The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-11-11
TIE EVENING STORY
The BorderIand.
(By Louise Merriheld. }


nipping and overhead a vagabond
youngster of a moon took her night
run through the sky fields.
In her muff was the letter from
| Fay, such a pitiful, yearning little let
| ter. She had not shown it to any one,
| least of all her father. As soon as
she reached the subway she dared to
open it again and run through the
vague, girlish scrawl.
| Dearest Jack" it read. 81 only
just heard you would be home today.
Can't you manage some way to come
and see me? You know, of course,
| everything that happened. I ran away
with Dick in September, just as soon
as he got back to New York. He's
such a darling, Jack, and just as good
as he can be. Don't you believe a
word dad says about him. He's clean
| and straight, and I'm happy as his
! wife. That's the answer, isn't it?
| Slip away after dinner and come to
| me. We're at the Simone, around
| from Longacre square, on Forty-sev-
enth street. Is it true you are going
| to marry that old gorilla? Don't,
Jack. That's all. Don't. Life's too
short. If a woman can't have the
man she loves best what's the use of
| marrying any one?"
Jacqueline smiled to himself, a
queer, mirthless little smile, and re-
placed the letter as the downtown ex-
press Numbered in. What could Fay
know of her own position in life? Fay
had always followed her own sweet
Will and gotten away with it, as her
father said. She had married Dick
Markham, spendthrift, globe trotter,
aviator, against eVerybody's orders,
and had committed a greater breach
by daring to be happy with him after
marriage. And she might have had
Rand Phillips.
Her blue eyes closed for a moment,
shutting out the brilliant lights and
glaring white thing of the station.
The express was numbering down the
tunnel. Yes, she was going to marry
that old gorilla, as Fay called him. She
knew it. now. He was a little past
fifty, ugly, kind, and far better edu-
Gated than the majority of successful
men. She had not promised him
positively, but she knew she would,
now that Europe and its days of ro-
nance and glamour were past. She
had her hour of play, and now came
the payment.
oddly enough as she entered the
middle car with the rest of the theater
clear-cut, boyiSh, filled with irrepres-
sible good humor and a world of hope.
Then she raised her lashes, and found
him facing her.
1t was too late to leave the car. The
folding doors had swung to behind
her. And. besides, he had discovered
her, and was rising.
Jack, heard you were here. Take
my seat, dear"
He had appropriated her bodily,
and placed her in the vacant seat be-
fore she could rebel.
when did you arrive?"
'"Fhis morning. She tried to be
natural with him, and still try and
convey a sense iof aloofness. Just as
if anyone could be aloof with Randy |
Phillips. 1--WE had such a comfy voy-
age, no icebergs or blowups, you
know
Where are you going alone at
Il don't understand your" very
haughtfly.
"Oh. yes, you do. What's the trou-
BILE %
You are quite as impertinent as
ever. aren't you. Randy?'
II want to take care of you. I can't
let you run around New York at night |
alone like this
friends"
His eyes were full of teasily deviltry.
"How's Fay and her prince of the air
lanes %
She bit her lip. It hurt to hear him
speak fiippantly of Fay's marriage,
when by right he should have been /
heartbroken.
'They are very happy"
"And unforgiven?"
Surely. Fathe is always consist
emit" Her lip curled slightly It was SO
silly, the way he had acted, her father
and Fay's
'And you are free still?"
'I will be until February" She hest
tated, and he reached down for her
hand. Don't Rand. I am going to be
I've been well aware of it. dear.
January will be quite convenient Shall
we go to the coral isles, Jack?"
Before she could answer and tell him
the truth. that he was talking non
sense, that 1t was too late now. that
he had fiirted with Fay, and let her go
away to Europe with never a word,
there came a grinding crash and shock
that sent the people headlong around
them. And then came darkness.
Instinctively she had started to rise.
but Rand's arms had held her fast. The
collision sent them both falling over
the seats, but he had held her and
kept back the pushing insane crowd.
somehow in the black horror of the
thing, he found a vacant seat. and
dropped into it. holding her close to
There's nothing to do" he whis-
pered. We're midway between Fortv-
second and Grand Central on the turn. I
Keep still. dear. Thank God were to- I
gether anyway, even now
She shuddered and shrank close m
him. hiding her face against his !
shoulder. They were climbing over each
other in the aisles. the crowd. The
guards We're shouting out something at
The lar end of the car. A kissing of J
steam came from outside, and a strain
ing, shuddering tremor through the
running gear as if 1t were a sentinel. |
wounded animal woman let out a | :
piercing scream of fear and tainted |
some one was calling to the men to sit
Town, that they were trampline fbe I
weaker ones under foot, and laugh
broke out of the crashing medley of !
1ofse the highpitched, reckless laugh :
II somebody facing death with what i.
he thought was courage
FPS and held them, his armfzfose about
Ter. Not a word did either. narr ,rot