The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-07-25
THE EVENING STORY
The Test.
(By June Ga1han.)

(By June Ga1han.)
He is thirty-four, has seventy
thousand, house in town, house at
Hastings and a steam
yacht, named for you. by the way
Mona
How did he know my name?
winona did not turn her head.
Perched peri1ously on a rock in mid
stream, she played pickerel art
fully. 1t lay close to the top of the
water. a thin CLEAN of silver. and
never budged, even when the nook
almost touched it's head, but 1t was
trolled back and forth, it shifted here
and there, and watched it specu-
latively.
on the bank Mrs. Eric watched the
game without interest. The figure on
the rock was a striking one, bare
footed, short linen skirt almost to It's
knees, a MILDLY blouse and huge straw
hat, with floppy brim that gave
onIv the barest hint of the face be-
meath. Yet this was Winona Layton.
the only girl Travers Tebbs had
shown any interest in since he had
arrived at Sunnylea.
"I told him. He noticed your pic
ture in my sitting room and asked"
is that why you sent for me to
come down and fish % Winona flashed
a quick mischievous smile sideways
at Mrs. Eric. e..,,-
good chance for a girl in your posi-
ton, you know"
what is my position?" asked the
| fisher girl, musingly.
Just about what it is this minute
On a rock in midstream angling Tor
Il shall tell Mr.. Tebbs you called
| him a pickerel."
Il don't care what you do if you
! Charlie Wingate. Dear. drop that
| pole. and come here. It's almost din
| ner time anyway. and you really
must dress"
down. Wait" She leaned over, got
/ a fair range on the pickerel, and
| dashed at it numerically. There" she
| laughed. gwen if 1 didn't land him
| he got a good shock and thrill. NOW
I'm ready She crossed the slippery
| stones with sure feet and slipped or
sandals at the bank. What about
| Charlie ?" very mildly
do you love him, Mona ~
; Mona sighed and frowned.
| 81 don't know blessed thlng apou'
! it. I've known him SO long, and ne
| the best pal 1 ever had, Dora Don
| YOU think a man should be good pa
| as we'll as a sweetheart and all that
| sort of thing? I do. I wouldn't mar
ray a man who wasn't
! Travers.'
| "Oh, know what you think. That
I'm earning about twenty-five to
/ thirty a week at my decorating, and
with thousands. It's awfully funny
to be pitied when one is perfectly
! satisfied
ITS only because we care so much
| for you, Mona. Where's Charhe
now?
"In his fathers ofice-engineering
work. He wanted to get at the prac-
teal side. They are working on
big dam up the state some place.
| do you write to him ?"
| Every day"
Being wise in a few years. Mrs
Eric asked no more. But that eve
| ming when Travers Tebbs nonopo-
! lized Winona. and she watched tne
| look of dawning interest in the g1rI
/ sweet piquant face, she smiled. Ii
| CberIia would keep his distance for
! two weeks she thought matters might
/ be adjusted.
Winona. She had been worklns
| rather steadily at her interior decor
ating studio back in the city. 1t was
| like the old days before the money
took wings and flew out of her ia
| theirs hands, this glorious rest al
! Sunnylea. .
! Every morning the maid brought
+ her flowers, with Tebbs' card. Every
day they rode together out over the
| hills and along the wet beach at low
| tide. She loved that long gallop ana
| the little swift wind that freshened
lust at the turn of the tide Tebps
would watch her face as it lifted to
the beauty of the sea. Somehow 1t
brought back all his own first youth
when the world had seemed young,
too. He did not stop to weigh the
intervening years against her right to
a fresh youth. too.
| 'I thought you were leaving to-
night Mr.. Tebbs," she said as they
| refined up to watch the sunset at a
jutting headland.
Il may after this ride. 1t rests
with YOU, Mona" She gazed ahead
at the little waves that came toward
her incurved like tinted shells. He
could not guess her thoughts.
Your sister knows that l wish to
make you my wife. I can offer you
many things that make life trifle
| pleasanter, Mona. And I love you
| His voice grew a bit husky. I've
loved you ever since I saw your pic
| ture, I think. Do you carer
Just for a minute wave of tired
ness came over her. Perhaps he was
right. Perhaps Dora was right She
was poor. Charlie only had pros
poets. She might be a drag on him.
Il don't know for sure" she told
him. 1T doesn't seem fair to marry
! you when I don't love you. Oh I