The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-03
THE EVENING STORY
A Game for Two.
(By Nellie Cravey Gillmor


lose her head over a stranger, typi-
cal man of mystery" was no reason
why she should lose any time in re-
adjustment. The situation was pain
ful, impossible, humiliating in the ex-
IRENE, but out of the chaos of her
throbbing brain she wrested the one
solution. Accordingly she wrote the
following:
"E1wood, March 4.
My Dear Mr.. Hartacre:
Under separate cover 1 am return
ing to you your ring. OF course, we
both understand that the whole affair
was jest. My brief-and pleasant
acquaintance with you will not be for
gotten. Furthermore q trust you have
no objections?) it served to provide
me with just the materials 1 wanted
for one of my characters in my new
book. I feel greatly grattfied to know
that as a certain type of Southern
girl furnished you with the desired
knowledge in the use of your brush.
Indeed, I might say that I am more
than fattered by your choice. Allow
me to congratulate you on the success
you have achieved-of which am
little volume is already in the hands
OF the publishers. Do wish me luck!
Sincerely,
EMILY ROSWELL
She dropped her pen, caught a lit
tie hard breath and read over what
it was a masterpiece of frivolous in
difference, and she felt satisfied,
though the Jumps kept rising in. her
throat The letter was a miserable
caricature ofhe real feelings. Yet it
must go.
The facts in the case were manifest
Though caring nothing for her, Rob-
ert Hartacre had OWNED her weakness
he was at heart gentleman-and
the proposal followed. For week
C1an ho6 Iva fv, 20 GnI h
serpent at the end of it in a paragraph
conned from a well known society
weekly.
''Rumor has it that a certain, near
famous artist, popular in one of New
York's smartest social circles is to be
married at an early date to a promi-
nent society girl in Pittsburg. The ar
lists latest success, Dixie the por-
trait of beautiful Southern girl, has
brought him rapidly forward in the
world predicts a brilliant future for the
young couple, whose wedding will
probably occur in the early spring.
Modification and pain struggled for
mastery. The world seemed to slip
from under her feet and swim about
tears welled to her eyes.
For q moment she buried her face
in her hands and sobbed stormily
But her emotion spent itself quickly;
pride thrust a ray of light across her
clouded brain and she controlled her
self instantly. She thanked heaven
that Providence had opened her eyes
in time to the true situation. For of
course Hartacre's declaration could
have signifled only that he pitied her
and was deliberately sacrificing him
self to her nisinterpretation of his
fr1endl1nesS. So, with hand steadied
by valiant purpose, she sealed and
addressed the letter and laid it aside
to be posted. -i-s- @i1
Three days later she received the |
following reply:
New York, March 7.
''My Dear Miss Roswell:
THANK you very kindly for your
consideration and candor. have only |
a joke; on the contrary, it was most |
earnest and sincere. But realizing
as 1 am forced to-that I appealed to |
you merely as study naturally there
Is but one thing to do; accept your dis |
posal of the situation.
.'I appreciate very much your good |
wishes for me, and have no hesitancy |
in predicting for your book a big sem
sation. From some OF the advance
notices of the publishers, / find no diff |
fculty in recognizing the blazing per-
sonality of the villain-and 1 take off |
my hat to your unquestioned genius. |
Cordially yours,
ROBERT HARTACRE."
Six weeks afterward when Emily |
Roswell boarded the steamer that was
to take her back to her Southern |
home, she was not greatly surprised to |
recognize the familiar features of Rob- |
ert Hartacre as he crossed the gang
plank with a dainty girl clinging to his |
arm. She had, unconsciously, watched |
for the once loved face so continually |
that this abrupt appearance of the |
owner of it failed to shock, or even /
ruffie, her admirably acquired poise. |
She bowed pleasantly as he passed her
and began to pace the deck, bestowing |
a casual glance of interest upon each |
newcomer.
The girl Was she-could she bel
she? A jealous pang shot through |
her. Perhaps-perhaps they were
even now on their wedding tour; the |
man she had worshiped with her
whole heart and soul-and this little, |
doll faced wisp. She hit her lip
sharply; suddenly her head went up. |
What right had she to cherish such |
feelings when she had deliberately Civ
en- him up to this other woman? The
sudden reappearance Of Hartacre cut
short her reflections. He came straight /
toward her and held out his hand
This is surely an unexpected pleas |
ure. Miss Roswell. I presume we shall /
be fellow passengers?"
The scarlet mounted to Emily's tenn |
pies. She gave him her fingers easily, |
however, and smiled an affirmative to
his question.
The mans heart gave a quick
1urch. He flushed as their hands met. |
What was ii? He had never seen her |
half SO lovely before, he thought. Was |
it because of her unartainablenes s |
Was it because of a. certain softening |
gravity that had come to her face:
"I've been reading Bertrand" he |
went on carelessly, to hide his emo
ton. Its wonderful, Miss Emily
THANK you. I hope the public will /
think so. By the way. 1 went last |
week to look at Dixie 1t seems to |
occupy. a rather conspicuous place in |
the gallery. felt proud-and consid- |
erably fiattered. 1 was never half so /
good looking, Mr.. Hartacre." She
laughed lightly.
He half opened his eyes to reply, |
but catching sight of his companion of /
the gang plank reckoning to him, he /