The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-03
THE EVENING STORY
Her Heart.
(By Temple Bailey.)

ell Dunn. Yet he was engaged to her
He wondered how it had happened
He supposed he had lost his head
over AIMS beauty and cleverness, but
looking back upon his act it seemed
too rash, too sudden.
He had met her at the Pine Hill
Country Club. She had worn a red
coat, and a little three-cornered black
hat on her fair hair. She seemed pos
itively to radiate charm, and the
j group of men about her testified to
| her popularity
| Drexel Dunn had attached himself
to her with dogged persistence. When
| he wanted thing he usually got it,
and he had wanted Ann. And now
she was leading him a dance with her
/ whims and her caprices. She laughed
and sparkled and leased, but never
| for moment was she serious. Now
| and then Drexel ventured to expos
! tulate.
| ''Oh, look here, Ann he protested
| on one occasion, aren't you ever
going to settle DOWN."
Settle DOWN." AIMS eyebrows
were appraised.
Aren't you going to cut out this
sort of thing?'
This sort of thing?''
Drexel floundered deeper. ST don't
want my wife to be, well-a butter
fly
Poor Drexel, did he want a grub
DreXel fumed. you treat every
thing as joker
I'm serious enough at this mo-
ment," she said slowly. 81 don't be-
lieve I want to marry you, Drexel"
Drexel stared. Not marry me-
why, Ann. you've promised
Yes, that's just it; I've promised,
and somehow I've got sense of hon
or like a mans. 1 can't go back on
my word. But l wish you'd release
me, DrexeI.''
II will not''-stiffly. "You don't
know what you are talking about"
Yes 1 do
IT love what you might be-not
what you are, Drexel.'
What do you mean?''
We'll, when you gave me this,
slender finger the ring of sapphires
and diamonds which was the sign and
seal of their betrothal, when you
gave me this, I thought of you as a
big and gentle knight whose tender
ness would surround me for the rest
of my days. thought that for sew
eral months, Drexel, then suddenly I
walked to the fact that you felt that
should feel honored by your choice.
You are rich and handsome, success
full I was only pretty and clever. To
be sure 1 have a family tree and you
haven't but you have money-and
you worship it, Drexel-more than
you worship me-and So wish
too, and who will help you spend it
I don't want it. 1 hate it,
She was serious enough now, with
her gray eyes blazing. Drexel felt
his heart leap within him.
You are mistaken" he said. ca
fool of myself, Ann
They had patched it up after that,
but Ann had seemed more frivolous
than ever. She gave Drexel very little
of her society.
Finally Drexel again entered a pro-
test. Whats going to come of this,
Ann?' he said one night, as he took
her home from the country club in
She slipped the sapphire ring from
her finger. -tOh, I'm so glad you're
opened the subject. You must release |
me. Drexel, and you know that right
you'll be glad. You don't want a |
frivolous woman for a wife,
His grave eyes searched her de-
fiant face. Somehow, Ann" he said, !
slowly, II can't feel that you are
showing me your real SELF
Her face was white. but she shrug- |
ged her shoulders. You flatter me
you have seen-alI there is to see.'
She offered him the ring, but he |
took her hands in his and held them.
Ann he said, we're making
some kind of mistake; we're not I'M
Outstanding each other-and perhaps
we're going to regret 1t all OF our
He bent and kissed her. We've
got things into a dreadful muddle,"
he said 'Goodby, little girl. If you
ever need me L am yours to COM
mand''
But it was not Ann who needed him,
Or at least if it was he did not know
it. There came a time, however, when
he needed Ann. The doctors exam
med his eyes one day and left him in
the utter darkness of despair.
His friends talked it over at the
country club.
"old DrexeTs done for said Bob
bic Beale.
Ann, in a group by the fireplace,
listened.
whats the matter?' was the de-
mand of half a dozen of Drexels
friends.
"His eyes. Got some kink in them
and the chances are that he will be
totally blind II
Every drop of blood seemed to
eave AIMS body, but her face
showed only the conventional sympa-
.hetic interest.
where is he?" asked a woman's
voice.
Hes at his rooms. He wouldn't
stay another minute at the hospital"
That night Drexel, in his old velvet
ounging coat, with his eyes bandaged,
oiled in front of the fireplace and {
aIked to his dog. ,
Life has got me, Kim he said, !
With his hand on the spaniel's curly !
head, land there isn't much to look '
Onward to-when a fellow can't look {
at anything
He heard the tap of the dogs tail
IN the floor and took it for re- !
;ponse to his musings.
I'm done with life-and love-
Kim he went on.
The little dog gave a quick bark, :
hen Drexel felt against his hand the | :
Warmth of a woman's cheek There l
we're tears on the cheek, too, and some i