The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-09-17
THE EVENING STORY
RandaH's Girl.
(By Marion Gordon.)

Randall. holding Nell Eustace's hand
| in his, bent forward.
| Her lips parted in a tender smile
just as the door opened and there
came the cough of Pierre.
| Pardon, mademoiselle, but M.
| Eustace is suddenly i'll and desires
| your immediate presence
| Father. must go at once" cried
| Nell, and forgetting her lover waiting
for the answer, she murmured an ex-
| cuse and fled through the hotel cor
| ridor to the lift that would carry her
to her dearly loved parent who had
| been father as well mother to her
all her days.
| Tom Randall waited impatiently for
her return. After a half hour had
passed he sent a servant to inquire
| for Mr.. EuStace.
| The reply came back that Mr.. Eus-
| tace was better and Miss Eustace beg
/ ged to be excused.
| That was all. The Eustaces did not
| appear in the dining room that even
ing and Toms second inquiry brought
| forth astounding news. Nell and her
father had left the hotel that after
noon and their destination was not
| known.
Those were black days for Tom
Randall. That Nell had gone with
out word to him was sufficient evil
| dence that she did not love him, and
I yet-surely no girl would ever have
| looked at him with loves eyes and
| then fled from him!
The EuStaceS were of Boston and
| Tom had met them at this Swiss hotel
| during a leisurely tour of Europe be-
| fore settling down to business in his
fathers law offices.
1t was like Tom Randall to finish
| his tour of Europe, although the flaw
| or had gone from the journeying. He
was constantly watching for a glance
| of the EuStaceS, for he began to be-
! lieve that Nell's father had disapprov-
Ter of h a "a nar ri cd
his daughter away.
Meantime, he hopelessly waited for
a letter to follow him, being most par
| ticular about having all mail for
warded
But the letter never came and he
saw nothing of the Eustaces. One
October day he arrived in New York
and went soberly to his fathers Of
flee to talk over the coming partner
year passed-two years-and
never word came to Tom about the
girl he had SO nearly won and so un-
accountably lost. The Randall law
practice was a large one and Tom
found little time for musing over an
unhappy past; but his friends saw
great change in the youth who had set
forth on his travels happy and care
free to return after many months
grave and tired.
The question was ever in his mind:
What had become of Nellie Eustace?
IOn1, Sdlu MS nlOlnef one Qdy,
come with me to Wood & MAYORS
I must have your advice in selecting
rugs and hangingS for the camp; your
father is too busy to leave just now"
Very we'll, mother" said the obed-
lent Tom; you know I think your
taste is unquestionab le-but if I can
be of any use, here 1 am
Wood & MAYORS stretched it's hos
pitable roof over a city block and
within could be found everything
needed nv and child
save, perhaps, happiness.
Mrs. Randall led the way down the
main aisle of the store, a stately figure
in an exquisite gown of black and
white. Tom in a summer suit of pale
gray followed dutifully behind. paus
ing now and then when his mother
stopped to examine some alluring
bargain or to make trivial purchase.
At the lace counter Mrs Martin
stopped II must match some Vene
tian point, Tom; stroll around if you
wish.''
Tom ohediently began to stroll, but
suddenly he stopped short and stared
at the saleswoman who was showing
lace to his mother.
Her head was bent over the lace
she was displaying, but where had he
seen that crown of sunny hair parted
in the middle and coroneted with |
heavy braids? There was the graceful
white neck clasped in a high collar
was not that mourning stuff, that
white organdie at throat and wrist
of her severely plain black gown?
Her hands-Tom knew those pretty |
f1uttering hands, white and shapely, |
with a quaint silver ring set with an |
Egyptian scarab worn on a little |
finger. The girl lifted her head and |
turned to bring another box from the |
self and Tom saw her face. It was |
Nellie Observation-Disclosures daughter of |
a rich man, waiting on his mother in /
Wood & MAYORS department store!
Tom strolled on, but his thoughts |
were in chaos. What cataclysm of |
affairs had befallen the Eustaces?
Mrs. Randall met him at the eleva-
tors.
Il couldn't match it, she said, re-
ferring to her quest for Venetian
point, although the young woman
was most obliging and said they would
send for duplicate of my pattern
Toms heart beat quickly. OF course
Nellie would be obliging-the girl he
loved couldn't be anything else save
lovely and sweet and amiable-and
she was his girl still. he told himself,
doggedly.
The rugs for the camp were duly
purchased and the Randalls left the
store by another entrance
Truly, Tom Randall was reaping
the rewards of obedience, for if he
had not accompanied his mother on
this quest he would not have discov-
cred Nellie Eustace.
All that afternoon he devoted to
tracing Berkely Eustace and his af-
fairs and it was just at dusk that he !
received the clew that perhaps I'M
raveled the mystery of Nelrs disap-
pearance. Judge Fenton, an old friend
of his fathers, happened into the Of
fee and it was through him that Tom
learned the story.
-Rerkely Eustace?" asked the judge,
3Yes-a Boston Eustace
went all to pieces in the street !