The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-09-19
THE EVENING STORY
Three Chairs.
(By Molly McMaster.)

(By Molly McMaster.)
AS Enid ensconced herself in her
steamer chair for the return trip west
ward there was considerable martyr
dom expressed in her piquant face.
| Her self-imposed exclusiveness was not
| going to be pleasant, butt was nee
essary. She had decided, at the last
minute to enter the big musical COM
! petition going on at the conservatory
| in Berlin. The eight days on the water
would be almost the remaining days
left to competitors and Enid deter
| mined to send back a composition.
She gaZed more or less WiStfully at
the unusually interesting passenger list
and then cast a glance at the empty
chairs, one on each side of her own.
She had engaged those chairs that she
might not be disturbed as she sat on
deck. The deck stewart had looked his
amazement when Enid had ordered the
names, Mr.. John Doyle and Mr.. Ed
ward Doyle placed upon the cards on
the backs of the chairs.
''At least sighed Enid, "I am in
sured against bores.''
She resigned herself to a voyage Of
concentration on matters musical nor
did she dare raise her eyes to passers-
by. Ends eyes had a way Of inviting
a second look and a second look meant
conversation which, if she intended to
enter the Berlin competition, must be
denied.
During the first day out great books
on harmony and composition lay on
Ends lap or on one of the vacant
chairs She seemed not to hear the
slightest suggestion for a theme and
the notes she jotted down from time to
time were far from unsteady perfect.
She closed her eyes and tried to hear a
melody in the steady tramp Of feet or
the chug of the engines.
Up on the forward deck George New
man interviewed the deck steward
who do those chairs belong to
those on either side of the young lady
with the straw-colored hair and brown
coat? They are never occupied
Newman smiled his genial smile al the
steward.
THE young lady engaged them, sir
she 'ad to concentrate Or the stew
ard fumbled for added reasons and
ended with a grin. Newman put a half
crown in his hand and departed to the
library.
He came up moment later and in
his hands were many magazines on
all of which he had written in large
letters the name John Doyle. Also on
his steamer rug he had put a tag bear
ing the same name. After that he went
along the deck and stopping at many
unoccupied chairs made a splendid ap-
pearance of looking for his own.
When he reached the one beside Enid
he smiled as if in satisfaction and pro-
ceeded to make himself comforta BILE,
of his rug which bore the name near
the girl. Also he left his magazine
face upward on his lap so that the
name could not escape her eyes.
Enid had watched with gathering
mutiny the maneuvers of the man
whose long, 1.-THE frame so amply filed
her own chair She dared not turn and
nc of IA Ia r CO
that would be an opening for CONVEX
sation. Nor could she, after she had
seen the name on his books, feel angry
toward him. It was naturally not his
fault if she had chosen a name pos
sessed by a fellow traveller.
However, it was quite evident that
he was not going to disturb her by |
Enid sighed. There were |
other ways of disturbing one besides
She realized after a short /!
time that every slight movement on |
his pIrt was going to prove interest |
ing to her. She felt instinctively that |
she would like John Doyle and it be-
gan to irritate her that he continued |
his absorbed thoughts with apparent /
to her nearness.
He got up later and strolled about /
the deck. Enid noticed with a sullen |
sense of jealousy that he more than /
once stopped to talk with attractive
feminine travellers. She tried des- |
but always he dominated her brain
Never, in all her years, had she so
suddenly become interested in one of
the opposite sex. Perhaps they had
always come more than half way to
meet her. Yes. it was undoubtedly {
only a sense of pique that hurt her.
During the afternoon he stood close
beside her talking with a beautiful
girl. Enid heard his low voiced
banter and the echo in a high treble
Of the girls. Suddenly Ends cheeks
flushed and her eyes grew luminous.
A lightning fash of inspiration had
seized her She would write a COM
position called FILTRATION"
The genius in her was fired and +
oblivious now to all save her work;
she heard only the low bass of the
man followed by. or mingling with.
he treble and through it all, sup
porting it and lending a steady
-hytflm was the motion of the boat
Enid had her theme, her time and her
Her fountain pen splashed note upon
note across the staff and Enid lay
back an hour so later exhausted,
having turned out splendid piece
Of work. No longer was she sullenly
Jealous. No longer did she desire an
chair on either side of her.
She wanted more than anything else
% hear the sound of voices talking to
her.
She tucked her precious compost
ion within one of the great books on
harmony and closed her eyes for
ment's rest.
When she opened them the first