The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-20
TIE EVENING STORY
Peters Penalty.
BY A. Maria Crawford.)


to me? Please don't! 1t isn't as if I
didn't understand" went on Dolly,
desperately. Il have gone about a
good deal, you know, and I don't ex-
pect the brothers of the girls I visit
to pretend to love me any more. In
other words, Peter, I'm sophisti-
| Gated"
| AT 20?" Peter smiled in maddening,
big brother fashion.
Yes. A woman at 20 is as old as a
man at 25,''
"Oh, 1 say, Dolly, don't run it up
on me because my hair has turned
gray since you came
! Since L came? How can you tell
such stories shamelessly? Don't you
know that I remember you made love
to my sister Evelyn six years ago
when she visited your sister Mary? I
recall that Evelyn thought you quite
distinguished because Of that same
gray hair
| What do you think about me?"
| Just what I think of Ted Vincent,
Harry Martin and the rest of the men
here. You are all charming dinner,
dance and driving companions" laugh
ed Dolly, shaking her head at him.
/ Peter thought that all the gold of the
sun must have been shared into the
coils of curly hair above her piquant,
smiling face.
You are the prettiest girl who ever
came to this town. 1 don't believe
there are eyes anywhere in the world
as blue as yours
| Dolly meditated, then looked up at
| him frankly. Peter she said quiet
! ly, drop this role of pretended lover.
Let's be friends! 1 need a friend like
you
| You have lovers enough, I sup
pose he returned angrily.
! Il didn't mean that, but 1 hate the
| idea of pretense in anything
How can you know what is in my
heart? It's impossible
| Il can judge a mans attitude to one
woman by his attitude to other women
all his life. You make love too easily,
| Peter, to be honest about it. When a
man is in earnest, the words don't trip
off his tongue as easily as yours
That's because I am lawyer. L
| am always serious. Every case is
vitality important to me-
Yes, I know, Peter. 1 must be
| about the ninety-ninth case
IT had reference to professional
cases.
"Lovemaking has grown to be a
sort of profession with you, hasn't it,
Peter? Sorry you won't be my friend.
4 need advice, for I am really in
love-"
And before his stunned senses could
comprehend what her announcement
meant to him, she was gone out of
! the rose garden, where he had taken
her after tea. He could hear her light
laughter on the gallery where his sister
dispensed refreshments to callers who
dropped in to greet the members OF
her small house party.
Peter bit savagely through a cigar,
tossed it away and started toward the
river. A brisk row up stream might
put him in shape to endure dinner
where Dolly, dear, radiant little Dol
ly, would lift her wonderful eyes to
the lucky fellow. who could teach her
what life meant when love had tuned
her heart in harmony with his. Out
Of the dusk they seemed to smile in
derision at his pain, those wrath
. like, shadowy women who had gone
before. He had never expected them
to take him seriously. Women, he
thought, were discriminating enough
to know that a man was not always
in love when he held a soft hand a
trif1e longer than was necessary for
a mere friendly clasp. 1t was not
his fault if any Of them had been
hurt. Every woman expected to be
told that she was sweet and pretty.
He had said, IT love you'' to many
girls, but never before had a pain
settled about his heart as if giant
fingers closed around that vital or
not the pretty dream poets had con-
ceived, it was a dead weight crush
ing in a mans chest so that his
lungs no longer took and gave the air
freely with healthy animal life. He
heard the faint splash of dipping
oars and rested, listening. The name
Dolly caught his attention.
Dolly is certainly in love with
him. 1t will be a fine match if he
only remains true to her. but you
know how lightly he takes such af-
fairs He will probably break her
heart"
You can't tell about a man." came
a deep voice in reply. ''She may be
able to hold him. I'll wager that every
eligible fellow in this place has pro-
posed to Dolly this past week"
He will probably break her heart"
The words stayed in Peters brain. If
any man hurt Dolly, he would have to
answer for it with his life, Peter vowed,
and taking up his oars, turned back
home.
1t was a gay and fascinating DOL
ly in a delicate shade of her favorite
blue. who sat beside Billy Carter across
the f1ower-decked table from Peter
that evening at dinner. Peter had al
ways disliked Billy Carter, and now
he found himself openly scowlfng at
the happy young fellow who, in the
light of certain blue eyes, was blissfully
ignorant of all unpleasantness in the
world.
Peter meditated. Dolly had evidently
fallen in love with Billy who some
how, despite his youth, always took
the blue ribbon in any contest where
It was agreed the favor was to be won
by the man who could drink the most
and keep on his feet. Peter reflected
that was the very reason why Dolly
had felt the need OF friend. OF course,
Billy would break her heart
7 didnsf