The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-19
THE EVENING STORY
MiIicent,s Masouerafie.
(By Martha McCulloch-Williami

SCOOQ IN the uncertain SnelLSr OF a
roadside elm. trying vainly to shield
her hat with ridiculous parasol, and
specializing what chance had such an
object as she knew she looked of get
ting the place she sought.
To be exact, the place was that of
nursery governess in the Alstyne fam
ily-the agency had sent her on the
barest long chance. Because she need
ed work so desperately, also because
the morning had promised so fairly.
she had put on her modest beSt-her
white linen suit, null trimmed hat and
patent leather ties.
She had been pardonably proud of
herself as she stepped from the train
at the nearest station. There was no.
body to meet her and her purse for
babe even suburban cab fare. Armed
with confused direction and the rash
confidence of youth, she had set out
on foot for Overhill, the Alstyne place
and this was the result.
"Hopelessly drabbled," she said
half aloud, looking herself up and
down as she spoke. And at least
half a mile to go if this rain ever
holds up. Heigho! If everybody be
rich why is anybody permitted to own
AS though answering the question.
an auto, big limousine, dashed out
of cross track upon the hard, wide
roadway-and, in making q turn
skidded, fetching up. at last. less than
two feet from Milicent, but not until
it had splashed her almost from head
to foot. The muddy puddle which had
helped to stay her was at least four
inches deep. She had shrunk back but
too late-even the tip of her nose had
a brown drop on it. OF course the ma
chine would go past her. How ever
would she get back to town?
"Oh, I'm so sorryi" a girls voice
said. The door had been flung open.
Within 1t she saw a fair double of
herself, a girl, blue-eyed and tall as
she was, with the same cleft chin.
straight nose and yellow hair. The
voice, too, seemed her own, as it went
on eagerly:
Get in! You mustl I shall take
you home with me and send you to the
laundry
There was a bubbling laugh after
the last word. Milicent got in, and
was whisked forward, hardly knowing
whether she were awake or dreaming.
Two hours later she was pinching
herself to determine. This, although
she sat at late luncheon in fine
country house, clothed in fine alien
garments, eating strange things Her
double sat opposite her, smiling soft
coaxing smiles. and saying every lit
tie while:
love you forever and ever-and it
can't be half so bad, no matter how
it turns out. as being governess-
those Alstyner children are young saw
ages
Two days later, still dazed, but full
of inward chucklings, she was well
coined by an elderly couple as their
own dear grand-niece, Lily Haugh-
ton. They were childless, but had a
granddaughter for company, a tall.
severely handsome young person, who
looked as though he did not know how
to laugh.
ct hear he's a frost and a funeral in
one-this Arden Gloster," Lily Haugh-
ton had explained to Milicent.
Lilly, orphan and heiress, by nature
lawless, by bringing UP: much oppress-
ed, had been due to visit the kinfolk
she had not seen since childhood,
when her heart was set upon another
excursion.
"You need work-Ive got a per-
fectly good check book-and a book
1t all the way to ADAM she had said.
"You can have any money you want.
to stay my six weeks there. Arden
Gloster is sure not to make love to
such things. He thinks, too. he is
going to marry me. when he's good
and ready-so as to get the blessing
and the fortune OF our elders
Milicent had at first secuted the
idea-then all at once fallen in with
It ardently. She needed resin six
weeks the summer would be almost
over-the money Lily thrust upon
her would keep her comfortable until
she found work in the theaters. She
had spent her small Inheritance upon
course at the dramatic school-gov-
ernessing had been only stop-gap.
She would do no wrong-Lily as
sured her, indeed, that she would be
alike, Arden won't ever know the diff
ference when he comes to tell me he
is really to marry me-" she said.
And I shall never, never go to Glen
ville-and I shall go somewhere else
and be heavenly happy, just as my
self, not the rich Miss Haughton. I've
never had such chance before. Do
help me take it,
Life went easily at Chenille
first fortnight. She rode, drove. walk
ed. with the old folk, suiting herself
to their needs and tempers. Conse-
quently they grew so fond of her, her
conscience awoke and pricked sharply.
She gave hardly a thought to young
Gloster-he was writing a book upon
political corruption, and spent most
of his time in the tower room three
stories in air.
But Madame Haughton was full of
talk about him-how good and true
he was, what hopes they built upon
him. She was too delicate to do more
than s1ur slightly over the family
able diamonds destined for "Arden's |
wife"
She made costly gifts to Mflicent-l
gifts it was impossible to refuse with |
out exciting comment. Milicent took |
them feeling like thief, salving her |
conscience with promises to pass them |
on to the right Lily. But she could |
never pass on the loving thought which |
enveloped her, and made her pine to
confess herself an imposter
At last two things happened: Ar |
den finished his book, and began ar
dent love making. The process trans |
figured him-he became not merely |
human but fascinating. Milicent had /
had experience of the great game in /
the course of her twenty-five years, |
and told herself, quite candidly, he |
played it to admiration.
He came to her after a fortnight's |
playing, in the adorable old garden |
Il fc,.. l<,rr. Il