The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-04
THE EVENING STORY
Rainbow Gold.
(By .remple BAILEY.

The dimness- of the big drawing
room was slightly. lessened by the glow
OF the light through The perforations
or the samovar. Evelyn Herrick was
pouring the tea.
mad letter from Christine this
cup to Brucs Mckenzie.
eagerly.
Wait until these people CO." she
murmured. "and then I will read it to
It was an hour before the crowd
melted away, and even then they were
NOT alone, for Philip Herrick lounged
on me couch in the corner. Evelyn
| reaQ Inc note in an unGertone.
| am coming home, Evelyn. After
| al! these years of study my voice is a
| IalIure. Do you remember that 1 used
| 10 say that T. would find my pot of
gold at the end of the rainbow. and
Bruce would 3ell me that no one ever
| really found rainbow gold? All these
years have been seeking a thing
tnat did not exist, and you have stay
ed at home and have found happiness.
orten think of you and Bruce and of
the friendship that has grown up be-
tween you Something you said in
your last letter makes me feel that you
two are about to enter upon dearer
relationship than friendship, and 1
wish you happiness, 1 who have miss
gold.''
Bruce and Evelyn looked at each
said at last.
From out of the shadows Philip
Herrick asked. HAS she lost her
Yes Evelyn told him. her beau
tlful voice; ind she gave up every
She did not say. however. what was
in the thoughts of each one of the
three as they sat there in the dim
room. They had all loved Christine,
and she had been engaged to Bruce:
but feeling the call of her genius, She
had chosen career rather than mar
riage. And now Evelyn and Bruce
were engaged and Christine was COM
ing back.
Behind the samovar Evelyn whisper
ed to her lover, ST am afraid"
"Of what?" he demanded
That when she comes back you will
ind that you have not forgotten-her
He shook his head. "She did not love
me. and now I know that I did not
love her-not in the way that I love
you. Evelyn"
Their voices after that sank into a
murmured monotone The darkness
gathered, and the man on the couch,
looking through the parted curtains,
could see the stars. He thought of the
girl who was coming back. When she
had gone away she had been radiant
with hope and beauty. She had been
courted by a dozen admirers. And she
was coming back a failure; coming
back to find her lover ready to marry
another woman.
His heart ached for her as it had
never ached for himself. His own
love had been hidden that she might
not be hurt by seeing it, but through
no other woman.
And even as he thought Of her she
came. parting the curtains softly and
standing there in the dimness before
a w n
She laughed little as she came to-
ward them, and they, jumped to their
feet in startled amazement. -. 49,
You didn't expect me so soon %
she asked. and kissed Evelyn and gave
her hands to Bruce and to Philip She
had lost some of her beauty. She was
paler and thinner. and the light was
gone from her eyes. She gave a little
chair that Philip had placed in front
of the fire for her.
How good it seems to be with you
all again." she said: "the three dear
people with whom played as a
child"
Presently she went on. "And now,
Evelyn is going to marry Bruce. which
is as it should be. I have come back
to give you my blessing"
The word was said lightly, but
Philip. watching her. saw the trouble
in her face. Did she still love Bruce
Would this marriage make her still
when 1 went away" she said after
a silence. ct thought that nv return
would be a triumphal entry. Every one
would want to hear me sing-and now
no one will care to hear me-"
Philip sank down on the fur rug in |
front of her. rs it all gone, your
voice?" he asked softly.
81 still have a little voice she said, |
'but no one cares to hear it,
And again there was silence. There |
was constraint, too. in the atmosphere, |
for Bruce and Evelyn had grown into
each others lives and away from
Only in Philips heart was /
the real welcome that she craved
She felt this instinctively. and it was
ner need Of him. perhaps, that made |
her ask later. when the four had |
back to the hotel with me, Philip?
know Evelyn has dinner engagement /
and Bruce will want to say goodbye |
to her without u.s.
Philip insisted upon stop at a tea
room, where they ordered ices as an |
excuse but ate nothing.
They talked of Bruce and of Evelyn /
and of the coming marriage. Evelyn
chose the better part" Christine said. |
"A woman is only a woman after all. |
and Housekeeping hearts are happiest."
He felt that she regretted the loss of
Bruce and tried to comfort her. 81
happy with him. Christine he said.
She looked at him. startled. with
whom ?' she demanded.
with Bruce. of course he said.
"Oh!'' she laughed little. did you
Philip, am glad I gave
up Bruce. If had loved him 1 could
not have given him up. If I had
loved him no career could have taken
me away from him, and that was why
I went away to search for my pot of
yold.'' She stopped for a moment;
hen she went on with some hesitation:
There was someone else that loved,
Philip, but I was not light enough or