The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-26
THE EVENING STORY
BY a Hairs Breadth.
(By Mabel Chase England. )

1t was one o'clock in the morning
and the first dance of the season was
| almost over. Kitty Payne sat in
How chair on the veranda, gazing out
at the big yellow half moon just ris-
ing among the trees. Leaning against
the railing, looking down at her with
a somewhat whimsical expression,
was Jack Neville, her partner of the
| last dance.
Dreaming, Kitty?" he asked light
ly.
She lifted her dark eyes to him for
an instant.
mot by any chance of me?"
She smiled systematically. Suddenly
she gave her shoulders a little shake
and sat erect.
DO you consider yourself the
stuff that dreams are made of?'' she
laughed. with a swift return to her
usual inconsequent lightness.
| Jack Neville Strengthened up and
stood clear of the railing. look of
| desperate determination came into
his eyes.
| kitty he said, "I have something
1 want to tell you. don't know that
it will interest you particularly,
but
At that moment hurried steps were
heard approaching and their host APP
peared, worried expression on his
/ face
| JACK. he SAID, some one wants
you on the telephone at once. I think
it's your mother. Can you come in for
a minute %
"I'n be back in second, Kitty" he
whispered. please watt
AS the two men went back down
the long veranda Kitty watched
them. vaguely wondering what the
message could be. Presently she
heard footsteps again. and a tall form
came swinging toward her. 1t was not
until the shadowy figure had almost
Preached her that she saw it was not
Jack, but Harold Graham, a man who
was always among the foremost in
her train. An unreasonable irritation
surged up within her.
you here, Kitty" he called cheer
lily as he came up. Neville sent me
back to give you his apologies and
say goodbye. Poor chapi His father
has had an accident, train wreck ed
Tor something, coming up from the
south. He's going to take his mother
down to him. and they've just time
to catch the express"
Kitty listened silently, incapable,
/ just then. of making any comment.
| She hadn't known that trouble COM
ing to Jack would make her feel like
this. And what was it he had wanted
to tell her? Her cheeks flushed in the
darkness Only one thing, surely.
And her answer might have been diff
Il ferent. perhaps; but now in the face
|
she knew. suddenly, that she loved
him.
cit will be hard on him. coming
just now, in the first flush of his en-
gagement," Harold's cheerful voice
went on.
Engagement! Jack?" Kitty throat
went suddenly dry.
Yes, didn't you know? A Boston
girl. 1 believe. Peggy Desmond told
me. She met them lunching in New
4 A.1x o,,I Taa hi % n
as they were coming out"
A flush had risen to Kitty's cheeks.
: She abandoned the subject with a
shrug and entered into a merry war
) of words With young Graham, laugh
, ing and talking with almost feverish
: animation, crushing back the
thoughts that We're clamoring insist
emily at her brain. So that was what
+ he had wanted to tell her! And she
had imagined he was going to offer
. her the alteration and worship that
: he had already laid at the feet of an
: other.
, In the days that followed she i'm
l merSed herself in a constant round
of excitement, making engagements
) for every waking moment, keeping
} exciting books ON hand for the hours
{ of darkness when sleep would moi
come and bitter realization crushed
heavily upon her.
After four or five days a letter
came from Neville apologizing fol
his abrupt departure, telling her thai
his father was fortunately recovering
4 and that he expected to be back II
a week. you probably don't remem-
ber" he wrote "but I had started tt
tell you something when 1 was called
: away, something that, as I said, / car
hardly hope will interest you yer,
keenly, but that 1 intend you to know
nevertheless, even if the telling of /
not matter of much Importance il
YOUR eyes.
Kitty's lips curled. st don't see VIII,
he makes such point of it, sh
e murmured; she could have told M
: lin the letter. Then. hard littl'
tsob caught in her throat. Her hand
: | clenched in an effort to crush bacl
: the pain that was gripping her heart
tShe tore up the letter hastily, ant
!, going to the telephone called up Har
n old Graham
rs that you. Harold? Well. Tv,
= changed my mind. I'll go out with yol
!, in the auto this afternoon. That is, j
you haven't arranged for anything
else"
e Certainly not. You're brick!
e came back the enthusiastic answer
$ 'I'Il be around at O'clock
On the way back in the dusk Of TIL
n evening Harold Graham asked her I,
: marry him. She had known he would
n and had purposely given him the op
y portunity, but now that the vital mo
nent had arrived she found herself il
G the clutch of a trembling fear and un
o certainty.
x you know don't love you. Harold.
e she told him. firmly.
nj IT know, dear, but you will I Wi
TRY SO hard to make you. Please, Kitty