The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-21
THE EVENING STORY
Cottage for Rent"
(By Molly MacMaster.


again gazed longingly through an
aperture in his hedge. 1t was per-
haps the tenth time during the last
hour that he had done the same
thing.
The girl, sitting clicking away at
small typewriter on the other s1ue
of the hedge, seemed totally uncon-
scious of the pair of masculine eyes
devouring her beauty. She smiled to
herself as her fingers flew across the
keys and her story progressed rapidly.
When the story was finished she,
too, sighed. After all, it was ratner
lonesome, this self-inflicted seclu-
sion, even though it was bringing her
splendid results from the world OF
fiction For two months Lydia Barry
had not left her garden retreat nor
had she met a soul in the village.
She had held herself aloof, wanting
only to Write-write the stories tnat
would make her name famous-and
lydia was succeeding wonderfully.
Not so successful was Warburton.
Perhaps this was because he mad won
his laurelS a year or SO ago anu was
not worrying about present work. he
thought only of the girl in the next
garden, the girl with the hair tnat
looked like new mown hay in the
moonlight His brushes refused 70
paint cattle and sheep ana nInpIu
pools when Lydia Barry saI III 'ie
garden and wrote love stories.
Why had she taken the cottage next
his own and disturbed the work anu
peace of his habitual summer retreat
And why had she, having come re-
fused to enter the village society Una.
he might meet her properly and IAN
in love with her if he so desired!
Warburton sighed
"She has no right. he insisted 70
himself and began another rough
outline of LYDIA PRONE DIS 9iio oAA
over her writing.
A few more days of secret aoInli d
ton wore away and Warburton pc
came desperate. He must and woulo
ouainted with his garden love He
surreptftiously enlarged the hole IN
the hedge one dark night ana snlleo
triumphantly at his achievement.
During the day ne snlleu mo {
broadly, and in the afternoon took an
express train to the city. 1t was
scant twenty miles, and Warburton
returned with satisfaction lighting MS
entire personality. -,
Three days later Lydia was dis,
turbed in her writing. Her small
maid came to tell her that a strans-
er had come to look at the cottage.
Lydia Indignantly arose ana con,
fronted a young couple, who showed
her the advertisement that had at
tracted them They had found 1t IN
the morning paper. 49,,
put it is a mistake" Lydia told
them, with moderation OIL nti fnr
rent and never will be. L am sorry
the newspaper has Numbered"
When the disappointed couple nae
gone, casting backward chances OIL
admiration at the Vlne-cladi col'1 r..
Lydia returned to her writing her
thought had been Interrupted, now
ever. and a slight quicker of wonder
ment lay between her broWs.
"A very curious mistake Tor
newspaper to make" she remarked
to herself. She read again the ad-
vertisement that the house-hunteIs
had been good enough to leave with
her. Cottage for rent. Sultanle Ior
artist or writer. Inc Arpor' 1hai oo"
Lane, Sea Cliff
lydia put down the slip of paper
and returned to her work. The in
cident fingered in her mind but a
story began to grow out OF II.
+oine, is in the nature of suggestion
Perhaps if more people come to look at
nv cottage 1 may get good story from
it IT at least breaks the monotony
In her last thought Lydia admitted for
the first time to herself that she was
lonesome-very. very lonesome.
Other people did come-for it was the
spring renting season and Lydia turned
them all away with the same answer
Then on the seventh day, he came
Iydia's maid had gone to the village
and when the doorbeh pealed loud anu
III
the garden Lydia went to answer us
summons.
The color sprang swiftly into her
cheeks and a quickly hidden express
sion into her ewes. In her complete
surprise the girl opened the door and
Warburton went quickly inside. He felt
as if he would have lifted her ASIDE
had she failed to let him in
Il have come to look at the cottage,
he told her and felt guilty-so guilty
that Lydia cast a quizzicaI glance at
him and bit her lip to keep from smil-
ing. The whole situation had come to
her so suddenly that it took her breath
away.
Here was the guilty person who had
put that advertisement in the paper
and was trying vainly to conceal his
embarra ssment. Lydia smiled openly
and found that she could not summon
even suggestion of anger. He looked
so conscience stricken, so utterly boy
ish. standing there in his white flan-
nels and wondering what to say next
Lydia decided to help him.
Perhaps you would like to see the
garden first" she said, and led the
way Since lou have no doubt come
all the way from the city I will offer
you a cool lemonade or ice tea-which
do you prefer"
There was scarcely hidden mockery
in Lydia's eyes and it brought a dull
red to Warburton'S cheeks. THE trains
are rather hot. are they not?"
Warburton laughed whimsically and
held her hooking eyes.
How do you know that I live next
door, and that I put that advertise
ment in the paper?' He sank into
Lydia's own chair and she dropped
into another.
She in turn was blushing and the
mockery had given place to fugitive
chances. all of which sent waves of
consecutive thrills over Warburton.
Lydia's voice was not quite steady. She
realized, however. that the big, white
clad figure would stay in her garden