The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-12
THE EVENING STORY
Making Him wait.
(BY Joanna Single.l

girls bright hair, made splendid by
the full light of the September moon.
| Then for a moment he walked on be-
| side her in reflective silence.
"Alcie," he said, at length. and
quite suddenly. II want you to tell me
frankly why it is that though you
| have let me know that you do care
for me, though you have at least tacit-
| ly promised to marry me. you keep me
at such distance? I mean mental
distance" he explained, for her laugh
rippled out to remind him that her
slight figure was very, very close to
him.
What I mean, Alcie, is that you
always seem to-keep something back
You will begin eagerly to say some
| thing to me, and then you will stop;
| you have never said straight out and
| heartily, Il love you, Steven and then
you will almost fly to meet me-and
when get you in my arms, pull away
from me on the instant What is it
are you afraid of me?"
Again she gave the little half ner-
Vous laugh and put her hand upon his
"A baby would not be afraid of you,
you nice, big, kind thing, you! What
silly ideal And of course"
''Oh, girl, speak out for once-say
it!'
"Well, them do-love you, Steve."
Her tone was low but sure. But I've
known you only six months, and that's
very short time
And time has nothing on earth or
in heaven to do with loving!" he SUBJ
mitted impatiently. 'I never lived I'M
til 1 met you and love began life for
me. And as for you, you've known
Tom Austin since you were an infant,
and you don't love him trust"
mo-" she laughed, 81 don't-but
father and mother do Why drag
poor, defeated Tom into an otherwise
interesting conversation And I do
trust you, but mother says I'm by half
too impuIsive, and explosive-and re-
sponSive, and that-real love makes
haste slowly
"She's forgotten her youth-what a
senseless statement the young man
said wrathfully. What else ?''
well, she says L should be per-
fectly-sure of myself
More rubbish. and not of the slight
est importance, so long as 1 am sure of
you! You don't have to be sure of
anything but just me, and of my love
for you, Alcie-do you hear?'
She nodded her head, for mere
words would not answer the yearning
in his voice.
The two HAD been spending the ev-
ening with mutual friends and were
walking slowly back to the girls home,
both reluctant to go indoors, the
man loath to let her out of his sight.
some way, he could not say how,
she seemed to be slipping from him.
A desperate sort of impotence to hold
her came over him, and deep in his
heart he was afraid of Tom Austin
and of her parents. They had per-
force, and without great resistance,
consented to tie engagement, but the
mother had skillfully made it a con-
dition that they should not marry for
a year, at the very least. Then Aus
tin, with all his money and his real
attractiveness just in himself had gone
promptly 20 Florida to extensive in
tensive farming. This would not have
been alarming, but Alcie's family had
a winter home there-and--welI, it
was too much for Stevens fear and
jealousy.
"Alcie." he said, when they were
almost to her door, 81 want you to
Will your She gave little start of
surprise, but before she could speak
he pressed his claim in words that
could not be denied straight answer.
Don't you want to, child? Just
what are you waiting for? I can give
you a home and comfort, if not the
luxury you are used to-that will come
later-but don't you want to marry
me-soon?' his tone compelled a re-
ply.
'Yes," she said, "I-think I do
but I'm sure it can't be done-motIer
would be wild. You know she stipu
lated for year, and we taciuy con-
scented, for the sake Of peace: She
L
you're pretty and young-further
reasons for my wanting to have you
all to myself. Waiting can't make me
love you more-I hope it could not
make you love me less. What's the
use-or the real reason for it? Are
you all going Soth this winter %
well, I was just wondering how I
would tell you. You see, Maude is
not quite as well as usual, so they
have decided today to leave in October
inc Of until
usual. 1t can't seem to be helped. DR..
Wakefield thinks it would be the best
for her, it seems. OF course, nobody
really needs me, when you can't step
without walking on a nurse or a SER
want. But I can't refuse to go. Moth
err would cry and take on, and father
depends on me to help keep the peace.
I don't see'-she hesitated as they
came to the porch, and he spoke.
well, I shall probably not cry and
take on but I need you, and you
are mine, and my claim Is before
theirs, Alcie. I need my wife, and I
need her nowi Have you ever really
considered my loneliness my position
during this entirely unnecessary wait
ing? If there was any real reason for
it, it would be different. But they do
not need you. do. shall speak
about it to your parents tonight"
'sbut 1t will do no good"
Then they entered the house togeth-
err. For a while they sat before the
fire in the beautiful library, and then
Mr.. Brand came in from the family
sitting room and greeted Steven warm
ly enough. He liked his future SON
in-law, despite his disappointment
about Austin
Steve calmly asked to see him and
Mrs. Brand a moment and the two
men went to join that formidable lady
where her husband had left her Alcie,
refusing to be present at the inter
view, sat alone before the fire.
In what seemed ages, but was