The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-31
TIE EVENING STORY
At BaSSettIaw.

| up the cE1fnney-tArOdt was as much
joy as comfort. Other chimneys
had been modernized, but here in the
hall Squire Bassett would have none
of the improvements. There were the
/ big stone jambs, worn by years of use
| to the semblance of black marble,
which had been set in place under
! the eyes of his pioneer grandfather.
A fine old Trojan was that same
grandfather. The house was low and
wide, ramb bling to be sure, but SO we'll
and truly builded it was stanch and
snug after the storms of a hundred
/ years.
| Above the black walnut wainscot
there were antlers-not so many, but
notable, as were the weapons they
held-a rifle that had barked at
Kings Mountain, sword darkly
stained, sent home from Mexico just
as it had fallen from the hand of a
dead BaSsett, another rifle that had
done sharpshooting at Vicksburg, a
procession of shotguns, ending with
| boys weapon Diteously light, pistols
in variety, and a wicked looking
| kreese, to say nothing of deerskin,
bullet pouches, powder horns and
hunting horns.
everything at Bassettlaw, from it's
hale and ruddy white-headed master,
to the dogs on the rug in front of the
hearth. The place was more home to
me than my legal residence had
been free of it always, as 1 was not
free of GreenWays since the new mis-
tress came. My father was still kind
as kind as he dared be. But the
wife he had married year after my
mother went was jealous. She had
schemed from the very first to set
him against me, his only child. She
had children-a son and daugh-
ter. She had tried hard to have me
sent away to West Point or Annapolis.
A soldier or sailor would be mostly
out of her way. But I was land-lover
born-therefore I baked her plans.
1 was willing enough her children
should share my home, even share
reasonably in my fathers fortune
but not that they should parcel up
Greenways between them-most' of all
have Reina Bassett. Reina had been
my sweetheart ever since she was
born
She had made a party this hallow-
cen. All the young folk in ten miles
about had been hidden to it. They
stood in merry clutches about the big
hadd, jesting, laughing whiles, other
whites, staring openly or covertly at
Nine; Varian, my stepmother, and
her daughter, Ellice May.
frocks, tricIed out with simpler n,rir
gowns, clearly homemade. Madame
and Ellice rustled of Paris in filmy
glittering robes that fell over thin silk. |
Nothing like them had been seen ever
before in the county. And to say
truth, Squire Bassett, hospitable |!
IhOuSn ne was, ola not seem TOO pleas |
ed to have them at Bassettlaw. He |
glanced from them proudly to Reina. |
Her corn-colored cashmere, touched |
family with scarlet, coming half low |
over a fine lace tucker, became her
wonderfully. She had merry dark !
eyes and peachy skin.
There was some talk of dancing, |
but Reina shook her head. This is
a play party-with fortune telling at |
the last" she said.
And just then L understood why /
madame and Ellice had put on their !
fine feathers-for in walked Rick AL !
lonby, son to a senator and grandson, !
on the mothers side, to som ebody in i
Standard Oil. Also on the mothers |
side he inherited Bassett friendship
the squire all but Rugged him and led |
him about as proudly as though show
ing off one of his prize yearlings. I |
think Reina sensed that the same as
I did-she cut an eye at me with 4
merry grimace, then beckoned me |
across to her.
Get things going-hard," she COM
manded DO anything everything.
I don't care what. Only play-and
play hard. And-let no very fine lady
escape" This with a soft, malicious
smile and a covert look at madame.
She was obeyed-after my habit.
The next two hours saw riot and
reve1 there in the big hall. "Oats,
starter-a whet to such thrillers as
'-weevily Wheat Bounce the Gym
ling" "ConsoIation''-ev Tucker
and Frog-in-t tn e-Middle.'
Being slight and red-headed, and
obliging, if I do say it. I was pretty
free to do things-the lads followed
my lead unhesitating, the 1asses of
course followed them. We forced
Rick into the middle of everything
if he gasped at first, he stood to it
Gamely. And after a bit I think he
enjoyed the fun, honest romping with
no thought of anything behind it.
E1lice held aloof, her mother smiI-
ing superiority, and shaking her head
until she saw Rick on the floor.
Then-she would have changed her
been too patent. Besides-she was the
sort to wait, a spider-woman ready to
pounce upon entangled prey I had
thought so all along; now I thought
it more than ever. All the filmy fri1ls
and overlays were her webs-if I
could help it Rick should not be tan
gled in them. Queer I had no jeal-
ousy of him as to Reina-with his
looks and money, and man-of-the-
world air, he put me quite out of
of my dear, which set me at ease
moreover, in one of the games she
had whispered shyly: Arthur
won't kiss anybody but you"
three-which held me SO tranquil. Madame
could not know that Because Reina had
5 ber s ofe or to ek she heI as WIFE
" angry with Reina-aT the more when
at sumner time Reina paired Rick with
Ella Walton. shy homelv little thing,
whom all the rest had rather neglected,
and sent EIlice to the groaning table with
Jerry Bone an ungainly but susceptible
The squire. of course. took out Madame
herself-but since he said jovia1ly "Old
folEs together, madame" she was In wax