The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-08
The EVENING STORY
The Inner Room.
CBy Annie Hinrichsenf)

each man and woman is entitled
to an individual life," Margaret Lang
said meditatively. Each has a right
to an inner room in his own soul, a
room filled with thoughts and mem
cries where no one who has not the
key shall enter.
Philip Helm looked up suddenly.
All evening he had listened idly with
little interest in Margarets words.
But something in the last sentences
reused his attention.
Memories Margaret went on,
''are among our most precious pos
sessions. 1 have memories that are
too beautiful and too sacred to be
course, with the one who had part
in the making of them.
What are these memories" Helm
demanded.
IT can not possibly tell you" The
emphasis on the last word was de-
liberate. She met his indignant and
astonished look with cool, imper-
sonal smile 81 have friends" she
said, "of whom I seldom speak ex-
cept to those who know them. L
have experienced joys which must
ever remain in my remembrance.
The inner room of my soul is filled
with many things; its doors are
locked; the key is-wel1, the key is
in good hands. Have I told you that
1 am going away tomorrow"
you have not.
Il am going south. L shall be gone
indefinitely"
Margaret, what in the world is the
matter with you tonight? First you
say you have had affairs that you
won't tell me about, and then you
coolly announce that you are going
away for an indefinite period. What
do you mean?"
Did 1 say that I had had affairs?
And why should 1 not go away for
six months or a year or forever?
you do not seem to consider me-"
teWhy should I consider you?"
Observation-Disclosures Margaret.
you know that live have always
understood that we cared for each
other, and that things were practi-
cally settled between u.s."
Il have understood nothing of the
sort. We are merely friends and my
departure can mean nothing to you"
But, Margaret-
She smiled at his perplexed face.
1T go south tomorrow. L shall be
gone indefinitely"
When Margaret Lang had been
gone a month Helm went south. In
the courtyard of the beautiful, trop-
ical hotel he asked her to marry
him. She listened with the same cool,
impersonal manner she had shown
him the night before she left home.
Her refusal was positive. She would
not marry him.
Several weeks after Helms return
an envelope, bearing a typewriter
address and a southern poStmark
came to him. 1t contained a clipping
from a newspaper
AN incident recently occurred at
the Albemarle hotel which has
caused both amusement and annoy
ance to the guests. For several
weeks there has been about the hotel
3 strikingly beautiful, handsomely
gowned young woman Many young
men were attracted by the charming
face, dashing clothes and magnifi-
cent jewels of the fair unknown, and
it is said that more than one was
ready to offer heart and hand. But
the discovery was made that the
beautiful incognita was the nurse
maid for the children of a wealthy
woman who is a guest at the hotel
The mistress ill health has kept her
confined to her own rooms and the
beautiful Cinderella has gone forth
each day. wearing her mistress
gowns and jewels. She is a young
of some education and Gull
ture, who came south with a small
amount of money, spent it and pro-
cured employment as a servant. Her
name is Margaret Lang"
When Philip Helm entered the court |
yard of the A1bemarle hotel he saw Mar |
garet Lang sitting on bench under a |
magnolia tree.
II came as quickly as 1 could" he said |
The clipping brought me. 1 came, Mar |
garet. to help you in any way can. !
love you. No matter what you have done !
you must be at heart still the same girl I
knew all those years in our old home"
You are chivalrous, Philip. But sure
" you cannot love a masquerader, dis /
graced servant
Il love you. I ask you again to marry
me- Will you, Margaret"
Yes, 1 WILL" she said calmly. Il shall /
De glad to do SO now that can come 20 /
you in disgrace and humiliation Then
she laughed happily. Philip, that news
paper clipping told you only part of the
,nly one. The maids name is Margaret
Lang she quoted. ON account of the
of names the affair has caused
much embarrassment to Miss Margaret
lang young woman from the north,
who is a guest at the Albemarle hote'.'
Don't you understand, Philip? l am noT
he spendthrift Margaret, the masquerade
ng servant
'EBut-but-' Then he stopped. speech
ess with bewilderment.
How long have you loved me?' sne
lsked.
Always
She shook her head. mo. you hare
lot In her voice there was a sadness
which he realized had been there for a
ong time. VagueIy he remembered thai
n the early days of their friendship her
roice had been gay and merry II have
owed YOU for several years." she went
m AT first I thought you loved me-
We passed from friendship into that state
n which we were lovers, but without tie
,agement 1t is a beautiful, blissful state
vnen it is a brief one But with US 1t
vas not brief. You were content to drift
Iin1lessly along, free from any ties, yet
folding me by the bond of my love for
s.The night before went south 1 piqu.d
our vanity and reused your curiosity
when 1 spoke of the inner room winch
leld memories / would not share witt.
-ou. Ny abrupt departure reused you to