The Topeka state journal., 1909-01-20
The EVENING STORY
The War of the Roses.
: (By Martha Cobb Sanford. }

Hugh Stoddard read over his invit-
alton to the Van Sickle dance with va
ried emotions. One minute he was de-
termined to go, exactly as II nothing
had happened; the next he was equal
| ly resoIute in his decision to cut out
everything OF that sort for good and
all.
Gradually he fell to comparing his
own present lot In life with that 'of
the duke and of Rogers and of two or
three other lucky fellows. Hang it
all, there was no chance for him any
longer.
| The duke could offer her title and
/ all it's dazzling accessories; Rogers
had money, or at least his father had;
while he, Hugh Stoddard, had moth
| ing. And all owing to that spectacu-
had not seen Marian since.
| Nevertheless, whether he should
eventually decide to go to the dance
or not, he must of course send flow
ers. Quite as a matter of habit he
took down the receiver and gave the
florists number.
| Suddenly. as he waited, the sicken-
| ing realization came to him that his
financial credit was now a negative
quality.
Line busy" called central.
| Glad Of it, returned Hugh, re-
Ilieved. ''I mean never mind. I'll call
again."
Then he took out his eIaborately
monogrammed bill fold and spread all
| MS MOTlQlH WSd1Lu DS1OIG AA1AA--eA SO4-
itary ten dollar bill.
But was he not to hang out his
sign as a lawyer next week? Why,
! his office was all engaged. He could
tai luxury.
| AS he stood outside the florists
| window, studiously contemplating the
lavish display within, the duke alight-
| ed jauntily from his motor-or rather
from the Van Sickle motor-and pass
ed into the shop. Hugh followed eau
tiously and from palm-screened cor
ner watched with keen interest the
| dukes fastidious choice.
''F'fve dozen bride roses. Very clev-
er of him. murmured Hugh.
zone dozen American Beauties,
ordered Hugh as soon as the duke had
| Then, handing over his card on which
/ he had written a few words, he left
] the shop light heartedly. His mind
was made up. He was going to the
! dance.
Festivities were in full swing when
he entered the drawing room. He had
purposely planned late arrival For
| few minutes he wandered aimlessly
about, glancing at his watch now and
then, and finally stopped short before
a huge mass of magnificent bride roses
placed suggestively near a full-length
portrait of Marion Van Sickle.
| AS he stood lost in admiration before
! it his friend Rogers clapped him sud-
denly on the shoulder.
Tho, no, Stoddard," was the familiar
greeting Looks as though we were
out of the running, doesn't it?.. Those
are the roses Miss Van Sickle is wear.
| ing tonight-bride roses, you notice.
Can't guess who sent 'en1, s'poseE
Stoddard, affecting a good-natured IN
difference, glanced at his watch again
and pleaded an engagement.
With feverish haste he then made
his way toward the music room at the
extreme end of the house Would
Marian be there? 1t was just 11:45-the
hour he had, written on his card: -, +.
AS he neared the heavy portieres
which separated the room from the nail,
he was sure he heard 4 woman's stifed
cry Cautiously and silently he peered
through the curtains. The sight that
met his eyes made his heart stand
still.
Leaning against the piano was Mar
ian, more beautiful far than her por--
trait-but pale as death. In front OF
her a masked man held revolver
close to her forehead-behind her sec.
| ond masked man was unclasping the
diamond necklace from her white
| throat.
Hardly knowing what he did, Stod-
dard knocked over a chair by way OF
warming, and then rushed into the
music room. In a fash the burglars
| had darted out of the open window at
the end of the room. Hugh turned to
! Marian.
! Sobbing and shuddering she had sunk
down into a big arm chair-a pathetic,
/ frightened little heap. :
marian. dear" Hugh murmured
| tenderly, putting his strong, protect
| ing arm about her, ''it's all right now
| Just you cry while, though. 1t will
] do you good You were terribly
plucky. And you haven't even lost
see? There" he said, patting her wet
lashes with his own big handker-
| chief, "shall 1 go get you some brandy
or something to steady your nerves =
| clung to him all the closer. She could
not yet trust herself to speak. AT
| length, growing calmer, she looked up
at him and smiled family d.
| 'sYou see," she said slowly, Il came
and 1 wore one of your roses, but you
were late, Hugh; I came at exactly
| half past H." she added, with some
show of feminine pride in her
] punctuality-"the time you wrote on
/ "But 1 didn't write half-past eleven:
1 wrote eleven-forty-five," exclaimed
Hugh, mystihed.
| it's hiding place in her bodice and
handed it to him. Hugh looked at it
| in astonishment-the figures had been
very cleverly changed from HAS
to i1:3o.
siSorne trick has been played. Did
you open the box yourself, Marian?"
'"Wait a minute remember how
that the messenger apologized for the
condition il was in. He said he
slipped on the ice and dropped it
and the wrappings came off and he
| had to do it up again
Hugh listened eagerly.
s~That's a very important clew," he
murmured, Every important-splendid
bit of cfrcumstantial evidencee."
''What are you talking about,
| Hugh?"
| sfYou see before you young and
| struggling lawyer, Marian, whom
chance had favored by"
~