Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1914-01-29


,sortl y asting ammunition on thems"
and whsy she flushed guilty he con-
tinued;
Don't worry. Evie; won't give you
away, and the rest are too blind to
see"
Evelyn had been with her sister four
years years that had taught her TO
discipline her pride and subdue her
ego when Gay Travis returned sud
denly from abroad. He had proposed
to Evelyn the week before her faith
er's death, and having been courteous
~ but firmly refused had gone away.
seeking in travel to stifle the restless
hopes whose denial had broken his
life. Convinced finally that 1t was of
no use. and ike moth eager to SINCE
its wings again, he returned to Amer
lea and to Evelyn's home. only to learn
that she had moved to Westwood
A day later found him sitting in
Mrs Reades library with Barbara
serving tea and Betty talking witty
nothings, while Evelyn in big chair
by the fire listened silently.
Her attitude puzzled him, and he set
himself to unravel it. Her greeting of
him, for instance. had been kinder
than he had anticipated, but upon the
entrance of her nieces she had with
drawn into herself and subsidized into
a mere spectator. 1t was not that she
was bored Patiently she enjoyed the
girls nonsense--it was rather that
she felt herself outside of it all and
apparently did not object. Contrast
ing her with the brilliant, animated
girl she had been, he found her hard
to understand
While not profound, Travis loved
Evelyn devotedly, and for the next
week he studied her closely. He asked
seemingly idle questions OF the girls
he won the boys opinions upon divers
subjects, He talked earnestly with
Mrs. Reade, and lippantly with her
husband, and in the end he mastered
the problem Once assured OF this
fact, he FASTENED in search OF Evelyn,
finding her in the library mending
Betty's music She was somberly
clad-her hair drawn severely back
from her forehead.
When he entered she looked up
calelessly.
Evelyn" he exclaimed. II want you
TO do me a favor"
"A favor, Gay-why, OF course
what do you want me to do?"
Il want you to go upstairs and brush
your hair as you used to.
She stared at him wonderingly.
What an extraordinary request
and why should l make myself ridicu-
lous?"
Is it ridiculous to make yourself
att-active?"
Possibly not but l must dress ap-
propriately."
You and have different ideas of
the appropriate. See here, Evelyn-if
| hadn't seen this thing with my own
eyes | wouldn't have believed it. How
old are you, anyhow"
"Thirty-fve."
And far more beautiful today In
that impossible gown you have on
than either of your niecesl Go up and
get into some of the floaty, fieecy
clothes you used to wear. Put furs
about your throat and wear a hat
such as Barbara had on yesterday.
Take hers If you haven't any of your
own"
Il haven't" she admitted with sud
den bitter distaste for the appropriate
toque selected by Alicia for ner that
morning.
Rouse up, Evelyn, 1t is time this
absurd farce ended. Do you realize
what has happened 70 you? You have
been submerged-the youth in this
house has overwhelmed you"
"Oh, GAY" she cried, touched and
surprised by his comprehension. lit is
quite true-they take my breath away.
But how did you ever guess it? No
body else ever did"
Nobody else ever loved you as
do VIII you marry me, Evelyn"
Thank you kindly, sir" she said.
with the old arch smile he had loved,
and as she came into his opened arms
he calculated over her gold-brown
head Great heavens. what fools
these young people are"
Copyright, 1913, by tho Mcclure News
paper Syncicate.)