The Topeka state journal., 1913-12-01
1m EVENING SToQY

i THE EVENING STORY
1 Under Patch and Blindef.
/ One of the first plans the young
Tom Batesons made after they were
married was to arrange a match be-
tween Toms old chum. De Foe For
rester, and Mrs. Toms lifelong
friend, Myra Dale.
Gould any two. people be better
suited?" said Mrs. Tom when Tom
had laughingly suggested 1t. except,
of course, you and me. Myra always
had to have money. She simply
shrivels at the thought of being poor.
and De Foe, with his diplomatic ca
reer ahead of him. really needs q tact
full. know what = -to-say-at-the-right-
time sort of wife. And they are 80
good looking they cannot help but fall
in love at first sight Tom, what fun
it will be to arrange it! We won't
tell them till afterward. Of course, for
that would spoil it. You won't tell De
Foe. will your"
i That night Mrs. Tom wrote to
Myra. twenty miles away begging her
to spend a weekend, and as q post
script added: "You must come. be-
cause Tom is asking his old friend,
sular servtce-0ne of the big copper
Forresters. You arc the only girl
know who would interest him." and
then as she slipped the letter in Toms
pocket in the morning she said: BE
sure not to let Mr.. Forester suspect
our plot. I haven't breathed a word
of 1t to Myra," and Tom agreed with
his wife that secrecy was an indispen-.
sable element in the success OF the in
trigue.
i Tom cornered his old friend for
lunch in the city and suggested
weekend together. by the way he
said, as they were parting, you've
be out over Sunday. Sorry we can't
have you alone, but when it comes
to that, De Foe, you'll like her. One
Of those deuced pretty girls that keep
you at arms length and treats you
like q sister, half dozen girls mold
ed into one-Spanish eyes, the grace
of g. Parisienne and that faraWay
hauteur of a Russian noblewoman-
just the sort for a diplomatist. But
know you'd rather be alone with me
SO I'll steer her on II 1 can"
On the strength Of Mr.. Forrester's
acceptance Mrs. Bateson that night
wrote a second letter to Myra- You
simply must come. Myra- Don't tell
Tom .cause we planned not to let you
into the secret, but I simply must tell
you. Tom and I have decided that
you and De Foe Forester must
marry. You were meant for each
other. we think. and surely we ought
to know
The next day Myra's acceptance ar
rived and Mrs. Tom wrote with tele-
graphic abruptness:
| do bring your most becoming
dresses. That black velvet even If it
is last years. Men never care about
the date of a dress II 1t is becoming
I have learned that from Tom. And
your pearls even If you have to get
them out of safe Deposit
Myra was expected Friday morning
and De Foe Forester was expected to
motor out that evening In time for
dinner. Ten minutes before dinner
Tom, who had just answered q long
distance message, in his efforts to find
Mrs. Tom fairly co1lided with her as
she was coming from the front OF the
house, special delivery letter in her
hand.
| ''She won't come" said Mrs. Tom.
"He's had a smash-up," said Tom
at the same time, and then the dou-
BILE calamity was revealed. De Foe
had been thrown from his auto on the
way. The machine wasn't hurt, but
he was stopping at some wayside doc
tors to be bandaged. He was COM
ing. anyway. He would be there be-
fore midnight. He was apparently
eager.
But Myra's letter was a complete
disappointment. 81 simply can't
j come" she wrote. ''The more I think
about that Mr.. Forester. the more I
know I won't like him. don't want
to meet him. So have left home
where you can't even motor to see
me. have gone to Aunt Nellie's, and
I had to break q dentists engagement
to do it And my tooth aches as q
result, so you may know how I feel"
] That night when Mrs. Toms eyes
! t~AR koA INTEL %hA kon ~ Sauv ~
pointment shed on Toms shoulders, De
Foe arrived, genial but battered. A
st. Andrews cross Of court plaster COW
cred his aristocratic nose and drew up
one side of his mouth in a foolish
smile. Over one eye he wore . blind
er. and in, place Of a collar he wore
i white surgical gauze. Yet he was
cheerful even hilarious, and unmistak-
ably eager. I'm Just trifle scratch
tomorrow and I'll try to live down my
facial defects. They will be all right
in q week." But when he came in and
found Mrs. Tom alone his geniality
took a decided slump. and when Mrs
Tom casually remarked that Miss Dale
was not coming. he did not hide his
Disappointment.
Let's go over to Myra's anyway"
said Mrs. Tom to her husband Satur-
Iday afternoon when their guest pro-
posed spin in his motor. Il have
lqueer sort of feeling that she didn't 90
to her aunt's after all"
Az they approached they saw MyrA
stretched languidly in the hammock at
the side of the country house, and ar
mrs. Dale's suggestion the two men
lleft the car and went with her to where
Myra was reclining. Myra jumped Up
with a start. tried to beat a retreat
and then tried to cover her face with
her hands.
But such Myra! The "deuced pref
ty face" of which Tom had told DE-
Foe was swathed in sling Of white
lbandaging. The one cheek that showed
Twas nodded in q generous pun over
one Spanish eye s..