The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-03
THE EVENING STORY
One WAY Out.


(By Martha McCulloch WilIiams.)
GO whenever. wherever you please.
But understand-you can't take my
grandson Remember, I'm his legal
guardian" Nine. Steel said in a hard
measured voice, not looking at Fen
ella, but over her head.
Fenella was slight and small, with
eyes as dusky as midnight, yet shin
ing like midnight stars. She was beau
TRULY made, Notwithstanding she was
SO Httle-therefore she had AN impress
s1ve air of distinction. 81 think you
forget dear madame, that am Billy's
mother, she said. Even the law
takes cognizance of the fact which no
doubt seems to you insignificant
The law takes cognizance Of
many things madame answered, a
slow flame kindling in her gray eyes.
AS, for example, the good of unfor-
tunate children. 1t will not leave
them in the hands ola wiIlful pau
per. You have no money but what 1
choose to give you. Is there any way
you can earn it?''
The sheer, the insult, flashed all
through Fenella. She glowed with in
ner IRE, yet still the distinction show
ed. Il shall leave your house immed-
lately" she said. "All the answer 1
make you is this: because you are Bill
ly's grandmother. am sorry you
choose to insult me. Out of respect to
his fathers memory. can not provoke
you to do it any more
"As you will. But shall keep Billy
| Il have taken advice" madame be-
gan.
FenelIa held up her hand. Let us
say no more" she said. But Billy
goes with me. You are guardian of
child of three away from a fit moth
err"
But you are not fit" madame be-
gan, her eyes blazing.
| Fenella was already away. She
| gained the stairhead with the older
woman. painting ponderously- at the
| foot, behind her. There she turned to
say: BILLY is-safeIy out Of reach,
sent him away, hoping to spare you
pain
| ed, her eyes shining through her wild
ow's veil, she sat in the Office of
Judge Jennings, who had charge of
the big Steel estate. The judge sat
| regarding her with something be-
tween scowl and smile. TELL me
what's back of this?'' he asked.
-'Who is he? Where does he live? And
what does he want?"
"You are unkind. There is no he,''l
Fenella protested. ooh. know there
incompatibility. 1 am tired of being a
l1uxuriouslytended pauper-made to
feel my pauper estate every minute of
the day."
HIM." the judge snorted. rs
| madame as bad as that? Confound
| women! Excuse me, young woman
you're another sort. Even a hard man
would feel in this case that you had
an equitable right, not only to your
boy but your husbands fortune. It's
that absurd will which made his moth
er his heir, if he died before coming
into legal possession of the fortune,
| unless he had married with her full
| consent the judge said. getting up
and walking back and forth on the
hearth. you'll let me speak plainly:
legally, you are pauper-poor Willy
Steel didn't live to get shadow of
title to the money. Wasn't to come
into it till thirty you know-and he
married you without madame's know
is your fortune-no offense-it's a
great one. But just now, now you're
up against it-hard. There are just
two things for you-submission or
another husband. Anybody in mind
for the place? Tell me the TRUTH
81 would rather starve-I can work
oh, ever so hard Fene1la cried,
rising to her whole majestic height,
five feet two. s'No-there's nobody
nobody I care about. I've sent three
| men about their business since-since
l-Billy-went away. can't ask them
| to come back, nor go out and sandbag
somebody else.'
''No-besides there's no need" the
1 Judge SdlQ Win a snort lauSn. But
work. Lordi You are not the sort
| that is allowed to work"
SCI don't understand" Fenel1a fall
tered, her eyes dimming for the first
time.
The Judge laid his hand on her
shoulder, saying in high, hard voice:
''I mean you-are-oh, well, the sort
4 of woman men, good or bad, want to
kiss and cudd1e-and keep in cot
ton wool Now don't flare up and
IL
upright-'Men aren't raving wild
beasts-but oh, they are SO easy
when such a creature as you comes
along! You couldn't work anywhere,
at anything that wasn't physically
easy-nature attended to that part.
bric-a-brac-you've got to be taken
| care of-else there'll be a dreadful
snashing-of hearts and regulations
and all that
appear that's the only way out" Fen
ella said superbly.
/ The judge drew a deep breath.
| "GeorgeI If only you were not you, 1
/ believe you'd conquer Fate" he said.
you'd do it anyway-only Fate hap
pens to be a woman"
Thank you.'' Fene1la said, still
superb. Suddenly she crumpled in
her chair, sobbing hard. II can starve
| myself-and laugh over it," she said
at last. But Billy! Suppose he had
actually to go hungry ?"
''Yet-you won't go-home," the
/ judge said almost eagerly. Fenella
| sobbed again. IF only I had a home
the poorest, tiny place-it would be
/ heaven" she managed to say at last
| 81 had a home-the cabin Billy took
me to, up in the mountains. But the
castlei-It has been only a prison.
can't go back to it. But how can I
| let my baby suffer?''
There is way QUIT may be
harder" the judge said softly.
/ Fenella looked up at him, moist
/ eyed and tremulous. .On1y tell me.
Nothing can be harder. I will work,
| and pinch, and save-I have frocks
enough to last ages. And Billy is so
| little it won't take much for him
only he must have a dog to play with
] %