The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-22
The Epening Story
ADriI's Lady.

in the fire, elbows on knees.
Jean, her comrade-cousin, laughed
softly. What is so tiresome-endur-
ing Ned, or doing without Billy?''
Both - neither,' Leeta cried,
springing up and darling to the piano
Il believe it is mostly-men in gem
eraI.''
Say, rather. the fact that you can't
be quite happy with or without
them" Jean retorted. Tell the
truth, Lee-you know Irritation is
the salt of life to you
You're no better-only slyer,'
Leeta famed out
Jean laughed heartily. please ex-
plain' she said, after a minute.
Maybe L am sly; if so, I deceive
myself the same as anybody else
You don r!'' Leeta cried, whirling
to face her cousin. You know-you
cant deny-you've played your cards
beautifully-to make Davy Andrews
What's Davy?'' Jean queried. with
just the faintest flush
Leeta stamped hard. THE only
one really worth wilhelm all this
ruck that has come calling on US"
she said.
Jean stared. "Why-you called
begged me to save you from him.
Leeta nodded. II was a foo1-now
i am WISER" she said huskily- Il
didn't mean to tell you ever, but it
hurts so to see you playing with him
Playing with him. Jean echoed.
You speak in riddles. You can't
mean playing at love making, just
because made him leap year pro-
posal! You know how that happened.
All of you dared me to do it.
chose Davy because"
Because you liked hin1-best of
ALL Leeta exploded. And you
wanted to see him get hot and red
with all the others laughing at you
two.''
Funny way to show affection
making the one beloved mighty un-
comfortable" Jean interrupted.
Leeta gripped her shoulders hard,
saying in lhin-edged voice: You
do love him. Deny tiff you can"
"I can do the denying and never
turn a hair-but 1 question your
right to catechise." Jean said. flush
ing angrily. After breath she went
on more calmly; L Get I think think
quite. We've been so close all
our lives it seems impossible you are
going to let a manor the ghost OF
one rather-come between u.s..
David isn't any ghost-a real man
the best man. Leeta almost walled |
Jean freed herself, looked at the |
other half compassionately. half
said very crispiy:
eff it will case your mind. here and
now make you present of all right,
title claim or interest 1 have, had or
may have in David Andrews, Es-
quire."
Then she rushed upstairs, all I'M
knowing David had heard her. He
had been just within the entrance
exit. A big fellow ugly but after a |
frank. engaging fashion, he was much
puzzled as to what was best. If he
could have got away unseen he would
have done it, but Aunt Margaret,
hostess of the two girls, had met him
at the yard gate and hidden him go
inside. He must make the best of it,
stay a brif while, then excuse him
self on plea that he had come only to
say goodbye. There was wedding
imminent over at his Uncle Arm
strong's. He could go and stay there
4 month, until the pair of sirens had
departed.
Men propose sometimes when they
are disposed otherwise. Davy was
destined to prove the fact. Finding
Leeta in stormy tears, he would have
herself in his arms. And she was
very, very pretty, very, very, clinging,
her voice was flute soft, her
round arms velvet to the touch. By
the time he had claimed her little,
and got in the way of comforting her.
al inclination for flight had vanished.
And by the time Aunt Margaret came
n upon them, Leeta was comfortably
nestled within his arms as became his
oetrothed.
Aunt Margaret was direct-discon-
,ertingly so sometimes. ''Why, I
thought you were after other game,
lean, my little brown partridge" she
said, staring open-eyed as David man
July explained.
David got suddenly white-then
yery, very red Jean knew-all
along,'' he lied gallantly-not daring
wen to hope he spoke haf-truth.
She must have known he cared for
how his fancy had turned,
tt the touch, the cooings of this
,ther. Would the spell vanish when
lie no longer saw her-held her close?
At the thought he turned sick of soul
absence he knew had but made him
onder of Jean.
Scornful Jean, who had flung him
o Leeta as one filings a bone to a
vhimpering pup! Jean, whom he had
cit to be the soul of truth, yet who
;ame of hearts wherein he risked all,
he nothing. He began to wish in
'ravado she would come back, then
vas terror-stricken at the thought
he might guess. She never must
suess how her scorning had betrayed
him. That would be insufferable.
And really he ought to be grateful to
Ter rather than hurt Was he not !
cry happy here with Leeta for his
,wn?
Fate. which asks such questions,
ometimes also answers them. Three
lays later David knew with awful {
he would never be happy {
Without Jean He met her, out in
fields, sere and nipt, but 8
milling at curling low mists that l
we're tossed about by small, ruffling !
outh winds. She stood upon a ledgy
ock. bareheaded, her garments back
ward blown, face appraised, but hands
's'lesslv down. Unutterable sadness
AZ ii her deem ewes as they rested on