The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-06-16

that some men aren't-big enough to
be afraid of. and the more you see
them the less you care for them-but
Dan the girl hesitated, while the
old woman gave her a shrewd look.
The matter dropped there. Without
knowing it she had called him by his
first name.
Exactly four weeks from the day
on which Margaret had packed her
trunks and fed from her sisters
dwelling, she was out alone with
the car. Her aunt said she wanted
to feel what it was like to be sta
tionary a whole day, and not to see
assorted landscapes flash past you in
a blur. Margaret, feeling strained and
lonely and unhappy and unsettled,
started off alone. Despite her splendid
health, there were times when she was
such q time.
1t was a lowering GREATNESS sum-
mer afternoon, with occasional clouds,
and when she was fully 20 miles from
home a nasty storm same up. Mar
garet put up the curtains, got the
chains on the wheels and managed to
keep the road, but drove very slowly
The rain blew against her and wet her
to the skin; she had left her mack
intosh at home. In her work with
the machine she had smeared her face
with dirt, and her hair was blowing
in wet wisps about her cheeks. She
was a sight, and she didn't care.
What troubled her was the fact that
nothing on earth seemed worth while.
She wondered whether she was home
sick, and made grim sport of herself.
She had no real home-how could she
be homesick?
By this time it was very late in the
afternoon. and the clouds made it
darker than natural. The rain still
drizzled. She had had no lunch, and
didn't care. She settled down behind
the wheel and gave her attention to
her work, that of avoiding skidding
and refraining from numbering the
various hens and calves and other live
stock that were seemingly bound on
suicide.
A few miles from home she came
round a corner slowly, but suddenly
and without warning a man stepped
in front of her. Trees had hidden
by swift and clever turn of the
wheel. That turn landed her in the
ditch with a crash. She was thrown
up and out into the air, and came
down on the soft, soaking grass,
breathless, but not badly hurt Her
first fear was for her machine. For
a moment she almost wished she had
injured so stupid a man. What did
he mean by being in her way? AS she
tried to rise pain shot through her
wrist and she gave a groan. 1t was
only an instant after her fall, and be-
lore she knew it tall man in a
cap and macintosh was kneeling be-
side her and lifting her up She
looked into Dan Macy's anxious dark
eyes, and then she put her uninjured
arm up over her wet, dirty face.
GO away from here" she COM
manded. GO right away! L came
Get away from me- he said cool
ly. But you can't. You don't even
want to! 1 can't go away. You
need-looking AFTER He picked her
up bodily and held her a moment.
Where are you hurt?"
She mutely held out her strained
wrist. While he bandaged it with
his handkerchief she brushed the wet
hair out of her eyes. Then she strug-
gied to her feet and stood watching
nlfn while he rescued the car. The
manage was not very serious, and in
an hour he was able to put her into
the seat beside him while he took the
wheel and slowly got the half-crippled
under way. He was silent
for while and darkness was almost
upon them when he at last spoke
Margaret" he said meekly, you
know that love you? Do you think
that you could love me? Could Won
me? You knew at the first
moment that wanted you You
must have seen it."
Why-don't you Sbully me?" she
asked. Il expected it needed it!
{ m the sort of a woman that needs
bullying! I suppose it's my dirty face
and raggedness and general air of
down-and-out-ness that makes YOU so
considerable. Don't you know that
Nnen woman runs away from a
nan it's usually because-she-love
him %
Dan Macy did not stop the car. but
ne put out his left hand for a moment
md touched her hand-(Copyright. |
1918, by the Mcclure Newspaper Syn
licate.)