The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-13
THE EVENING STORY
What She Wanted.

I
| Aunt Ann was always hushing herself
at Nancy's approach, and the girl had
determined to find out why. Now, IN
stead of going to change her dress Tor
| a game of tennis she turned summarl-
| ly on the good-looking, bronzed young
fellow as they stood together in the
| hall.
I'm going to change my mind in.
stead of my dress, Mr.. Tenny. VIII
You mind if I don't play until tomor-
row?" He did mind, but said that he
did not, as politeness demanded.
But you'll still go on the lake with
| me tomorrow? he asked as ne pre-
! pared to go. She nodded her brown
| head with it's close braids, and he
| thought how adorable deep blue eyes
were, and a smooth tanned face with
an odd dimple in the left cheek, and
| a little boyish figure.
| Rid of her shadow, Nancy delibera-
| tely entered the almost unused inn
parlor and sat down near the open
window to hear what her aunt, just
| outside, was saying about her. All
| summer the welI-preserved old dame
had worn an indefinable air of Sc
| crecy. Also she had ceased to perse-
| cute the girl with arguments why she
should marry and settle down." why?
IF at "A a girl doesn't know what
she wants she never will. I'm let
! ting her alone to see what she will do.
I've given her every advantage since
her mother died when she was 16.
She's had attention enough for a doz-
en- nomal girls. and has made no use
of it. She SHES away from decent
marriage like a skittish colt! Now she
can have her head. John Norton is
coming up next week"
she seems at least to know what
she doesn't want snapped Mrs. Ord
way. John certainly has had sum-
mary treatment at her hands,
And seemingly just because he is
in every respect eligible. 1t would be
just the thing any other girl in her
set would be wild to do. This winter
when I reminded her that a younger
man would have the wild oats period
to go through, and that he had passed
it. she coolly said that if there was q
wildcat crop in her family she'd help
SOW as well as help reap it. Well, ne
is coming for another try with her.
"And-young Tenny? Who is he?"
'tNobody-that is, a cousin of the
Fosters. A civil engineer without
cent to his name-going to South
venturer-but a gentleman. Therefore, !
Nancy finds him fascinating. Well, |
this summer is the end. If she re-
fuses John Norton, I'm going to give |
her the little $4,000 her mother left |
her and wash my hands of her. |
let's dress for the afternoon. Isn't il |
timer
AS the old danes numbered toward |
the front door. Nancy made a swift, |
silent fight to her own room and sank
into the first chair with both hands
pressed to her burning cheeks.
"And-I let myself be managed,
spied on. discussed like this.' A lit
tie thought reused her to planning a
course of action. At least she would
not be on hand next week" to give
Mr. Norton Ibis chance before the
a assembled multitude! She would de-
mand her little $4,000, put it in tho
bank, and study either nursing or
medicine, as she had begged to be
allowed to do when she left college
three years before. She would be
happy to fall out of the circle of do
lessness and chatter
AS she dressed for lunch she felt a
new life shaping itself for her. East
man Tenny would-advise her. He
was man of action. At 80 he was
beginning to do things, if his prepara-
At the stairs foot he was waitin'
and asked to lunch with her. and
afterwards led her to the porch ano
with odd look on his face said:
''Will you do me a favor? I'm going
to South America day after tomorrow.
Just have a telegram. Will you-give
rae all day tomorrow" Something
seemed to drop a weight upon her
spirit. He was going!
why, of course! I'd like to-" she an
5wered. |
Dress in tramping things. and go
where I say-without your aunt?"
'Anywherer she replied with her
steadfast comradeliness. $
The next day found Nancy and the 7
young engineer tramping the miles to j. t
-cUgh alf-mountain, lunching over d t
enjoying themselves hugely
ike two children with no mention 'of
1ast or future. The present was ]
enough. In the early afternoon they !
cached the Wind-swept top and looked :
lCwn world glorious with late Sep +
ember colors a glow of splendor F
- The world and the glories there
f. p" he quoted. Nancy, just sit down
md let me show you something T
She obeyed, and he seated himself ;
reside her. All he produced was Il
hick package of kodak pictures, but
Tonderingly she looked at them. f
There were pictures of bridges he had Il
elped build, then of wild South Amer [
oen in rough clothes doing rough work
+ mountains and deserts and rivers
This is a sort of panorama of my ~
fe," he explained whimsically. Il love :,
= I love to do things. The Fosters W
ave given me the first summer-resort- n
olite-society time have had since my Sc
eople died when was eighteen. I am
rec to say that I'd rather die than live
S they do 1 want real work and real II
eople- And 1 know what I want I 9,
n on the way to get 1T, too-save the n
reatest thing. I don't know about that 81
ct" He paused. and somehow she had n,
ching to say.
Finally" he said, there is the roost
here spent last year and must spend n
lis He placed before her picture
a mountain cabin. set amid splendid -
Fights and spaces. with small cabins y
bout il. 81
This is-home Nancy. It has a few Y