The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-04

colder?" Her polite tone was down to
| about zero. Jack agreed with her
Nothing else was left him. He knew
he would have to explain pretty quick
ly and convincingly. Tessie had been
hopelessly illbred, and Of course 1T was
embarrassing for Angie-he knew that.
He would simply make clean breast OF
things.
angie, dear, let me explain
Angie lifted her pretty brows.
"Explain-what? %
About Tessie-Miss Burton-she-
Il"
Anything that needs explanation
should have been explained before.
at was only a foolish college en-
gagement-''
"And you said you had never loved
anybody but me
angie haven't. That WASH
love, it was a silly-it didn't last long
and
She interrupted. Being spotless'
too young to have been in love De
fore herself, she was merciless
eff it wasn't love it was wicked TO
be engaged to her-a horrid girl like
that, too! knew happiness like
mine-could not last! Your engage
ments don't seem to last long-doubt-
less you will be as easily consoieo
this time as you were the hrSt-of
have there been still others?"
| ANGIE he said sternly, do you
know what you are saying? You can
mean to she had drawn off her
| left glove and was taking off her
ring, which she handed him. She had
not, in fact, meant at first to do
anything, but being angry. hurt. she
was hardly herself. But she Wouio
not relent She would punish him
at any cost to herself.
"Angie-you know love you
truly-this has gone too far
| Altogether too far!" she assented,
| turning in at the gate. You can
come in and tell mother it is all over.
Tell her would like to go to FLORIDA
for month"; some one can go with
me. AS for you-perhaps 'fessle' VIII
| have you back"
They were in the hall by this time
| and she fed upstair. She had taken
| him at a disadvantage-on the street
where he could not take her forc1biy
| into his arms and make her listen
| to him.
AS for the Aliens, they listened te
lack: then they went up and talked
with Angie. She simply SAID II
was all over, and she didn't want &c
Ihear about it, and would not see JACK
Thinking her too young, anyhow, they
did the easiest thing-postponed the
wedding indefinitely because or tneli
daughters health and called the fam
lily doctor, who obediently prescrlpeo
the southern trip. Then they walteo
to see what would happen. JACK
I
gossip.
This happened: Angie, sorry for wha.
| she did, even while she was doing II,
worked herself into fever and was
really i'll. Gloom settled over Jack,
| who sent flowers and letters. He per-
| sisted. but she would not give him a
| chance-she brooded over his "untrust-
worthiness'' until it became crime 70
| her, and very real. Folly surely was
with her. but she denied her own heart
Jack suddenly did the unexpected
| She had grown used to his persistence
when it ceased without warning. He
closed the little cottage, returned what
| goods would be taken back, settled all
| bills himself, and sent the house key
| to Angie by her father. He himself
| went on q hunting trip, fact that th=
papers chronicled, and which Angie
| saw. He accepted her decision.
This came to the girl like shock
| She dressed, and in a few days came
| down stairs to sew by the fire. Sud
1 denly she refused to go south at all,
| her moods. She knew she had been a
| fool, she wished she were dead. He
young. terrified soul saw a long, I'M
loved, un1oving life before her. He
had gone, and she had sent him
and for nothing-absolutely nothingl
She saw that. Now he was probably
glad to be free from so unreasonable
a love-perhaps he had not really
loved her at all? In a few days she
became convinced that he would be
| shot while hunting, and imagined
Herself into positive fear. Perhaps he
had really cared after all, and had
gone just to court an ACCIDENT
| 1t all ended in a way as simple as
it began. One raw February twilight
Angie CHANGED to be alone at the
fire. She heard the bell ring. A queer
terror seized her-was it a telegram
| She actually was expecting any ca
! lamity at any moment She hid her
face in her hands.
| The door opened, and Jack walked
| in. He had meant to be impersonal
to hope she was feeling better, tic
make no allusion to the past. But
when she lifted a pale. tear stained
face and gave a little cry of joy al
seeing him, he took two long steps
and gatheed her into his arms. II
was as foolish as any of the rest OF
it. She had her face against his and
implored him not to explain--she did
! not care, anyway. Nevertheless, he
made a. clean breast of everything.
| 1t seemed about three minutes lat
err when the family arrived to inter
/ rupt things. The family had been
| having a hard time through no fault
of it's own, and was glad to have an
end of the trouble-tCopyrigh
l1911 by Associated Literary Press.)
| A Blacksmith Statesman.
l.