bitterness in his voice that caused
an uplifting II, OF her pretty oroWs;
IT have thought perhaps you might
have tired of me and wanted your
freedom, on1y-your conscience-you
know you have a conscience. little
II am sorry, jeffrey, that my con-
science, as you call 1T, has been the
means of binding you to an unwel-
come contract-ne, do not speak," she
said coldly. cit is true that I would
never have been the one to break the
law, and" her voice broke sud
denly.
Il thought you'd be pleased" cried
Jeffrey in CONSERVATION. You know
confusedly. as She started to her <eet.
BE still!' she said in low, pa>-
sionate voice. Don't you know that
you are too late now? Why didn't
you jilt me before She sank back
her hands with a little sobbing cry.
jeffrey Redeemed darkly at her
words. He scrambled down from the
powders and stood on the beach be-
fore her. "I am very sorry, Heien-I
know you think I'm a cad. butt can
not explain; you may understand some
"wait," she said scornfully. lifting a
fearful face to his. "You must under
stand that am not breaking my heart
over your desertion-it is because I
have just sacrificed a lifetime of hap |
piness for such as you!"
She drew the brilliant ring from her |
finger and held it toward him.
won't you keen that, Helen, Just
for remembrance" he asked awk- |
wardly.
"I cannot" she said coldly. and II
dropped into his reluctant hand. Pres |
emily he found himself following clear |
ly defined footprints in the damp sand. |
They skfrted tn beach and circled the |
lighthouse. When they ceased. JET |
FREY found himself face to face with |
Richard Hilton.
Hello. Hilton" he said genialiy, |
eyading the other mans miserable
ewes. "soing down the beach? II you |