The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-30
The Evening Story
Brunette or Blond.
(By Harmony Weller.)

(By Harmony Weller.)
During the eighteen months OF her
engagement and preparation for her
marriage Martha had never quite be-
come reconciled to the fact that she
had chosen for a life partner q man
Of brunette type. Always. from her
earliest dreams of love, she had pic
tured a mate whose hair reflected the
glory OF the sun and whose eyes were
blue-blue as the night sky.
But alas with ideals when Haunted
by facts Martha had fallen in love
with David Mcvicker, and his hair
was as black az the ravens wing and
his eyes were the deep brown OF the
Arabs dusky orbs.
"Oh, dear!" she sighed, II seem to
get so weary looking at dark hair"
Martha cast a fleeting glance at her
reflection, which revealed tresses as
and eyes only less dark because OF
the glow OF dull red within their love-
ly depths. But I suppose since 1 am
to sail Saturday for London and to
meet David again, I had better cheer
up and forget the golden-haired
knight of fancy
Martha had not seen David Nc
Wicker for eighteen months.
Martha flushed over the fact that
she had succumbed to David's woOing
after a scant two weeks acQuaint-
ance, one of which had been spent
on shipboard. After a second week
David had returned to his native land,
leaving Martha with a most lovely
solitaire on her finger and more or
less startled acknowledgment of her
engagement.
The six months that were expected
to intervene between meetings had
dragged into eighteen, and it was with
cli oil that Mar.
tina made preparation for the long
delayed trip.
I When the New York sailed into
British waters and the mail came on
board Martha got a letter from David
in which he regretted the fact that
he could not meet her at Liverpool.
He had been sent to Belfast for at
least three weeks on business. Martha
sighed, but was not desperately dis
appointed. David had informed her
that Andre Lequeux. a Belgian, who
was stopping with him. would meet
Eher and pilot her safely to London.
Martha found herself wondering what
Andre Lequeux would be like. and
thinking that she would rejoice in
knowing anyone from the now famous
|country OF Belgium. She pondered
FDn the question as to how he would
be able to find her among the passen-
on David having provided Lequeux
with a photograph.
It was not difficult then, upon
reaching the wharf at Liverpool to
find herself facing a most wonderfully
golden-haired young man who intro
duced himself as Andre LeQueux.
Martha smiled and enjoyed the firm
grip of the Belgian's hand. She
smiled again inwardly when she OBJ
served that his eyes were the deep
blue of the night sky. If she sighed.
Andre did not know that she was COM
pairing him favorably with her dream
man Of past days.
Lequeux seemed most capable
person and had seen to her luggage.
and a customs inspector had put her
and her small bags on the train be-
fore Martha quite realized it. She
found his slightly foreign accent de-
Iightful, and realized that she was go
ing to like Davids friend very much
indeed.
The trip up to London passed with
out event, save a swift sense of under
standing between Lequeux and the
girl to whom David was engaged. The
Belgian did not leave her until he had
seen her comfortably ensconced in the
little private hotel in Holland Park.
+ After that it seemed as if all life
conferred in that which concerned An
Dire Lequeux. Perhaps it was the abb
solute calmness with which he ac-
cepted the fact that he was a refugee.
deprived Of his home and robbed of
the business he had built up in Ant
werp that first attracted Martha to
him. He had been in the civic guard
at the time of the bombardment OF
Antwerp and after seeing his home
and his business premises blown up
by the enemys shrieking shells he
had come to England-that haven for
all refugees. David McVicker had
taken Lequeux into his home and
friendship.
The state of affairs began to look
ominous. Martha knew that she
could never marry David. She had
fought desperately against the charm
of the Belgian but her struggle had
been useless. 1t was as if mighty
torrent haC rushed down from the
mountain side and swept her COM
pletely into his keeping. Apart from
his being the ideal of her youthful
dreams in physical beauty he pos
sessed q gentleness Of manner, a keen
sense Of humor and personal charm
that Martha loved in spite Of herself.
AS for Lequeux. the situation was
tragic. He had never before loved a
girl and now fate had elected to rob
him of home, business and the right
to tell that girl that he loved her.
Life seemed a queer medley of untold
sorrow for him, but his smile was as
r. I'd. and his m inner as gentle as if
the world OF joy lay before him.
1t was beginning to be most diff
cult to follow David's instructions in
the matter Of entertaining Martha
Lequeux was forced into the girls
presence through David's desire that
she be not lonesome while in London
and until he himself returned to take
her about. More and more the Bel
gian was falling in love with David's
girl, but he was constantly on guard
lest he betray his secret and thus
precipitate a crisis that meant a final
separation from David and David's
sweetheart
In the meantime David. over in
Belfast. had lost his heart to a little
irish girl and felt himself a cad The
long time that had passed since SEE