The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-05-18
THE EVENING STORY
Cupid,s Halfback.
(By Louise Merrifeld.)

(By Louise Merrifeld.9
meet me at the Grand Central. track
26, Sis. Tuesday. Bob"
Dick Manning stared al the slip of
yellow paper in his hand blankly,
1.-The telegram had come directed to his
wife. AS near as he could reason in
the excitement of receiving 1t in her
absence, it required no answer. The
boy said it was prepaid, and after
lpocketing his tip, departed.
Manning went back through the
marrow hall to the living room of the
department he called home and drop
Iped into the nearest chair. He felt as
If the whole universe had calmly turn
ed upside down while he stood in its
lcenter and got the full force of the
revolution.
He had been married nearly three
months to positively the dearest, gen.
tlest girl in all Manhattan. They were
perfectly happy. Already they had
Island, and were waiting its compile
ton to move in that summer
Yet here was a telegram from an
unknown man to her, making an ap-
Ipointment, a rendezvous, that even
ing at the Grand Central station.
He groaned, and threw the tele-
gram over at Baird.
IF it were anybody but you, Andy,
I wouldn't 'fess up" he said, getting
Iup and walking the floor. But we
didn't pal together all through prep.
and Yale for nothing, did we, boy?
You've got to help me out"
Andy kept his presence of mind
admirably. He put his feet down from
the tabourette, and took the telegram
with elaboration. Tall. and sandy.
and he never turned on the exhaust
without sufficient reason
HAS she any brothers?'' he asked
at length.
mot one. She is California girl
an orphan. Will you tell me where
the deuce a man could come from who
has the right and the nerve to send
my wife a telegram like that? Andy,
I've got to keep cool, you understand,
but we will go to that spot in the
Grand Central, you and I. tonight, and
when this party saunters out to meet
Maude I shall simpIy-ktIl him dead
The telephone bell rang clearly, and
Dick answered it.
Eyes, this is Dick. Hello, Maude.
What? Am going to spend the even
ing at homes? Certainly. certainly. I
feel very tired, dearie. You are going
to the opera with the Carringtons.
That's splendid. No, L don't mind.
home about ~. All right. Good-by."
Andy grinned sympathetically. and
rose from his chair.
Dick, running his fingers through his
thick, close cropped hair. "She rings
me up from her best woman friend S
to say she is going to the opera"
Maybe she Is. Maybe she doesn't
. know anything about this other af-
cigarette slowly. Women are strange
} people. And we blunder into many a
J muddle, man. You dress. and slip on
up to the Carringtons' box. I'll go and
meet Bob myself. Wasn't halfback
on the good old team? I'll handle
anything that turns up, and promise to
save the killing for you. You meet
your wife as If nothing had happened"
What if she's not there %
"Get up there now, as quick as you
can dress. Phone again that you're
: on the way. You don't want a scene
in the station"
1t was exactly s:12 when Baird
reached track 26. The shore line ex-
press was due at Sis from Boston,
he found out. In the ensuing three
minutes he wondered just how he
should tackle the situation, how he
was going to walk up to the man who
looked as If he might have sent such
a telegram to another mans wife, and
, tell him he had been sent by a furious
husband to settle the matter.
He stood over on the left side of the
gate, a strapping six-footer, square
) jawed, gray eyed, and tanned from a
: recent six weeks yachting trip, star
: ing at the crowd that came through
gate 26. Bob would linger, and watch
every woman in range, he had figured,
| but the people hurried away up to the
: concourse, and not a man looked as If
he were on an affinity trail. Only one
; lone girl fingered. She was not very
tall, but held her head UP, chin out,
and her big dark eyes talked louder
: than words. Three. four times. she
/ walked past Andy. and finally she
J stopped short, her hands deep in the
. pockets of her long travelling cloak.
; "Are you Dick Manning?" she asked
: in puzzled tone. ST wired Maude.
Couldn't she come herself?"
/ Off came Andy's hat. He was all
lsolicitude and attention, but around
surreptitious smile she could not know
the meaning Of
''I am speaking to-er-Bob?"
Eyes. I'm Roberta Fallows, you
know, Maude's chum from Cambridge.
l IL don't think she expected me until
next week, but I had this chance, and
i lust ran down at short notice. 1t was
livery kind of you to meet me, Mr.. Man
: ming"
chum from Yale"
] They both looked at each other for
! a moment, then laughed and gripped
hands Andy pi1oted her deftly to the
e taxi stand and managed TO give the
< chauffeur intricate and roundabout d.
rections on the longest way to reach
s Ninety sixth street West, before he sat
!, down beside her.
a you see, they had this previous en-
easement dinner at the Carringtons,
e then a box party afterwaro and Dick
: told me to go and meet you." Andy
r explained the matter happily. Never
had he seen such deep, wine-brown
y eyes before or such dark. up-curlins
q laShes.
I "Then why did you allow me to
lramble helplessly around that gate
- until I just had to speak UP myself
s Didn't Maude tell you what looked