The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-05-21
THE EVENING STORY
The Call of Destiny.
CBy Catherine Hopson.

I
plainly talked out. For three hours
they had sat opposite each other in
the Overland Limited. Aunt Salina
Dent, who was chaperoning them to
Portland. had retired to her drawing
room with a sick headache, leaving
her niece and Griffith alone. At last
Iris took refuge behind a magazine.
and Griffith lounged back in his seat
| pretending to doze.
Il hope Aunt Salina will be able to
come out to dinner with u.s." thought
Iris, and then the irony of the situa-
| ton flashed over her This Is only
the beginning-the way it will be all
the time after a whilel How different
| it was when Phil and l. With
shrug she tried to turn off the switch
light of her thoughts, and to still the
dull pain which always assailed her
when she thought of Philip Norman,
the man she had given up when she
became engaged to Mark Griffith six
| months ago.
Whenever she and Griffith had been
together before they had been in the
midst of whirI-motoring, theatrego-
ing-almost anything save sitting
quietly together wholly dependent on
each others company. And always be-
fore he had been surrounded by the
glamour of the Griffith millions. She
had never before realized how dull
and fatuous the man himself really
was. .,-e
Iris stole a glance at him as with
| closed eyes he lounged back in the
seat. Squarely built and correctly
clad in every detail, yet something
about his fiorid, close-shaven face
filled her with repugnance.
The porter came in from the diner.
First call for dinnerr'
Griffith sat up with alacrity, which
betrayed how light had been his
slumber.
IF your aunt is ready, we'd better
go in now. before the mob from the
other car gets there
"I'll see how auntie is" she replied,
and slipped away. In a few minutes
she returned with the report that Aunt
Salina was no better and had bade
them not wait for her.
Despite the announcement of dinner,
they found there was a few minutes
deany before the mea was served. AS
the train had stopped at a station,
Griffith suggested that they go out and
take a few turns up and down the
platform for exercise. AS they passed
the tourist coach Iris saw dreary look
ing people eating from baskets and
lunch boxes.
'-Oh. it's dreadful to be poor" she
thought, and the little hand bearing
Grifhth's engagement ring clinched it
self. 81 have had to scrimp and save
get out of it ALL Why shouldn't 1 take
it?' she demanded fercely of con
science. AT any price, this is better
than facing lifelong poverty-even
with Phil
When they entered the diner, many
admiring glances were cast in her di-
rection. Tall and willowy, with deli
cately penciled dark brows and lashes
that We're in striking contrast to her
fair coloring and FURNISHED hair, she
attracted attention everywhere.
Griffith was conscious of this admira-
ton, and as he surveyed her fiawless
face across the table his shrewd eyes
glowed with the pride of possession.
Yet her presence did not prevent him
from giving epicurean attention to his
dinner. Once he irritably criticised the
fish. and again his face cIouded with
displeasure when he tasted the coffee
Iris had poured for him.
''It is three Jumps of sugar I take
Iris" he reminded, and his expression
was that of one who lives in the senses.
repugnance. 81 shall be merely part of
his chattel when we are married.
Something that his money has bought
and paid for. as much as that ring on
his finger" She glanced at the plati- |
mum set diamond that sparkled on one
of the fingers of his heavy over-mani-
cured hands.
With a sense of restlessness strong
upon her, Iris suggested the observa-
ton car after dinner. TT will give |
led the way.
Two women were already there, |
which prevented the boredom of an
other tete-a-tete. With the infor- |
mality characteristic of long journeys, |
the conversation became general. One |
of them, a faded, worn-looking wo-
man, described her pioneer days in
Wyoming, where ten years ago she had |
come as a bride. But we won out at |
last she concluded, her face glowing |
with pride. tom and L have the ranch |
all paid for and we have the children |
Weren't the early days there hor- !
rible?" inquired the other. a still beau |
tiful woman, whose youth had been |
prolonged by the art and artifice money |
commands. Yet despite its well-pre- |
served beauty, her face was marred by |
its weary, discontinued expression.
Eyes, they were hard,'' the first adj
mitted, but that's all over now You
know the saying about it being the
last of life for which the first was |
made"
Iris studied them closely. Had I
taken Phil, I might have grown to
look like the first, but the same great |
happiness might have been mine, and |
if I marry Mark. 1 shall. no doubt
have the other womans discomfort"
At that moment another person en-
tered the car. 1t was AR. Derby,
friend of Grif1th's, who was making
the same western trip.
Sorry to interrupt you. old man."
he remarked, with an apologize grin
at Iris, but this was the time you
promised to give me to talk over that
real estate deal"
Sure I'll join you in a moment, as
soon as I get the papers"
The train was passing through a
tunnel in the mountains, and the con-
f,1I 70
forth the admiration of even the most
diSintoroSfad