The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-08-16
The EUening Story
Getting Even.

Curtis Duncan closed his magazine
with weary sigh and regarded his
cousin with amusement. IF Won
won't have the common politeEess to
see me off, you can at least take that
expression off. your face and shake
hands. I've apologized at least a
| dozen times''
'Apologizedi" grunted his cousin.
AS ii that helped. 1t was by the
rarest luck that 1 wasn't disowned
! on the spot. You see, the governor
college-had to work his way through,
| and all that sort of thing-and he
doesn't realize what a fellow is ex-
| pected to do nowadays"
We'll, the only cat let out of the
bag was the fact that you spent your
week-ends in New York. 1 thought
of course he knew about that. Any
| way, it isn't worth getting huffy
about, Curtis consulted his watch.
| I've just time to get aboard leiSurely.
| Say you forgive me. and then do any
| thing you want to get even with me-
| ION, I'll be even with you all right
answered his cousin gleefully- Don't
| let that worry you"
Then you won't come to the pier Pr
I Curtis asked lazily.
No, thanks. By the way, you're
sailing with some FRIENDS of mine
the Livingstones Dick Livingstone is
| a classmate of mine and his sis
oh, you and your everlasting class
| mates! interrupted Curtis. Man
alive, you don't suppose 1 want to
know any one on board, Go you %
In five minutes more Curtis had
| left his Motel and was rolling away
to the pier, dimly suspicious that his
energetic cousin had been up to some
of his annoying tricks. At the close
of the first day out Curtis was dis
tinctly relieved. He had exa mined
his luggage in the hold, as well as
in his stateroom, and Ead found that
it had not been tempered with. His
cousins refusal to accompany him to
the pier had inclined Curtis to think
that there might be some trace of
promised revenge on board the steam
er. Practical joking-the delight of
the younger mans heart-was exceed
ingly distasteful to his older cousin.
The second day, like the first, found
Curtis in the smoking rocm. But the
third, by some rniracle-tEe miracle of
a very pretty face-found him linger-
ing on the deck with Barba Living
stone
Shall we take a turn about the
deck?" he asked.
mo, thank you," she said without
hesitation.
Don't you mind the spray on your
face?" he asked, regarding her close
ly. II can move you chair easily
mo, thank you, Mr. Duncan"
You surely won't object to my NOV
ing into the spray he said, as he drew
his chair nearer.
perhaps not" said Barba, stiff1y
asked, hoping to arouse her interest.
Yes"
Jolly sort of boy. isn't he?"
Yes" she said, looking straight
into Curtis face for the first time since
he had been talking to her. '.And,
by the way, he wrote to my brother
about you" She laughed with a shade
of sarcasm so you see your repu-
tation has gone before you"
Curtis smiled with self-satisfaction.
MY reputation: that's good" he said.
Billy has rather exaggerated it, 1
fancy" he added, thinking with pride
of his record in college and
of his success in business since. you
mustn't believe more than half he says,
you know"
More than half,'' Barba exclaimed
That's rather funny, Mr.. Duncan
Just then Barba's brother came up.
II say, Barba," he said, regarding
Curtis with brotherly indignation.
lawfully sorry to interrupt you, but
we're making up a bridge set and we
need you"
Barba rose obediently and. without
expressing her regret, walked off with
her brother.
The next day the smoking room was
positively distasteful to Curtis. All
day he fingered on deck within sight
of a graceful figure enveloped in a
plaid steamer rug. In the morning he
had passed the chair three times.
Once he had paused. Once he ven
tUred to speak, but the sound of the
sea apparently drowned his voice. That
evening Curtis Duncan paced the deck
with apparent indifference, his object,
of course, being to catch a glimpse
of the girl who interested him. He
found her at the forward deck looking
dreamily out over the starlit waves,
but when he asked her to walk with
him a cold look came into her eyes
and she declined abruptly.
Il say, Miss Livingston said Curtis,
not used to such indifference. you
are a mighty unresponsive sort of a
girl, aren't you?'
AT times-yes," was her answer.
II suppose I bore you, don't II"
Curtis continued. But 1 fancy you
would rather like me if you knew
me. Come on with me out to the
stern. There is jolly place out there
where We can sit and watch the waves.
The officers will let me through all
right"
She refused again and Curtis laugh
ed to hide his discomfort.
TIL think you are afraid of me in
moment, Miss Livingstone he said.
Curtis sat down in the chair beside
her, and before many minutes had
passed Barba found herself eagerly
talking to the charming stranger. But
before long Barba remembered and
excused herself
The day before landing, after five
long days which Curtis passed in
what seemed to be a futile pursuit of
the girl who fascinated him, he found
himself for the first time walking the
deck with Barba- When she saw
her brother appear on deck she quick |
w excused herself Rut Curtis held |