The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-15
The Eoenine Story


American people. but London. too, had
fallen, a ready victim, to her charm.
Yet. Madge was still the wholesome.
big-souled girl of the country.
When Sir John Giltroy was present
ed to her at the home of Lord, Dan
vers. at whose home q house party
was given in her honor, he knew that
the one woman had entered his life.
The onslaught was sudden and COM
polling. So great was the, havoc
wrought that his male friends rallied
him that evening in the smoke room.
but Sir John only accepted the banter
with his slow, easy smile.
During the fortnight following he
courted Madge with British determine
ton. There was no outward demon
stration Of his purpose to win her for
his own, yet there was not q soul
among the jolly house party that failed
to read Sir Johns eyes when they rest
ed on Madge.
Before accepting Lord Danver's in
vitation Madge had asked the privilege
of solitude for an hour or two day
that she might study up her part for
the forthcoming production Of her new
play.
public-even when on a holiday" she
had told her host. IT must work when
you are all shooting grouse and land
ing salmon"
Thus it happened that there were
many moments of the day when Sir
John Giltroy was not happy. He was
not jealous of Madge's art, but he re-
GREETED the slipping of precious hours
when she could have been at his side.
was cant at best. He knew that the
return to Lonaon meant rehearsals and
fatigue that would assuredly preclude
him. at least temporarily from her
horizon.
AS for Made, she felt almost sorry
that Sir John Giltroy had appeared
upon that horizon at all. Her reason
told her that she could not be happy
as the mistress of London mansion
even though the very best people in
the land would be her friends. Her
heart, in turn. seemed determined to
make her acknowledge that neither
could she be happy amid the apple
blossoms and simplicity of the country
/ were not Sir John beside her. He was
SO detached from her ideals of life.
Now, that she had won a heavy laurel
wreath. Madge had only one desire. and
that was to retire from the footlights
to some quiet country spot and there
steep her soul in nature even as she
moods of the stage.
Il want a brood Of ktddies brought
up under the scent Of fruit blossoms
and having for toys a lamb, some
chickens, rabbits and even wee pig
gy, she had once told a friend who
had been astonished at her refusal to
marry an eminent politician. Il think
/ am still a farmer at heart" she
laughingly added.
Perhaps it was because her char
acter for the new play was that OF a
simple country girl that Madge spent
long hours in study Of it, or it might
have been that cold reason told her
that in escaping Sir John she was for
tffying her heart against the attack:
She knew by The look in his eyes that
he would ask her to marry him before
returning ia the city.
Even SO. Madge found it difficult to
Withstand his pleading when he
| p ,ured forth his love for her with an
ardor that only a deeply affected man
possesses. She had not dreamed that
a reserved, easy-gt ing Britisher could
fall SO completely and SO gloriously
| in love. 1t quite toLk her breath away
and left her weaker than she had an
| ticipated.
"You know SO little of me- she
said, when fina'y her heart quieted
! its beating. II am deeply honored
by your love- but feel that our paths
are so different: they are SO widely
separated that it would be difficult to
get the besth out of life under those
conditions"
Without knowing it, Madge swayed
slightly toward him. His arms went
swiftly about her and his lips COW
cred her own before she could stir.
II will give you another fortnight
to think it over" he said. making an
| effort to speak with control while his
breath was coming Jerkily. You
| will know then l. you love me-"
| He let her go then, and Madge went
quickly to her room. Her cheeks were
q deep scarlet and her wonderful eyes
were shining.
| II will r. have TO wait fortnight
| 70 f7v,A nrrf Vxyhafhar 1nuo
him. she told herself. and laughed
weakly as she compared her emo
lions now with her emotionless re-
captions Of stage lovers.
| Madge did not. however. deceive
herself into the belief that she would
marry Sir John Giltroy. Her dreams
of a life in the country and away from
all cares OF social activity were toe
deeply rooted in her being. Her lau-
rel wreath and her standing in society
were as naght when compared to the
old sunbonnet days of her youth.
Having returned to her apartment
in town E@adge became entirely occu-
pied with her. new production. She
had decided when she first saw hel
part that the little trunk full OF
clothes with which she had come te
Broadway from The country would
costume the role as no other clothes
would. The trunk was always with
her. 1t was the closest link with the
past and a treasured possession.
When Madge opened it to look over
its contents she had not realized that
a tumult Of emotion would sweep over
her. The longing to get back to the
old farm brought tears to her eyes
and when she picked up the old pink
sunbonnet that had chung to her curly
head through rain and through shine
tMadge wept softly into its faded
depths
mo, nor she told herself We
hemently, IT could not marry a titled
parsonage and tie myself down to con-
ventfonal city life-" She gaxed fondly
at her ginghams and quaint little