The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-08-01
THE EVENING STORY
Her Captain.

L II lAS " come DaCk.
He was lying full length at her feet
on the shore. Nan hardly noticed
him. Her face was turned down to-
ward the point. Something of the
sunset glory seemed to Enger on it's
girlish contour, but her eyes were full
OF latent mischief.
It's SO nice of you even to promise
that, Mr.. Hascombe," she murmured.
"Mother'n be glad"
Won't you?''
Il won't be here"
Hascombe sat up.
mot if I should ask you to be
Nan laughed and bit her lip.
you always seem like funny
overgrown boy to me when you try to
be in earnest"
I'm not trying. Nan. You've known
all along just what I've meant"
tits a good thing for me that I
have" laughed Nan. "Oh, don't pro-
test, now, and try to make good at
the last minute. You don't have to
with me. You come down here with
Hal"
He told me about you before I
Halls awfully prejudiced."
came, and that's why
Hanscombe kicked at bit of drift
wood half buried in the sand, and
frowned. Fate was leading him into
a snare. He knew when he reach ed
the danger point, and always moved
along at the right moment. He didn't
to Point of Pines purely out of curl
osity to see Nan Phillips because Hal
had said she was the "bulliest" girl
in the world.
white spot of the tents even in the
deepening twilight. Tomorrow he
would be on the train bound for the
west. And Hal would be over there
in the tent, with Nan In the cottage
up in the pines, only few hundred
yards away.
won't you miss me a bit, NAM"
Lots" Mans tone was perfectly
matter of fact. You're a dandy bass
catcher"
81 can't seem to catch anything
else" said Hanscombe cheerlessiy.
Whats the matter with me, Nan?"
Matter? How?" guilelessly.
Don't you like me?"
Every, very much. So does mother"
Are you sorry you kissed me 2"
savagely as a last chance at stirring
up emotion.
Have you got them all tabulated
for future reference? Nan, didn't you
care at ALP
Eyes, I almost think I did" For
the first time Mans voice was little
off point jutting out like a long nose
into the sea. But I don't care now.
I suppose that's the last test, isn't it p?
When you know that everything is
would you go with me?" Hans
combe's face was study in conflict
ing Impressions 1t was not an invi-
tation he gave, merely one Of his spec
uIative flyers in love, and Nan Knew
it. She laughed, and shook her head.
'It would be a pretty hard sentence,
wouldn't it? For both of us? NO,
thank you, kind sir. not TO-DAY.
ute in silence. He did not know this
mood. Vaguely he realized that Nan
was, as the boys would call IT, kldoln
him. 1t was not pleasant TO pc a
six foot, 10 halfback. and be KID
ded," especially by the girl he had
been gracefully trying to depart from
without breaking her heart. Watch
ing the little reddish curls that snug
wondered what the next ten minutes
held for him All at once he knew
that Nan Phillips held his heart and
future very neatly balanced on her
strong little pink palm. And there wasI
Hal
s'You see, Bob. you're nice to have
Like a hammock or Tc. cake Ike :. OF Ice"
"But 1 don't believe you'd make
good captain in rough weather. and
we get lot of that sort through life, |
don't you know it? You're a good |
pal to talk to, and all that, but
She stopped suddenly anu sloOo up
He saw in moment what had nap
pened Drifting rapidly out to the
open sea was their motor boat A
couple of miles across the bay was
the little summer camp on the point.
and they were on an island in mid
channel, with no chance of a steamer
before the city boat in the
Hanscombe Kicked off his
shoes.
after it?" Nan demanded incredu-
..Tm going to the point he re-
.orted deliberately. III get HaPs
BOAT and come after you Don't get
.attled now. I won't be long"
There are cross currents out
80 there are lere," he said.
md get some driftwood together for
| fire in case 1 give out. Hal will see
t. and know there's trouble. Good
,ye.'
"Why don't you wait and see if we
trent missed?'
Just to show I can be a rough !
weather. captain, I guess, he laughed. !;
Rustic after the driftwood, mate.
lave to get into swimming gear"
Slowly she turned and went back
ver the winding shore, through the (
title path of sword grass and white
lover. Once, at the top of a hum {
mock, she turned aud looked out to '
ga. 1t was all shadowy violet
laze. His head looked like brown I
eaweed floating with she tide, far off '
.een. half-closed eyes until it dis "