The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-13
TIE EVENING STORY
InproyiSed.
(By Joanna Single.)

| ImproyiSed.
| (By Joanna Single.)
| Because it was moonlit summer
| evening and they were young, nappy
land courageous, they bore the inflic-
| ton of Billy's music without throw
ing things at him. They liked Billy so
much that even his joyous rendition
| of ''Juanita" in a sweet but hardly &C
| curate tenor voice to the tWang ot
! his guitar was received with patlence,
albeit, neither man nor girl on the
| wide, cushion Strewn Veranda ceased
| talking or laughing or flirting. They
knew Billy would not expect that
even from guests.
| Billy looked out on the little lake
to boat that drifted in the white
path made by the moon on the water,
and wondered what James STAFFORD
was saying to Stella. The wonder
made him so wretched that he began
an agonizing improvisation on the
Spanish Cavalier" with one of the
guitar strings a bit flat. Then he
noticed that Norma Main had come
near to him, the only silent one there,
sitting on the top step, her fair head
| on her hands, her elbows on her
knees.
1t struck him that Norma, poor
child, needed comfort, too. By some
sixth sense he knew that Jimmy
should in decency be saying to her
whatever he was saying to Stella. He
pondered miserably as to the reason
Stella might have for suddenly evad-
! ing him, Billy, and being ceaselessly
with the other man. She knew, too,
! that Norma and STAFFORD were low
| ers, if not actually engaged. That
made her behavior worse.
Then to relieve his own pain, and
add to that of those who had to
listen, he sang 1.-The Spanish Cava-
lier" and then I'm Old Madrid" and
then "Juanita'' over again. He knew
only the three songs, which was for
tunate, for had he known another he
would have rendered that also. AS
it was, he finally put down the long
suffering instrument and tried to talk
with Norma.
The girl answered briefly in such a
queer, half-choked little voice that he
instinctively shielded her from the
observation of the others by starting
q great chatter of his own, and asking
her to walk with him. without
word she sauntered beside him down
to the beach. He took her hand and
put it on his arm. He had known her
from childhood, and despite his hurt
about Stella, he would not see Norma
unhappy if he could help it, He
talked on, and until he actually heard
a distinct little sob from the girl he
ignored her evident unhappiness, as
he thought she would wish.
Look here, Norma" he said, Il
won't have you miserable. Can do
anything? Do you NINA telhnS me
what is the trouble?"
"Oh. don't pretend you don't know.
It's dear of you, Billy, but you know
perfectly well how miserable 1 am.
And you know why. 1 could Kill
Stella Morro-I hate her as
LAS I love her, Norma. She acts
as if she were bewitched. She has
not stopped flirting with STAFFORD
from the minute he came out here.
And 1 had mother ask him just for
you. 1 meant well. And L thought
she was beginning to care for me
she acted as if she did, What do you
suppose ails herr"
II don't like to tell you,' she said
slowly, and he turned to look at her
profile in the moonlight, and at the
slim, well carried figure. It's simple
cattishness. She's getting even with
me- You never knew that there's al
ways been a silly feeling between us
from the kindergarten up-some child
ish jealousy. I was done with 1t ages
ago.. but took honors in high school
when she didn't, and it's too foolish to
tell, but I'll tell you. Last winter Mrs.
Vincent gave a dance for Paul For |
sythe-you weren't here. You know he's |
a sort of notable, English and awfully
good looking. He seemed to take
great fancy to me-got more dances !
than 1 should have given him. Well, |
he begged to sit one out, and we did. |
The awful part of it is that we were |
having such jolly good time that we
sat out two dances. The last happened |
to be Stella's. She was furious. Of
course it was awful of him, but she |
never forgave me. OF course, it was |
my fault She told Maude she'd get
even, if it took all her life, but I didn't |
suppose she'd try to break things up |
between Jimmy and me-"
He doesn't deserve you, Norma"
began Billy angrily, and then remem-
bered that he was criticising Stella as
well. He was silent awhile.
Il can't understand women's vanity,
and L wouldn't believe this of
good a little friend and too truthful
not to be believed. Let's help each
other out Does anyone but me
know how you feel about Strafford?"
She shook her head. Not a SOUL
I've been so ashamed of flirting with
Jerry Peters just to hide my real feel
lEssI I'll stop or go straight home"
be a confession. Tell you. Norma, let's
stay right by each other You flirt
With me and I'll f1irt with you, and
we won't mind what anyone thinks.
It may bring those two people to time.
What do you say?" The girl nodded,
but her heart was sore that James
STAFFORD would yield to the aggressive,
sparkling, almost malicious fascina- !
ions of Stella the moment she tried
hem on him. Billy was comfort, and
she told him so. They went back to
he others. Ii
The next few weeks saw a queer
change in the affairs 1T the dozen
young people, most of them out at
8illy's summer home for couple of
months. Billy and Norma were al
ways together, inseparable. s
AS STAFFORD saw Norma so 0hlfvfoua L,