The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-03
THE EVENING STORY
An Intercepted Proposal.
(By Katherine Hopson.


As he turned a corner of the piazza,
Frank Bramley saw, with a thrill OF
joy, that for which all evening he had
been vainly seeking.
THE time, the place, and the girl!
he exclaimed.
The girl was sitting on lawn seat
looking out across the bay. The moon
shone softly on her thoughtful half
averted face and lightly touched her
brown FURNISHED hair.
"At last I have found you alone,
Edith he said, his voice vibrant with
happiness as he sat beside her There
is always such a crowd of other chaps
around YOU that 1 hardly get a word
with you these days."
why, I didn't know that you cared
to-
She looked up in startled way.
Cared! Intuition must tell you,
dear, that I'm mad about you."
But L can't understandable know
each other so little.''
"Quite long enough to realize if we
love- In the subdued light his fin
gers closed on hers. Then the moon
came out from, behind a floating
cloud, and BramIey saw with a shock
of amazement that the girl beside him
was not Edith Mead. He dropped her
hand as if it burned him.
81 did not dream of your caring
this way, in the few days since we
met she was saying in her soft
voice so like the other Edith's.
''I-er-always decide things quick
ly," he floundered. To himself he
questioned desperately: who is she?
Who else looks like Edith, answers
to her name. yet isn't she?''
Really, Mr.. Bramley, 1 can't give
an answer yet, 1 shall have to take
time to consider" She claseped her
hands and looked up at him thought
fully. yet, strangely enough, the
hero of my dreams has always come
to me out of the unknown
ct never believed in long prelim-
mary courtship."
When we first met in front of the
WaldonS, that afternoon, judged you
were impetuous,' she laughed.
Here was a clew. Bramley racked
his brain to recall whom he had met
that day. He remembered Edith and
three college friends had just alighted
were passing the -Waldons' house,
where the girls were to attend a re-
ception. Edith had presented them
to the girls. who were swathed in auto
when introduced, nor did they make
much impression. For was not Edith
Mead there? Where she was nothing
else had mattered to Bramley for
long time Now he had won a near
from another girl whose
name he did not know. He wiped
the cold perspiration from his fore
head.
you will have time to think it
over" said he. "I am obliged to leave
town for a few days on business, but
shall hope to learn your answer when I
return With that he made his escape.
'tWell, of all embarrassing scrapes"
he CALCULATED, when out of hearing. !
After making such a break, I couldn't |
speak up and tell the girl I'd made a |
learn her name: then think up some
decent way out of it ALL
But he was not to solve the mystery
that night, nor for many others. Dick |
Calvin had already gone, and he could
find no one else who knew her. The |
real Edith Mead was dancing with 81 |
young millionaire from Pittsburg, and I
when the waltz was over she was sur
with an admiring coterie; so
here was no chance to speak with her
alone.
He had spoken the truth about his
projected business trip. He was obliged |
% catch an early train for Chicago
next morning, where his work detained
him much longer than he had antici-
pa ted.
invitation from the Waldons to attend
| dinner they We're giving that even
ng.
TT was there first met the unknown
Edith; perhaps I'll meet her again. At
my rate, I probably can learn some-
He arrived at the same time as an
'ther group of diners, and one said: ct
suppose you have heard of Miss Mead's
Edith Mead?"
The other nodded. Eyes; to young
Dillon, the Pittsburg millionaire who /
las been dancing attendance"
Good match, all around" Bramley
ound himself saying. All the while he
vas thinking tensely: "Edith-the
edith have loved! Well maybe it's a
'ood thing my proposal went astray
or it has saved us both the rnortifica-
ion of a rejection"
This thought brought him back to the
bject of his evenings quest He had
10 chance before dinner of making in
uiries, direct or otherwise, concerning
he mysterious girl to whom he had un-
proposed. As soon as he j
cached the drawing room he was cor
ered by his hostess niece, vfvacious
debutante, who kept up a
unning fire of small talk until dinner
7as announced.
1t was not till they were seated at
he dinner table that he was able to
ee who were the guests. Across from ,
i'm was Edith Mead, radiant, distin- !
uished, with the mfllionaire's dia-
lond sparkling on her third finger.
earchingly, his eyes traversed the
ong table. Suddenly he caught his :
reath. Next their host sat the coun-
srpart of Edith Mead. There was the t
anne sunny-brown hair, the same {
,ng-lashed, dark eyes. the same will t