The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-03
THE EVENING STORY
A Hornless Dilemma.
(By Marion Dexter.l

(By Marion Dexter)
Harold McCrea's comfortable turn
pike of life was suddenly barred by a
dilemma. A three-pronged one. he
called 1t. because three people were
concerned
What a COMPOUNDED tangled" he
snarled; and because the grating of
with his feelings he twisted it right
and left till the senior member of the
firm ratified the doorknob in white-hot
rage.
| Idiot" was the greeting through
a crack in the door Respect a mans
i nerves, can't you?"
Brought to a standstiIl. he dropped
his plump cheeks in his palms and
grappled the dilemma In a mighty en-
deavor to see way out, but the
cheerlessness Of midnight met him at
every turn.
IF it hadn't been for that misera-
BILE pup" he groaned, 1.-The matters
| scarf wouldn't have been torn. If it
have gone to the members. If I had
mt gone to the members I'd never
have seen F1ossie. My wedding day
wouldn't have a cloud and Lucia and
| mother and 1 would have been happy
ever after. But"
The immensely of the problem
smote his heart with a chill of
damp, cold hand; the soft brown
head stood out like curled points of
horn in response to distracted curry
ing and combing of nervous fingers.
but not even afar off was there
CLEAN of light
'The mother will heart-broken."
he muttered disconsolately, land Luz
cia-" His thoughts ricocheted back
) ward to the day when she. the little
!, adopted sister, had been brought home
: and presented to him.
after
death when the house was unbearably
, still and lonely. He had been just
fourteen, he remembered, and Lucia
: nearly twelve, and from the very first
minute they had been chums. There
had never been any chickering's and
, strife.
. That was what put the idea of mar
riage into his mothers head and
caused her to build her every hope for
a serene old age on such founda-
ton. And he and Lucia had been will
. ing. too-that is, after the newness
of the idea had passed. -.
But now-and every day made 1t
plainer-he knew what the love he
had given Lucia was. the calm, even
, surface of a brothers affection, not
the turbulent, feverish love of a lover.
| With her, though, it was different.
That is, it had somehow gotten to be
different.
OF late she had changed. Her gay
| ETY. and sparkling color were gone;
her eyes. big and unnatural, followed
} him everywhere. yet only too obvious
: ly. she avoided him. His mother. too,
was unlike herself. her usually cheer
: ness replaced by a nervous rest
, lessness.
; you're killing Them" he fiercely
!. berated himself You're changed
yourself, and they see it. The mater
; worries, but Lucia-just suppose"
His thought snapped like the break
ing of a string. A startling object mad
=. l in, hn fnYaOrnI1n6
| depressing picture. 1t was Lucia,
emaciated, the blue eyes peering sadly
: from dismal caves; wreck. not even
resemblance to the dear girl he had
known. 'At So
!; "Ill give it up" he groaned. "Flos-
sic doesn't know, and 1 wouldn't for
worlds hurt mother and Lucia
After that he stayed home more,
making strenuous endeavor to put af-
fairs back on the old footing. Per-
suaded by small glimmerings and
: patches of sunshine he fancied he was
? succeeding. He was forgetting Flos-
sic, too. Not forgetting exactly, but
keeping his brain so busy that there
was no room for a thought of her.
But it was incomprehensible, he
grumbled, and most annoying, that
, even one glimpse of her on street
: or in a car, no matter how indistinc ct
, or far away, would SO fill his whole
: brain and heart that his good inten-
lions flew before it like handful of
, i feathers before a gust of wind.
I'm getting on" he congratulated
: himself after a breakfast conspicuous
i. for merriment. I'm bound to get
, on he added grimly. slamming the
: hall door and making dash for a
passing car. Out of breath. but re-
lieved and in high spirits. he made
his way to a vacant seat and dropped
down beside-Flossie.
I There's no use In putting up q
fight" he confided to himself in deep
) est humiliation but five minutes later.
I'm a weakling, a coward, traitor;
but If Fiossie will take me she's got
the chance. I'm done for"
It was late when he reached home
that night Except for the hall lamp
{ the lights were out. That suited his
, beth. His deed also was one best done
Z in the stiffness and darkness of night.
8 the stabbing of two loving hearts.
E He would go to the library and
work out the little speech that was to
strike the terrible blow. It was al
ways coy there, especially in rainy
weather Nothing could be more
! soothing to fellows nerves than the
3 crackle of an open fire, even If its
heat be not needed.
9 The door was ajar; the flicker and
e glow cheerfulness itself Before the
e fire sat his mother, and in a corner
of the sofa among the deepest shad-
q ows crouched Lucia.
For the space of a minute he felt
S the coward he had called himself
e He wanted to run; he wanted to brave
i 1t out. He stood irresolute for Sec
e ond, then sank into the chair his
: mother had drawn to her side
$ I'm glad you've come. Haroldi" II
was his mother who spoke, but
: what allied her voice? She locked hel
!, fingers tightly in her lap before coins
q on. There's something I want to SAY
: to you and Lucia. I've decided to &c
u West for a year or two, and it's best
: believe for you to. be married be.
a fore leave. I've worried a good a ca
, about what you might think of such
a step. but my mind is finally made
up. I'm going to
IT had comet The crucial rnoynepf