The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-03-13
The E:ue,,ine Story
Merely Actors.
-(By Thomas Gray Fessender

Nes~S>e~~>--'S
The third morning Belden Smith
down the glen road and saw the girl
reading beneath the big apple tree,
he did something which was a sur
prise to him for many days after. for
Belden Smith was q very self con-
tanned and conventional young man.
The first thing that surprised him
that farm house gate, crossed q bit OF
lawn to the apple tree. removed his
cap and said. Pardon me, but unless
am greatly mistaken. you arc the
young lady I pulled out Of the water
ut Long Beach last summer"
And as he spoke he felt the hot
blood surging up his neck and into
his face. and inwardly he was call
ing himself all kinds Of a. cad and
covertly wishing the earth would
open and swallow him up, for Belden
Smith had never seen this girl be-
fore.
The truth Of the matter was that
Belden Smith had found the hotel on
the mountain very dun. and the peo-
pie staying there even more 80. and
something about this girl under the
apple tree had appealed to him strong
ly, and an overwhelming desire to see
her more closely. to speak to her. to
hear her voice, had got him into this
silly scrape.
What was his surprise then when
she looked up quickly with those
wonderful dark eyes Of hers, smiled
prettily, flushed, gave q pleased lit
tie cry and took his hand in hers
well. this is a SURPRISE" she said.
Belden Smith felt the earth totter-
He sat down in a nearby chair,
which the girl was inviting him to oc-
cupy.
for me-" said she. Il should not have
gone out SO far"
Belden Smith stared. To think that
some one had pulled this girl from the
stumbled upon that very place 10 men
tion, and she had mistaken him for
her rescuer.
II wasn't at all sure you'd re-
member me- he said. sE-
Remember you? How could I ever
halo that morning when you came up
to me in the water just as was all
in pushing against that tide. What a
fuss I made!"
Indeed you didn't! Most people
grab you round the neck when you
go to their rescue in the water. You
didn't do that
4Vu WCAS ~ ROAAOSSAy oVASht0ASA
about 1t. and 20 modest when they
tried to make a hero Of you"
1T was you who was really splen-
did, putting up that losing fight as
you were when 1 got to you." said
he. hoping he was right. 1t seemed
a safe enough thing to say.
Evidently it was perfectly safe, for
she sighed reminiscently.
II couldn't have lasted much long
err" said she.
Belden Smith looked at her closely
She was even prettier than she had
dark and wavy and her cheeks smooth
and rounded, and she had the incest
voice. he thought at that moment. he
had ever heard. Then and there he
Beach. Funny he had stumbled on
the exact place and, too, that she had
really been saved by somebody. He
could scarcely believe in such luck.
But he was very happy, sitting there
talking to her, and being carefully
They were talking soon like old
friends. It was lunch time before he
realized it. She was visiting her aunt
at the farm and the house was filled
upon his staying. but she would be
i, here for three weeks and wouldn't he
ruin over to see her often? No, there
were no other young people staying ut
the farm. ne "u8ln IOI8GIs
Belden Smith did not forget. He
went to the farm down the glen road
the next day and the next and every
following day. They walked the hilly
roads, they went canoeing on the river.
they motored through the surrounding
country. Belden Smith found her the
most engaging companion. and alto
gether the most wonderful girl he had
ever met. Now and then he had little
| twinges Of conscience. But he put
n, 1pfv 0f he
had had no right to speak to her that
first day, and perhaps he was inviting
disaster in posing as her reScuer. AL
such times he would make up his
mind to tell her the truth the next
time he saw her and risk the conse-
quences. But somehow the next day
it would look easier to do yet one day
further removed. So three weeks
went past, and her visit at the farm
was drawing to a close
The last day came and still he had
not made his confession. That last
afternoon they were to motor together
o'clock Smith came whtrrfng up to the
farm in his big gray road car. She
was waiting for him under the apple
tree where he had first seen her.
Today he had made up his mind to
tell her as soon as he saw her. but
she looked SO very lovely and 80 very
happy that instead he helped her into
the car and they went spinning down
the road.
IT was a cloudless afternoon. A re-
cent rain had laid the dust of the
mountain road Up and up they
climbed until they were Tar up the
roads and trees and villages and fields.
stretching out below Them
Then near the summit Smith stop
ped the car. His lips were set He
had made up his mind that here and
now he would tell the whole truth He
beam nv coughing Weaklv Hfa OWN