The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-08-08
THE EVENING STORY
Averting a Crime.
(By A. Myra Crawford)

| morning, was not at her plate when
she came down to breakfast She ran
| through her mail hurriedly, an I'M
pleasant suspicion chilling her heart.
What does Tom write? Is it time
Tor one OF those-those roundups he
told US about when he was here?'
| I don't know. mother. There's
! no letter from him this morning.
The poor boy must be ill. I'll have
your father telegraph at once"
Il would rather you wouldn't do
late"
Late? 1t is a strange thing that
1t has never been late before. in three
or four years L think of Tom Mar
shall as one of my own children. His
mother was my best friend, and she
would appreciate my interest if she
were alive today
Not when you have a marriage
able daughter" said Anne, smiling
In the privacy of her own room, an
hour later, she read again his last
| letter.
IF you don't object. Anne" it ran.
II would like to read bits of your
letter dated the twentieth to a little
girl out here She is a pretty little
| thing and often helps me pass away
time. Your letters are gems. fragrant
with my old life, and 1 would like
her to hear a part of the one 1 men
toned
where his picture had hung ever since
she came home from school. He had
been a student in the great university
near her own college. When he was
graduated he had gone west to
ranch owned by his father. He was
determined to make good in the
world as a man.
ST want to be mans man, Anne"
he had told her, mot a weakling. 1
don't want to stay in the east and be
pushed by dads friends and have to
frequent pink teas and dinner parties.
1 am going to get away from the PEG
pie who know me 50 that I will be
forced to stand or fall on my own re-
sources"
He had found the west, robbed of
its glamour of romance and adven ven
ture to be the very place to test
his strength and ability. Discouraged
many times yet always manfully brave,
he succeeded in carving out future
for himself as he had dreamed:
Weeks went by, then months, ana
still Anne had no word from him. Sne
had answered his last letter promptly
assuring him of no objection IN case
he still cared to read parts of her let
ter to a stranger. Months added 10
months made a year of silence Then
Anne went away with her mother 70
the mountains. A few days aIter She
left home her father telegraphed her
that Tom Marshall had appeared and
wanted to see her.
Don't tell where we are" she an
swered, and settled down to enjoy the
courtship of StandfieId Meyers, who had
followed her to the mountains and who
offered balm for her wounded pride.
One evening as she swayed with
young Meyers to the music in the pail
room of the hotel sic saw Tom Mar
shall standing in the entrance, his
ewes fixed on her. She nodded pleas
antly, much as she would have done to
any casual acquaintance. The music
stopped when she vas near door
across the room. She hurried into the
darkness, and pleading headache to
her partner, went directly down the
long veranda, through a French Win
dow and so gained the elevator with
out encountering Marshall A nights
rest, she reflected, would fit her for
the ordeal of meeting his wife. Her
fathers letter that day stated that
Marshall had with him a beautiful
Young woman whom he had heard
called Mrs. Marshall.
Anne was conscious of the gossip |
frames as she started out for tramp
with Meyers the next morning. the
engag ement of the two would be an
nounced at the beginning of the sea-
son in town, the marriage to take place
the following spring, so one declared |
Anne was glad that such story was
abroad. Marshall would be sure TO |
hear it and SO realize how little she
Deep Rock spring, Standheld Meyers
demanded his final answer.
Leave me alone now,2 she urged.
ST want to think 1t over before L an
swer you positively
And so it was that as she sat there,
chin in hand, elbow on knee, LOOKING
out across the valley basking IN the
sunlight, Marshall came upon her. she
could not quite keep the gladness out
of her eyes as she looked up and saw
him, stalwart and strong, with MS
youthful dreams still in his brown
TT is great to be back in the noun
tains Anne. You look today just as
ven did that morning up at old Chester
when I went to stammer good-py 70
YOU I was such a kid. Remember
Anne tossed the petals of a wild rose
on the clear little stream that flowed
from Deep Rock.
HNo,'' she said. quietly. THAT was
a long time ago..
WHATS the matter with your mem
ory. Anne? You've changed. I couldn't
sleep last night for thinking that you
left the ballroom after seeing me with
our coming to welcome me. You meant
hCme to me. That's why IollOWe0 you
to the mountains"
you don't know how hard it is to
speak t. anybody when Standf1eld is
around"
"standheld Meyers? What has he 10
do with your attitude to your old
friends"
wondered why her voice did not culver
with her heart.
without a word he turned and start
ed down the path.
sHTom," questioned Anne, a tiny pulse
in her throat, Tom, won't
you wish me joy?"
He came back then, his hand out, the
old brave smile of his youth lighting his
face
ct was a beast, Anne, dear. OF course
I wish you joy. 1t knocked me over a
Bit to hear the news. 1 was selfish,
only of my own loss. You see,
I have aIways-foolishly, of course-be-
lieved that you were mine. It has never