The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-21
THE EVENING STORY
Lady PameIa's DishonorabIe Deed.

l was staying with Lady Pamela az
| her lovely house in town.
Lady Pamela and 1 had been at
school together and later had spent
! Germany.
Then we had come home; and the
next time 1 heard from her she was
/ engaged to Lord Gerald Lumley. Six
after seemingly endless globe-trotting,
| Kent.
| That was Is years ago, and since then
Lady Pamela has never missed hav-
] ing me with her for month or SO
during the LONDON season.
Let US have a quiet evening to-
sether, Helcn,' she had said enc af-
ternoon. And 1 had heartily agreed,
for the hustle and fatigue of dinner
parties, theaters and balls during tie
| last three weeks had thoroughly tired
We had drifted into Lady Paneia's
boudOir chaLling and laughing over the
cid times, Lady Pamela languidly eX-
ploring an Old and long forgotten trunk
the while and bringing forth first one
thing AID then another which serve,i
to call up OLD memories and faces that
| night. Lady Pamela was in high spirits
and she filled the room with her rip
pling laughter as [ told her of a serio-
con jc experience l had had in Italy Il
few months back.
But suddenly 1 noticed that she was
no longer attending. Instead, she was
gazing with thoughtful eyes at q 1t
tie silver caGKet she held in her hand
and which had evidently been brought
to light from the depths of the trunk
beside her.
Slowly she opened the delicate sill
yer box and took from it a visiting
card. Then she put it back and closed
the box with a tiny snap
"Pamela.' l said. You look quite
serious. There must be some tragic
tale connected with that card
Lady Pamela started. Then she
smiled.
hardly tragic-at least to the person
most concerned"
do tell it me-" I begged. forgetting
my own unfinished story.
Listen" said Lady Pamela. Il will
tell you the story of how 1 once did
dishonorable deed-no. don't open
your eyes like that Wait until
have finished and then you shall pass
1T happened eight years ago.
Gerald ard 1 were staying in this very
house, and I was giving a dance-one
of the biggest of the season
t'I had staying with me at the time
a very beautiful girl. Her name was
CYNTHIA Carruthers. It was her first
season and London had gone Wlld
over her. On the night of the ball
in trouble or difficulty but had not
asked her anything, knowing that II
would all come out sooner or later
And it did that evening.
TT appeared there wer two men
only two-whom she really cared for
Both were to be at the ball, and both,
She expected, would propose to her
THE poor girl was nearly distracted:
She could not decide which to accept
and came to me as helpless as a baby
ssThe two men were Major Bewsher
and Lieut. Carstairs. Both were
handsome CarstairS was young. ana
10 m
Of him I had my suspicious Monte
Carlo-drink-car Nothing serious,
of course but there all the same
Il liked the boy Carstalrs' put
We'll, Cynthia I remember say
ing. YOU must take Major Bewsher
and give up Carstairs, Oh. no, no,
no she had cried, and when 1 said
silly girl she burst into sobs and |
said she would not give up Bewsher
I'm fact the girl simply did, not
know her own mind, and begged me
Very we'll I said. I will do So
or rather I shall help you to decide
for yourself. But you must promise
to abide by whatever decision we
come to-
s'She promised.
You see this. box I explained !
and you see these two cards On them
L
admirers. You will draw one from
the box and you must accept the man (
whose name you draw.
'She turned very pale; then with
an effort she reached for the box and
with trembling fingers drew out one
of the cards.
Well I said, and who is the
lucky MANI And she whispered
'Carstairs. Il
THAT evening Carstairs proposed. /
Cynthia accepted and they were mar
red shortly afterward. Then his regi-
ment was ordered out to India and she
went with him. Five years later, when !.
Carstairs had come into money and
title, and Bewsher had, well-shot
himself in the Casino gardens, I met
Cynthia.
From beautiful girl she had
grown into a beautiful woman. She
had two darling boys and was as hap
py as woman can be- 1 invited her
down to Lumley court.
"One evening she showed me a visit
ing card. 1t was one of my own, and
on it was written the name Car
stairs 1t was the card she had
drawn on the evening of the ball She
told me she treasured it as her most
priceless possession, and-and this,
Helen, is the other"
L see'' 1 said, the other on which
YOU had written the name of Major
Bewsher."
No said Lady Pamela quietly.
'on which I had also written the
name of Lieut.. Carstairs. Copy
lighted 1912 by Associated Literary
Press.)