The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-23
THE EVENING STORY
In the Sapphire country.
(By Crittenden Marriott =,

In the Sapphire Country.
tBy Crtttenden Marriott.)
Newcomb sat on a rotting log and
seAEeo oiindiy at the sunlight that sift-
Gu ooWn through the century-old
uess tnat stood around, Diana lay
On the fragrant pine needles at his
ieet. Her scarlet lips were parted
ana ner blue eyes cloudless. She was
| slender AMI very young. One would
nave said that she was utterly content
| Newoomb was not. He frowned
ana dug his heel viciously into the
ground. He wanted to say something
ana did not find 1t easy. Manltke.
ne grew angry at this.
| "Dianal" he burst out at last
10 you know what month this is ~
me girl smiled family. "Of course,
silly! She answered "It's August.
You can tell it by the droning of the
bees and the chirping of the beetles,
Look at me. WIFI
| But Newcomb would not meet her
| eyes 1T was early May when I
| came" he muttered slowly. II met
you two days later. Since then I have
and every dayl"
$50 Iongi" The girl spoke dream
lily. She had lost count OF the time
long before. What does it matter
SAACC you love me =
'It matters q good deal. These
tennessee mountains are not the
world. We have forgotten the world.
NOW l am remembering"
Yes. deari" She dragged a black
perry spray down to her lips and nib
pied at the ripe fruit 1t bore. Eyes,
dear! What are you remembering?
Tell mel" -'e
Newcomb's brow grew darker. "I
am remembering that the world would
not regard these meetings of ours
leniently. You do not knoW-how,
| should you. shut away in your hills
| But I know!"
"And I!' The girl sat I'D. A stray
sunbeam Furnished her hair and
warmed the pink of her delicate
cheek. Il know! I have not lived
Will!' oA o. me-
But he was already looking at her.
Il love you'll" he cried at love youi
member!"
Remember! Remember! Now!
When l have told you could not live
without you. Will! should diet" She
was kneeling now. Listen. dear!"
she went on you found me here,
bonnet. bare-armed. You thought 1
was a mountain girl, little better ed
ucated than most, perhaps, but still
mountain girl I did not care. I
was utterly reckless-and I did not
care" The girls breath came fast,
and her bosom rose and fell irregu-
larly. But I am not a mountain
girl', she went on 81 have lived
here only a few months! You never
came to my home. You never asked
But now I shall tell you / lived
here alone with my father. He
brought me here by night-hurried-
ly He brought a great deal of
| money with him-a trunkful-bank-
got it. It frightens me. fear
I fear-but now do not care-if you
love me-
You know I love you, Diana"
Then what does it matter?" The
girl settled back on the pine needles,
as If all was said From her point
of view all had been said.
But Newcomb's face did not relax.
TT matters a great deal" he mutter-
ed. 7 never thought you a mountain
girl Tnere Is grace about you that
NO! never thought you a mountain
girl. Did you ever wonder why I
came here, Diana?"
AT first. yes. Afterward. no. 1t
| was enough for me that you had come.
You-you are the first man who ever
kissed me. You believe it. do YOU
not WHIP"
Newcomb nodded. yes" he
answered. hoarsely. st believe it, It
was true: he did believe it.
"stop! You must listen to me. Di-
ana. I came here because Of your
father"
sn1 The girl IL needed. She did not seem
done 2" she asked quietly.
Robbed a great many people-my
| father most of all. The police could
| not find him. I set out to do it.
was young and presumptuous. I for
got that vengeance was Gods. I fol-
Weil!' The man had paused.
Then forgot. I forgot more than
| one thing. forgot to write home.
| They grew uneasy. Father put de-
me and, tracing me. traced your
father. They are coming here. I
| learned it today, too late to stop them.
Probably they are here now. I have
brought this upon you" He stopped
with a gasp.
But the girl rose. "comeii', she said,
serenely. 81 will take you to my
father"
Silently she led the way through the
forest, along dim aisles, across gIades
gullies where water rippIed under foot
and low-hung branches whipped
against their faces. to a f1ower-clothed
hillside where nestled an ancient
dows the wind blew in perfumed puffs.
Within an old man sat and smiled at
his visitor. but did not rise. New
comb spoke to him. but he did not
answer He sat and smiled and smil-
ed and smiled
HE has been like this since the day
we came" breathed the girl, pitifully.
always like thisi And he had all
that money-hundreds of thousands Of
dollars WORTH Do you wonder that I
renI<laSS-that
A step sounded without, and a man
stumbled through the open doorway.
When he saw Newcomb he nodded.
ct thought you'd be here. Mr.. New
comb he said. TN take charge
nowi"
But Newconb shook his head "Mr.
Maxwelrs case has been carried to a
higher court, Grey" he said. God