The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-10
THE EVENING STORY

(By Martha william

Norton had been also of her subjects.
Fate whisked him away then, to in
herit an uncle'S fortune and go racing
about the world, thereby giving Kit
ty her first realizing sense that things
could happen otherwise than accord
ing to her will.
| The process was unpleasant. by a
curious mental alchemy, Kitty uncon-
sciously stored the unpleasantness as
a grudge against the absent Douglas.
| So when he came home ten years
| later and fell openly and instantly
victim to her charms, she was in two
minds as to what to do with him-and
she yielded in favor of the mind that
advised her to do something unp1eas-
ant.
! He was a dear fellow, suiting her
| exactly in some of her moods. In 9TH
ers-but in those others nobody suited
| her, least of all herself. Those other
moods would probably have made her
send Douglas about his business if he
had not had the lucky misfortune to
| have the Ackroyds for friends.
| The Ackroyds, whom Kitty loathed,
gave up days and nights to warning
| Douglas against her. The warnings
| were not wholly disinterested. Though
enough to be his mothers, there was
Lena Shotwell, their neice, over in
| Kittredge town, for whose establish
| ment they were most anxious.
Given the facts, the temperaments
and the situation the resulting engage
ment follows logically. Kitty excus-
| ed herself to her conscience for it with
the special pleading that it would
| charter the Ackroyds, and that if she
finally broke it the making it would
have saved Douglas from worse.
OF course she would not think OF
marrying him for years-me eantime
comfiture. Then her people were so
happy over the prospect That really
meant a lot to her.
Dimly. at the bottom of a very
~, eI,o F1Ik xxTI7n n1n
| she had not made them as happy as
| she might have done.
So, altogether, she was not ILL
| content with the estate in life where
| in she now found herself until Doug
| las obstinately insisted upon her nam
| ing the day.
go away! The role of impatient
lover does not fit you in the least"
she said to him with her most fetch
| ing pout. You know you'd be
dreadfully upset If L agreed to any
thing so insane. We can be married
when we are too old to care Tor tear
shall be thirty-tWo. That will be quite
| time enough to do the Darby and
Joan act. Until then-weI, we will
stay as we are
1--WE will not!" Douglass asserted,
seizing both her hands. Understand
I'm going to be married man before
the year is out
ct dare say you can get Lena Shot
well-or somebody like her-alI on a
sudden, this way" Kitty interrupted,
trying to pull away her hands.
Douglass held them tight IT am
going to marry youmnoOGny 1In9 sise to the he
fact, 1adykin-and give up gracefully
while there is time
-of all impertinencs:r til 81 e. 49,, ! Ritty 5nty
SO can take off your rubbish ring! I
next next day. W / Won't even speak to you
ever again, if you hold me a second
longer"
ssWhat peaceful home we shall
have!" Douglas murmured, letting go
her hands but catching her in his
arms He pressed her close, and went |
on, with his lips against her ping ear:
Little darling, I ought to want you
to be sensible, but the fact isl
don't. It is ever so much more
thrilling to take you thus in spite of
yourself-you have never even let me |
kiss your hand. No matter when we |
married, this would have to come |
some time. You know you need mas
tering, but I'm too generous to ask |
you to admit it. Come along-I want
you to hear me tell Daddy all about |
it. Mother Clyde has already agreed |
with me that the wedding had better
be on your birthday"
Then Kitty forgot herself, her
years, her grown-up estate. She
screamed. He did not pay any at
tention. She became SO angry that
she tried to claw his cheek, but none
of her efforts or shrieks avafled.
He lifted her as if she were only s
years old, and carried her into the sit
ting room, where her father rose in af-
fright. Mrs. Clyde, pallid but more
composed stood beside him, her hand
laid detainingly upon his shoulder.
Its hard to bear, mighty hard she
whispered. We've ought to bear it
for the child-spoiling her SO, is our
work. But for heavens sake keep still.
Her whole future depends on it. Doug
las is the man of men for her-and she
will throw him over if she has the least
chance"
Daddy! o dear daddy!' Kitty pant
ed trying to reach out appealing arms.
Douglas pinioned them fast and went
close to Major Clyde, saying with
laugh that was not quite easy: major,
this girl you gave me is behaving so
badly. / think you might throw in one
of old Flossy's pups to even up the
trade"
At that Kitty screamed afresh The
majors breath came hard, his face
grew apoplectic, but his wife's hand,
closing and unclosing convulsively,
warned him not to interfere.
He tried to assume a judicial air and
say ''the case admits of argument"
but at the second word the door open
ed to admit Miss Alicia Ackroyd, who
usurped and abused privileges of inti-
The Acqroyd house stood just across
the road. The two sisters had been on
watch in the front windows ever since
they saw Douglas ride through the
Clyde gate.
They had heard the screams and had
made their incursion. Somebody must
be killing somebody over there-Fm
going to find out who" Miss Alicia
said to Miss Patricia, not even stopping
to snatch at a bonnet as she sped
through the front door and down the
walk.
After one startled "Ohi" she stood
still. staring at Douglas, who had loos-