The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-05-28
THE EVENING STORY
Calanity's Use.
(By Forbes Dwight.

J
| (By Forbes Dwight)
| The grape arbor was We'll PACK OF
the house on a tiny knoll overlooking
an artificial pond wherein japanese
| goldfish swan laZily to ana fro. TO
| the right of the arbor was high,
| close-cropped hedge dividing the
Keightly estate from that OF Harmon.
Nan Keightly had seated herself in
the arbor that afternoon after feeding
the ever greedy goldfish, when there
came a sharp cracking in the hedge,
and half over it, half through 1t, came
| young Bob Harmon. =,
| Nearly came cropper that time,
he laughed. ct didn't realize the
hedge was so high. Saw you over here
and only thought of getting to you the
! quickest way"
trifle breathlessly. You might have
broken your neck!
Would that make an. any pa particular Tsu T
| came over to fin dout.'
MAKE any difference, you silly boy
Why, Of courSe-
He stepped into the arbor and drew
her down onto the wide seat beside
| him.
None Of the usual pretty speeches,
the start this time. Are you going to
Wen. of all the cold-Dlooded.
Are your" he repeated. Listen.
Nan! Haven't 1 been patient? Haven't
I waited and waited and waited with
the patience of several score OF Jobs!
Now this little affair of yours has got
to come to a crisis. Look"
He reached into his pocket and drew
out a folded paper.
Here" he announced, SIS mar
riage license. No, I'm not fooling.
Either you marry me Or
"Or what?" she asked.
COR I'm going to the endest end or
nth 70
She looked at him quickly. There
was nothing boyish about him at that
moment
All at once her own face became
very grave. I'll marry you any time
you say-at once-this afternoon, Bob,
on one condition"
He started. A look Of pain twisted
IT think 1 know It," said he. "That
I give up flying.
She nodded.
mot that, Man." he begged. ANY
thing but that. Why, it's all I'm good
for. You know what I've done al
ready You know what hope to do:
I can't go ahead without the practical
experience of it. I can't dope out
these improvements and make them
worth cent without trying them my
She bent her head. "oh. I've been
Catch in her voice. every time you
go up. 1 couldn't stand it. Give it up,
Bob
THAT'S the one thing I can't do"
said he. Anything else.
the only one I ask"
He stood there very stiff and
straight. ct guess it's me for the end
est end of the EARTH" he said, and
She heard him approach the hedge;
heard his running steps as he made
for it; heard the sharp crackle of the
topmost twigs as he barely cleared It,
Then she could hear him tramplns
She sat there motionless until she
was reused by strident whtrr-the
Whirring of the motor in his big
Bleriot in it's hangar just across the
hedge. She looked up in time to see
it like a giant darning- needle sweep
gracefully from the ground and go up
1t was no day for flying; the wind
was coming in gusty flaws.
She screamed his name but her
words were drowned in the roar OF
the whirring motor. UP went the
Nan ran out of the arbor toward
the house Outside the garage the
low road car was standing 1t
seemed at the moment that she must
have action; that she must follow
after that crafty careening aero
plane.
Scarce realizing what she did. she
Ieaped into the road car, started the
engine, threw in the clutch and was
off down the road at a mad pace. Why
she followed, she could not have told.
She had sped down the road some
distance when she saw that the Bleriot
had swung about and was heading
back. 1t would cross the road some
distance farther down. She let out
the car. Then, glancing up. she saw
something that made her heart stop.
The machine in the air careened
farther over than usual and this time
it did not right itself. Earthward' 1t
shot with sickening speed. 1t was
trees by now. Nan, craning eagerly
forward, did not notice the washed
out gully in the roadway; her eyes
were glued on the black object be-
meath the trees. And then the cars
wheels hit the gully. There was
sharp wrench at her arms; the car
Swerved.
She opened her eyes to look into
Bob Harmon's white face.
Good Lord, what spill for you"
he gasped.
She sat up; then tried to stand up,
and sank to the ground with a moan.
I'm all right she said, "only some
thing seems to be the matter with my
left ankle. And you?"
He laughed lightly. Pretty much
all right except for one knee. The
branch saved me. I don't seem to be
hurt any. but can't stand up"
The bishop was staying with the
Cottons- Each afternoon at the
bishop was wont to take little cross
country ride. The bishop had been
born in Virginia, and, despite his
sixty-od years and his very consider
able weight, he was still something
of a timbertopper.
tv,e-