The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1912-06-01

the summer house and over toward
the house among the trees.
Once within the old gardens his an
ger against Iris returned. Why should
any girl want more than this beautiful
home that he had bought for herr.
They had gone over every stick and
stone of it in fond anticipation OF it.
A sense of outraged love kept him
from ding the thing he knew to be.
right, and Iris departed for New York
In an attempt to forget his shat
tered romance Blair went about with
all of the girls in the village. And
most of all he found his way into the
coy home OF the Lanes, where he
ard Iris had spent many happy eve
nings.
I'm sorry, old man. Lane had said
to him when he learned Of the broken
engagement Iris is a mighty fine
little girl" and Blair turned away IN.
accountably irritated-
You should have humored her,
Mrs. Lane put in Iris, being above
the average type, needs delicate nan
ding. | hope she viii not marry
some New Yorker and leave US, she
had added by way of helping the
cause of Iris The little matrOn knew
that Iris would never marry any one
save Evan Blair, but that he should
be taught to appreciate the girl was
also a part of Mrs. Lanes scheme
So it was, from time to time, Blair
heard of the splendid times Iris was
having in the city. Knowing 1t TO
have been the cause of the trouble
Mrs. Lane wisely refrained from
speaking of the progress Iris was
making in her dramatic work
After six months Of study Iris had
been given an afternoon at one OF the
larger hotels and the newspapers had
given her great praise.
Blair would have given much for
glimpse of those letters which his
hostess read excerpts from, but he
only sat back with gloomy eyes.
81 got peach Of a record today,
Blair" Lane suggested in an effort to
lift the shadows from his friends
| eyes.
Lets have it, said Blair, and they
repaired to the room where the talk
ing machine gave forth its fund OF en-
tertainment. Blair sank into the
chair that had become his.
Mrs Lane ensconced herself and
turned to Blair. You are to listen
| to both of these records before you
| judge them. They are both by the
same person and Harry and l think
| them splendid"
The machine burst forth into mon
ologue The voice was the high fal-
! setto of a Broadway dandy whose e1-
! periences along the great White Way
| were told in an inimitabIe, drawing
! manner that brought the hrst hearty
! laugh to Blair that he had~had In
months.
That fellows all right" he laughed,
lets have the other!"
Remember" reminded Mrs. Lane,
this is the same fellow"
Blair sat back and prepared him
self for another funny record. When
Lane drew away from the machine
| Blair leaned forward in his chair
| gripping the arms. The voice that
came from TIE cabinet was that OF
! Iris
Dear" it said, Il have found that
there are other things in life besides
the study of dram attic art. l have
taken all the prizes here and have re
ceived offers for stage work, but
| there was an effective pause-'yoU
| are not here and nothing else counts
| When 1 said that life with you would
be monotonousI had not tried tC
| live without you-so if you still
care" the voice from the cebinet
trembled, 81 will be in the sumner
house tonight, and"
Blair jumped UP to adjust the rec
ord, thinking something had happened
but that was all of it. He looked abou
and realized that his hosI and hostes!
had left him to hear the message from
Iris. He took of the precious record
and went into the hall for his hat anC
walking stick in a daze OF happiness
Wren he left the house, still in tina
semi-conscious state of mind, Mrs
Lane ran to the telephone.
He has left the house, DEAR sh,
called out to the person at the othe
end of the line, land | think perhaps
you had better fly or he will be il
the summer house first. Run in to
morrow and tell me all about it. dear
Good-by.'
Lane turned to his wife, a puzzle,
look on his face. Everything worke.
beautifully. but has Blair lost hi
> mind? He was talking away abou
some platform il drawing room
, | Or
! merry laugh ttnkIed from Mrs
} Lanes lips. 1T only means that b
[ is planning a stage in the house b
| has bought for Iris so that she ca
have all the amateur theatricals sh
: wants"
i Happy Iris!" said Lane.
ATT HAY EAnRE