The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-23
THE EVENING STORY
An Ice Maiden.
(By Virgiuia Blair.)


marry your" Mrs. Stnford demanded.
marry your" Mrs. Stamford demanded
guidly, do you know Penelope Dun
bar?''
"of course 1 do Mrs. Stanford re-
sponded; land she is a dear"
Il don't think that name quite ap-
plies" Danford murmured. "She is q
goddess. and wonderfully. but
should never dare call her 'dear-Penel-
Mrs. Stanford surveyed him scorn-
fully. THAT shows how little you
know about woman. Penelope Dun
bar is as tender and as sweet as girl
can be, yet you think of her as an ice
maiden
Yes Danford agreed. you have
found the name for her; she matches
the atmosphere of today. She is like
one of the icicles hanging on the porch
pane
= "If I couldn't call a girl something
else besides the frost on the window
pane,' Mrs. Stanford said, II should
ter to Penelope: Dear Frost Upon
the Window Pane
II should not dare under any cir
cumstances write to her." said Dan
ford.
you're a coward" Mrs. Stanford
accused.
Danford shrugged his shoulders.
Dear lady," he said, ct can face a lion,
but not Penelope Dunbar"
IF you loved her you could not help
telling her.
cit is because I love her that I do
not tell her. 1 am afraid that my
blood would be CONCEALED within me-"
"Silly!" was Mrs Danford's re-
Spouse.
Then she went on seriously. Put
her to the test" she said. You see
her only on the surface. 1 know it
is her pride that makes her cold. She
is afraid to show her feelings, and
you're afraid to tell her the very thing
you should say Penelope, I love you
Il love you,' you'd see her light up,
but you don't believe me, and 1 can't
make YOU
your intentions are good" Danford
said, but your wisdom is at fault
Penelope never loved anything"
''Oh, you don't know her.
Danford rose. 81 must be going"
he said. 1T shall ride around and see
Penelope. That is the strange part of
it. 1 can't keep away from her, al
though she freezes the soul within me.
1 think it is the memory of what she
was when she was little girl. She
was a friendly little soul them
"She is friendly now" Mrs. Stan
ford insisted. ''but you can't expect her
to meet you more than half way"
After Danford had gone Mrs. Stan
ford talked it over with her husband
IF he could see Penelope as have
seen her, grooming lullabies to the ba-
bies up in the nursery, he'd believe in
her tenderness"
We'll, why can't he see her?'' Stan
ford demanded.
There and then Mrs. Stanford
made plot It was very simple lit
tie plot, and Penelope walked straight
into the trap.
eff you don't mind Mrs. Stanford
said plaintively over the telephone, ''it
you don't mind, Penelope. I'd like
to have you come and stay with the
babies tonight. while Jack and l go
to the Country club. I know it is an
imposition to ask you, but it is the
cooks night out, and the nurse wants
to go with her, and Jack will be des-
erately disappointed if We miss the
dinner at the club"
I'D love to come" Penelope re-
sponded.
IT don't think you will be lonely"
Mrs. Stanford said YEARLY that night,
as gorgeous in black velvet and pearls,
she told Penelope goodby. "Fhe babies
always sleep soundly, and there is
the phone in the library, and I've ask
ed Roy Danford to come around and
see if you're all right.
"Oh!" Penelope said distressfully.
you needn't have done that"
well, did, Mrs. Stanford insisted.
Il didn't like to think of you absolute
ly alone. There are some oysters in the
refrigerator. and if you get hungry
you might give Roy chatting dish
supper"
IF she doesn't show him her do
mestic side,'' Mrs. DanfOrd said, as she
and her husband were whirled away
together in their big car, I'm very
much mistaken. Dottie always wakes
at 10 and wants drink of water, and
you know how beautiful Penelope is
with Dottie in her arms"
hI1S
band.
Roy Danford didn't reach the STAN
ford house early. He hadn't under
stood MIS-. Stanford's message. In
deed she hadn't intended that he
should understand. She preferred that
he should come expecting to find her
and her husband. He would be less
prepared to be stiff. The sight of
Penelope alone would appeal to his
chivalry.
he arrived and Penelope met him
Danford was seized with sudden shy
ness, and instead of unbending he
grew self-conscious.
Penelope. on the other hand, unbent
little She tried to play hostess cas-
| lily, but found it difficult Danford
| simply looked at her and answered
her in monosyIlables. Thus they sat
until at 10, there was a little cry from
the Roor above.
1t is DOttle, Heuelope SAID predtn-
| lessly and ran up the stairs.
Dotties mother had provided and
had hoped for the climax that would
come with Penelope getting the drink
of water with her brooding tender
ness and its effect on Danford. but
| she had not dreamed that Penelope
would find a feverish, whimpering
baby who was not quieted by the drink
| of water. but who moaned in pain.
"Oh! I'm afraid she's ILL., Penelope
said, and bending over Dottie took her
| in her arms II wonder what we
should do?"
The next half hour was the fight of
| inexperience. Neither Penelope FOR
Danford knew anything about such
simple emergencies, and at last Dam
ford teleDhoned for the doctor. He
came back to find Penelope walking
| the floor with the baby held close, her
cool cheek against the hot one of the