The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-06-19
THE EVENING STORY
Beth Becomes Engaged.

why Sn0 naQ PROMISED TO UIiIl
She gazed about the barren room
that was her home in the boarding
house and a smile that was half visit
full swept over her face.
Perhaps 1 want home" she told
herself, and a sudden resentment
against Costello took possession of
her. Had he been one whit less at
tractive she knew that he would
have pleaded in vain for her answer.
HE has 40 right to be SO good look
was perfectly happy until he came
along and now 1 have promised to
marry him..
Beth unwound two long ropes of
golden hair from about her we'll
poised little head and began brush
ing them with unconscious rhythm.
She was thinking deeply and with the
soothing sweep of the brush Beth's
mind became calm. and she went
slowly over each day of her short
acquaintance with Costello.
During the weeks of his volcanic
wooing the girl had been carried
away from her cautious, more or less
reserved pathway. So sudden and
unexpected had been the force of his
courtship that Beth scarcely knew
whether or not she loved him until
she had promised to marry him.
She glanced shyly at her reflection
in the mirror and a blush famed into
her cheeks Perhaps Costello could
The blush died down, and again
Beth realized that her acquaintance
with the handsome Italian was linn
tied. She knew, too, that the caution
which had always played a prominent
part in her life since her arrival into
the working world had failed her in
this one instance.
She braided her hair very neatly,
tied a large pink bow determinedly
about the curling ends and closed her
teeth firmly.
'I will go to a lawyer tomorrow and
have him look up my future husband.
1t would be foolish to take so impor-
tant a step as matrimony without
little advice-Tonio might be married
a dozen times for all 1 know" she
told herself with half laugh. But
if there were tears to dampen the
softness of her pillow 1t was because
of the loneliness that had left her to
battle for herself and to seek lawyers
when she longed for mother or father
or brother.
In the morning. when she went
down into the business district, Beth
wore the cluster of roses that Tonic
clad feet was steady and her heart was
beating normally. She felt serene and
rather glad that she had the courage
to go to lawyer and make inquiries
regarding her future husband.
When she had been left at the door
marked James O'Brian, attorney at
law, by the elevator man, Beth felt her
first qualm of nervousness. What
would this lawyer be Hke-thiS man to
whom she would have to confide the
secret of her engagement? Would he
be brusque and inhuman, old or young,
attractive or repellant?
Beth drew a steadying breath and
opened the great door. After all. she
had liked his voice when she had made
her appointment over the telephone.
Miss Ladd, 1 suppose?" inquired
the same voice as the young lawyer
arose to greet her Come this way"
Iy wondered why the world had be-
come a place of peace and content
ment, Could it be possible that the
calm, reposeful force of James
O'Brian was already holding her
into a huge library that had been di-
vided into many small consulting
rooms by rows upon rows of law
books.
Beth felt very. much like a small
child who has found it's way into a
collectors room to demand a toy to
play with. She looked across the
table at which she and James O'Brian
had seated themselves, and the child
like appeal N her eyes sent wave
of sympathy over the lawyer.
"And what ere your troubles, Miss
Ladd?" he asked and found himself
smiling.
Beth bit her under lip. then sent a
swift glance at him from beneath her
1ashes.
Il have become engaged to an
italian by the name of Antonio Cos |
tello. I am peculiarly alone in the world, !
and before marrying him 1 want to
know if you can look him up-for me?"
O'Brian had a sudden belief that |
he could do almost anything for the
girl whose eyes smiled while her lips |
only refused to accompany them by |
sheer force of will. He knew intuitive- |
Nv that fun and laughter were natural
part of Beth Ladd and that her pres !
ent dignity was a phase of her present |
mood.
IF you will tell me all that you |
already know of him 1 will get you |
the information" he made answer in |
perfectly impersonal tone. though each |
knew that the other was on the verge |
haps it was just the elements of emo |
ton making joyous over the meeting |
of two persons.
Later, when Beth had told him all |
she knew of Costello, and the door had !
closed behind her, James O'Brian did !
a rather peculiar thing for him. He !
went to the window and watched, far |
down on the crowded Broadway, until |
a slim, gray-clad figure had emerged !
from his Office and turning corner |
from sight Occasionally |
O'Brian had seen his clients to the ele- |
vator but never before had he watch |
ed one out of sight and with a help |
less, whimsical light in his eyes.
"She IS engaged" he tried to tell him |
self, but his senses refused to accept |
the fact. One of the roses from Cos |
telIo's cluster had fallen to the floor. |
O'Brian stopped and picked it up.
It was ten days before Beth again