The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-11-19
I'm EIElKzNe S7cpY
Beue Iatd Plnue
(By A. Maria Crawford. }

BesG Laid Rlans.
(By A. Maria CraWford.)
You certainly know human nature
too well. JEAN to suppose that . man
gets to b thirty without having had
any love affairs. or. At least without
having believed himself to b In love
several tmea."
ID any different from the others when
you merely supposed yourself to be In
lover That has been my argument
all along. You tell the next girl about
me just what you have told me about
All the others? You didn't really love
did, Walter. You can't convince me-"
You are inexorablel It ian't fair
to bring up q dozen petty love affairs.
never asked any girl but you to
marry me-
IT am battered" Jean smiled. II
| wonder how I managed to get you to
propose. am certainly not al clever
AZ Mra Humphrey Carter"
| AT last the cat was out Of the bag.
thought the man. The arrival Of the
guests at q small house party was re-
sponsible for changing the girls atti-
tude to him. The evening before he
had been sure that Jean cared. He
against q high-backed chair and stared
into the fire. There was no longer the
mocking little Emile on her lips nor
the droop to her eyelids that promised
q time Of teasing for him. She was
evidently unhappy.
He tnwardly cursed himself for hav-
ing been fool Why. he asked him.
self bitterly. had he ever made love to
please the vanity of little Martha Hall,
who later became Mrs.. Humphrey
Carter? Her husband had lasted a
little less than five years, and just be-
cause he had never married in the
meantime, walter Baxter knew that
Carriers widow attributed his state Of
single bleMedness to the fact that she
had married another man. He was
sincerely and honestly In love with
Jean. She was the first girl he had
ever thought about serioualy In his
life. She knew nothing OF women's
| schemes to get even with . man.
his you may have thought that you
loved me. Walter, but If Mrs. Carriers
marriage, 30 many years ago. affected
you 20 that you never wanted anybody
else. It must have been the best love
Of your life. You know i am lust old
want the only great love q man ever
i feels for any woman. There may be
many little loves. az you contend. but
there II only one great abiding love.
am sure Of that"
Jean, dear, never wanted to mar
~ Martha. Lots Of women are like
that. IF you tell them they dance
well, they arc foolish enough to think
that You want to marry them ana 30
dance with them through life"
But she told me, with tears In her
eyes. Just how dreadful you looked
when she told you that sho was going
to marry Mr.. Carter"
''She did!" burst out Walter angrf1y.
''If you want to credit that woman.
then you can just believe all she says"
He flung himself out Of the room
before Jean could realise what h4o
happened. She sought eolace In tears
until she remembered that in little
while all the guests would come IN to
supplementary guests had been IN
yited. Swollen eyes would give Mrs.
Carter an undeniable advantage over
her, so she dried ner tears instantly.
resolved to look her best and 30 prove
to Walter that she didn't care II ne
over what ne had SAID: Gould NO.
man AZ sweet A. MIA carter appeared
to be really attempt to keep her from
marrying Waieerf ne was the pest
LOOKING man IN Sneir ses, anu ceat1
~ the cieverests ior ne nao estaphsneo
q wondef1ui reputation TOT youns
lawyer. 80, reviewlne ner recent con
versatlon with tne Wloow ana tne ap-
parent sincerity OF waters oeclarac
ton 70 ner. me Snaneeo ner mina
woman and determined to defend ner
ragnts: ...
| WAIVERS sster mao accepteu ner Oh
Ter TO look over inc oinneT taD!e 1n 1o
arrange 70 1eat S!e suees WIN tn0
BELIEF tnat the unattaananie - greaty
waiter take the "luow IN 60 o.n ger
ana put ner own place caIo as -
away nom tnem - p9s'lDiv. Are..
sne ven. up s. Sss me- ne