The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-18
THE EVENING STORY
Amateur Strategy.
(By Templeton Bailey)

Amateur Strategy.
(By Templeton Bailey-)
PercevaPs den in Burkeley hall was
hung with the usual conglomerate col
| lection of trifies on which college
youths pride themselves. Strangely
enough, however. though otherwise
| complete. it lacked one of the essen
| tials, indeed, a vital essential, of u
| students room decorations. There
We're no photographs.
| The other fellows had pictures oil
| girls in evening gowns, girls in street
| horseback, girls afoot, always girls. But
not a single girls picture adorned Per-
| cevaPs den, except one lonely small
miniature. and that stood far with
drawn, hidden on the back of his desk.
Randolph Chase hauled it out on one
occasion, before Perceval could reach
him with a OBTAINING hand.
What a queer little girl" Randolph
said.
PUT it back" PercevaI said, short
| ly, his face af1ame.
But the other fellows crowded be-
hind Randolph and looked at the pic
| ture over his shoulder.
"Such a mop of hair and such a lit
tie face" said one of them.
Put it backp Percevars tone rasped
with irritation. Put it back, Ran
dolph"
Randolph. after one glance at the
younger mans countenance, set the
miniature back on the desk hastily.
''Oh, if you feel that way about it," he
apologized.
But the next night when he was
alone with Perceval he said, Il don't
want to be inquisitive, but I was aw-
fully interested in that girls face. Who
is, she?
Perceval was standing at the win
dow looking out upon the Embroidered
street, where the big electric lights
cast great shadows.
t'That-'' he said, without looking
around, that girl, as you call her, is
What" RandoIph's tone expressed
extreme incredulity. You don't
mean?"
Perceval whirled around, ''That 1 am
Randolph whistled. well, of all
things" he said, and after that there
was silence.
Then PercevaI came over and flung
I've simply got to tell somebody,
Chase" he said. I'm in an awful fix
and she's the dearest and truest and
best little thing in the world
Randolph reached over and picked up
the miniature again. "She truly looks
it," he said. after he had studied it for
a long tome.
Perceval choked a little before he an
swered. "She's an angel, Randolph"
''Then-what's the matter?" Ran
dolph Questioned.
Perceval leaned forward.
1--WE deceived her. She doesn't know
that am in college. She thinks am
earning a good salary in business
'Well, son. said Randolph Chase, 1t
seems to me that sort of deception is a
kind that a girl can forgive easily
enough. I guess she won't be Wlloly IN
dignant when she finds that next year
it is next year that you come or age,
isn't it?-you'll have a big pile of mon
ey coming to you. Any girl would De
tickled to death to find that
Perceval shook her head. mot Anna
bel" he declared. Isn't her name dear
and old-fashioned. Chaser?
Yes" Randolph agreed. But why
will she object to a million, Perceval?'
! Because she will say that lied to
her" Perceval said slowly, land Anna
bel can forgive anything but a lie.
''Out with it," Randolph probed. TEL
us the whole story. 1t must be a
queer one, and, if you don't mind my
saying so, old man, she must De queer
girl"
s'That's just what she is" said Perce-
val II met her last year at the beach.
She was such quaint, queer little thlng
that she attracted me. Sne s aiWaSs aittj;s
on the sand singing little songs to her-
self There was an old sea captain 70
whom she talked good deal, and got
him to introduce us.
well, she had read lot of books on
social equality, and she just simply
didn't have any use for the gilded youth
with money. What Annabel wanteu
was a man who worked-preferaoly WIN
his hands, but, failing that, one VINO
lived in the thick of the fight for exist
ence. And she meant it, too. And tnat
is where I fell. ..1
"I was head over heels IN love Wlln
her" continued Perceva1 forlornly, ana
1 simply wouldn't let her go. 50 let
her believe that 1 was working my way
up in business. The first lie was SIM
pie enough and looked like one of those
things that could be squared easily
enough afterward: But, on Cnase' iiS
had to back that lie up with details on
details until I had lied to her at Ieast
ten lies to the hour. Well, We were
married before 1 left in the fall;
wasn't of age and she wasn't, ana sne
Uouldn't leave home until l could sup
mort her without hampering my Dusl-
ness career.
II knew 1 had to come back to coll
eee or get dad down on me, so tod
her to stay groaned Perceval. but
made her marry me for fear something
might come between US. and eoulan
stand that, Randolph. But think now
[u appear to her. for I've lied In every
letter, telling her how business was ana
The young fellows voice broke |
held out a sympathetic
hand.
and confess, old man. It's not only |
the right thing but the best policy TO |
be perfectly frank with her, and IL
she's in love with you. she'll forgive
you" ..1
don't dare" he said, huskily. Il am
so afraid I'll lose her, Randolph, ana |
she is the dearest thing in the world.
"You have said that before" Ran
do1ph remarked, patiently. 81 think |
Won are making an awful mistake.
bnt II will have to work itself out if