The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-11
THE EVENING STORY
The Wonder Dawn.
(By Temple Bailey.)

The air was warm and spring-like,
with the hint of summer that comes
now and then in March.
/ Up one block and down two Mar
| grave knew of a little place where
one could get a chop and a salad. He
was hungry, and he turned his steps
northward, anticipating the savory
! odors which would greet him when
| he opened the door.
But he was not destined to open
that door for many days to come, for
| as he turned the first corner some
one said breathlessly: Can you tell
me- and stopped.
Margrave uttered an exclamation.
| ''When-where? ?" was all he could
say.
Let me CO. said the girl, and be-
gan to walk rapidly away from him.
Margrave followed her. 'Kathe-
rine," he cried, 'let me speak with
YOU
But she went on and on, blindly
L must talk to you,' he said, land
l shall not leave you. That police
| man at the corner is wondering as it
is. Don't make it any harder for me
| or for yourself than it must be-
She slowed her pace somewhat.
II don't know what you have to say
to me-" she said, with a strange sub
dued note of fferceness, ''but 1 suppose
1 shall have to hear you"
Margrave was trying to think of
some place that he could take her,
where she would not be subjected to
criticism. The little cafe would not
do. it was too Bohemian. A taxicab
whizzing by, with bags beside the
driver. gave him an idea.
I'VE can have supper in the lunch
room at the railroad station" he
said. 'it's open for belated travellers"
(Which way?' she gasped, and as
he turned his face and pointed down
the golden lighted lane of a narrow
street, she said regretfully, "It was
there I wanted to go. I was about
to ask you to tell me how to reach
it when 1 saw that it was you
But how do you happen to be out
this time of night?" He had known
her as lie carefully chaperoned
daughter of wealth. She had always
seemed so safe in the conventional
st am out every night she said
bitterly. st do hair dressing. When
father died, and mother and I were
left without anything. I thought I
could earn money. And tried to put
my accomplishing to use. I tried
to write and to teach music. and
found that there were others who
could do it so much better. And 1
found, too, that there was more money
in artistic hair dressing than in any
thing else, and so-behold mel"
She flung out her hands in a ges-
ture that brought back the memory
of happier days.
Most of my work is uptown, and I
rarely venture so far down. I take
the trains in and out But tonight I
must have boarded the wrong car. For
I am in an utterly unfamiliar section
of town and I couldn't find a police
man to ask, and somehow you looked
different from most of the men I
met
men she might have asked, and knew
that fate had kept him late at the
office.
They had reached the big station,
L.
sled that they could get something to
eat at the lunch counter
Perched on the high stools. Kath-
crime laughed for the first time. IT'S
like one of our old time larks, Frank,
she said.
He blessed her for that informal
Frank
You're going to have pancakes and
maple syrup and some of those little
broiled sausages that they are famous
for. You need something substantial
She wouldn't have admitted to him
for moment how hungry she was and
how restful it was to be made to do
comfortable things.
81 should probably have ordered
cup of consomme, if you had left it to
me- she told him, but the pancakes
are a temptation"
There was no one in the long room
except themselves, a tired conductor
snatching hasty bite, and a weary
and bored waiter.
''Now tell me-" Margrave insisted,
"where you are living. If you knew
how I have searched for you"
Her serious eyes were turned upon'I
him. Here in the great gloomy half |
lighted lunch room her beauty shone
like star. "I did not know you want |
ed to find me-" she said.
You must have known. Did I ever
do anything to make you think had !
changed o.
said. gravely Don't let's talk of it. |
Frank. I had my heart-break and 1
found that the friend I had trusted |
was not true to me. Let's live for the |
moment. and tomorrow forget-that |
Il shall do nothing of the Sort he
flared. What do you think I am
made of, Kate?"
"Of just what other men are made,
she said coolly. "Of a little bit of |
sentiment. of much selfishness and no |
thought for girl after you once know |
that she loves you.
after he knows-what?' Even the
weary waiter stared as Margrave's I
voice doomed forth in the almost
room. "Who ever knew that |
you loved him? Surely not I, Kath
crime
She turned and faced him. "Yet I
told you" she said slowly, and a red |
blush dyed her cheeks and throat
He was stunned by the revelation.
I'VE are playing at cross purposes"
he said. Tell me when you ever ad-
mitted a thing that, had known it.
would have made different world
for me2"
Il wrote it gave it to father
The words died her lips. Did
you get it?'' she asked.
mo. You know-he wanted you to
marry Ames."
He thought she was going to faint.
but suddenly she stiffened and sat UP.