The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-22
The EVENING STORY
The stolen Hour.

| only the task of handing the missive
to the servant. who would deliver 1T
to Lord Windmsre. From that mo-
ment she would become the aff1anced
wife of the English nobleman. Hear
ing steps, Millicent without turning,
held out the letter.
''See that it goes at once!"
els It SO very important?''
from the one she expected, the. girl
sprang up. "Oh. Adam. I'm glad
but first I must dispatch my note
About to restore the letter SO oddly
thrust upon him. Rowe's eyes fell upon
the address. Let US talk first he
suggested, coolly; there's plenty of
time
Barely sufficient; it's already
till 6. when. should there be no mes
sage he starts on his deferred trip
to California. Why doesn't James
come 90
to the mantlepiece, his gaze lingering
on the girl, tidying papers in her
desk. Suddenly bending above the
clock, his broad shoulders masking 1t
from view. he remarked. Five. you
said? Your clock says 4"
+I can't be mistaken" In the
act OF consulting her watch she was
arrested by an exclamation from her
guest. whose sleeve had brushed
roughly against a statuette, prompt
ness alone on his part saving it from
destruction. Millicent shuddered in
mock relief.
''Today is my lucky day he as
sured her "I feel capable of miracles
of thinking. Come" Half jocularly
he pushed a chair before the hearth,
then set another for himself. Hands
thrust deep in his pockets, he nodded
toward the clock. For enc hour We
will talk
"And the subject?''
Everything that concerns you-or
me-" 40
She studied him from the corner of
her eyes, contrasting the fine pro-
portions of his muscular frame with
that of Lord Windmere. to the lat
ter's disadvantage. IT am a head
taller" she thought, experiencing
quick sense of repulsion.
Rowe smiled quizzically. You
approve of me physically? Good"
s'I was not thinking of you.''
would have dreamed that such a
scrawny kid could develop into the
beauty you are now. No offense-
looks being your second biggest as
set in the game you are playing:
you are coarse: I won't be talked
AFTER today, maybe. shan't care
to talk to you at ALL
Z The girls face softened. "oh. yes.
been in our discussion of them after
ward. Your point of view is direct.
It's the reward of keeping at sufh-
cient distance to permit of perspec-
tive. With me. relative values often
grow confused
"You remember the creek where we
ffshed as youngsters ?" the man de-
rhanded irrelevantly. "And the day
you insisted on crossing The slippery
log alone, and tumbled in ?"
AIillicent laughed softly. II can
see you now. with your torn cap.
your 'knickers' rolled up and your
homemade rod. 1 thought you aw-
two feet of water wasn't it?"
But think of the reward you
promised"
ises!"
'Just so you remember. that's ALL"
Adam stretched his long legs to the
blaze and his companion. conscious
of his slightest movement, felt half
frightened resentment at the power or
her old playmate to crowd out all
other personalities from her thoughts
I'm thinking of the night you
told me of your fathers first big sue
we were in the best room. abomina-
bly, stuffy because rarely opened.
You life was changed bV that deal
just as the mountain stream is
changed when it falls into the river
1t became merely question of time
before you would reach the city to
be engulfed."
you thought it would make diff
ference in our friendship. but"-al-
most wistfully she touche d the arm
of Rowe's chair-''it hasn't
at has The mans tone struck
back harsh1y. Had we stayed out
there in the foothills you would never
have known about society. or the
magic of title dangling like scalp
at the belt of your wealth Life
might have meant work. hut it would
have meant freedom. Think of gall
Looping over the rolling plains, the soft
grass flying from the horses heels. the
wind in our nostrils-the width of the
sky above-iust we two"
'Stop! Sometimes the longing
makes me mad-it seems SIS if 1 must
plainsman's heritage" The words
tumbled over each other as if the
speaker had no choice but to give
them utterance "AIl day I've been
lighting. It has been that craving
against my ambition and-and had
strangled it, or thought SO, till you
came with our talk of freedom" Her
voice broke, but she hell her head
proudly. Later she must Weld to the
flood of emotion. now held in check; it
was the bitter price that she must
paw for victory, tangible in her letter
to Windmere. but not until she was
alone.
Suppose the man you marry can't
understand that sort of hunger-has
never felt ftp You might blow your
brains. out some day whe-s the fever's
on"
Thrusting her chair abruptly back.
Millicent stood a little behind him,
where he sould no longer watch her