The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-09-04
The Euening Story
Times Forelock.

m other, that once Gwen is with you,
Aunt Lavinia, she cannot fail to real
| iZe her inexperience and fooliShneSs
in this matter. And, 1 do not say
| that he is not a very good sort of
a boy. There is nothing against him
unless that he is a Dinwiddie. Neither
you nor L could overlook that, but I
have conScientiouSly tried not to
prejudice Gwen on that score. Keep
her for a month or two. I am SO
glad Kenneth is with YOU
Gwen was down on the tennis court
with Kenneth at the moment, and
Miss Newcomb regarded them fondly
from the broad veranda. Matters
were progressing very we'll indeed,
considering Gwen. She had been there
a week and had not appeared to be
pining. Certainly she liked Kenneth,
which was rather remarkable, for
Gwen was at a tempestuous age, in
her first summer after college, and
Kenneth was not the type of man to
appeal to the romantic instinct in any
girl.
He was thirty, Slightly bald, genial,
we'll along in his profession and very
fond of Gwen. He had even remarked
that he admired her mentally, which
was a concession on his part, as
women in the aggregate were either
angels or sirens to Kenneth. He
rarely accorded them the gift of
brains.
This afternoon as she watched
them delightful plot was Matched
in Miss NewcombHs mind, plot so
pleasant and willy, SO innocent and
yet so inducive to good results that
she rocked to and fro and almost
purred over it. Gwen was her favorite
niece. 1t was merely taking time by
the forelock to give her a goodly por-
ton of her future inheritance, and it
would bring matters to a climax and
close out all possibilities of a match
between a Newcomb and a Dinwiddie.
Gwen, dear" she said, as the girl
came up the steps and sank into
chair beside her, flushed and pretty,
I've been thinking over matters very
seriously. You know I've not been
we'll for some time
why, I didn't know that, auntie,"
exclaimed Gwen, quick to sympathize.
Really"
you settled before my own call came,
you understand, child. You will be
here for while more. Be good to
Kenneth, dear, and I will talk more
fully to you in another week"
In another week. Gwen thought
over the phrase in perplexity. 1t was
not hard being good to Kenneth. One
could hardly be otherwise, he was so
gentle and docile, so anxious to
please. She even confided to him
all about Don Dinwiddie, and coaxed
him to mail her letters for her when
he went down to the village. And
Kenneth in return told her that he
was trying to get up courage to pro-
pose to lovely widow whose estate
he had been settling.
Pm going to wait a year, Gwen"
he said rather plaintive1y. That's
decent, don't you think? 1 haven't
told your aunt. She's been so mighty
nice to me, and she has all sorts of
plans up her sleeve for those she
likes, you know
oh toll ri 70
me ?" asked Gwen with swift suspi-
cicn. she told me to be good to
you
only that you would have more
Kenneth good naturally. Very tact
full of her, wasn't it?'
1t was stormy down at Sea Haven
the next week. The waves ran high
and crashed against the summer cot
tages along the shore drive, yet Miss
Newcomb chung to her and refused
to return to the city. The train serv-
ice along the shore was uncertain,
and finally when the schedule was
given up, as part of the tracks lay
under water, she sprung her plan.
Gwen was preparing for bed, her
long braids of hair lying over her
shoulders, her white silk kimono with
its huge satin chrysanthemums show
ing her tall, girlish figure to the best
advantage. Miss Newcomb smiled at
her from the wicker chair beside the
dressing table.
Gwen, my dear, if you are married
inside of forty-eight hours 1 will give
you $4,000. You will have more after
my DEATH
This is a sort of bonus on good
behavior" queried Gwen, lifting her
eyebrows. Don't think that 1 don't
understand, Aunt Lavinia, because 1
do perfectly. Is Kenneth to receive a
bonus, too, if he musters up courage
to propose to me in that time?"
ice h xxrifI ifNy
Think it over That is all wish
to say. Think it over carefully.
There are four more girls back home,
Gwen, and you owe your mother
something"
After the door closed Gwen got up
and stood at the open window watch
ing the waves break below her on the
long white beach. Don was in New
York and no trains were running
along the shore road. She could wire
him to meet her in Jersey City or even
nearer, but how could she get to him,
be married and return.
The whiff of cigarette fioated up
to her from the garden below and she
leaned over the window sill.
Kenneth" she said softly, Il want
to talk to YOU
Peacefully Miss Newcomb slept that
night. At breakfast her two guests
seemed to have made decided prog
ress. She smiled and said nothing,
but went up to her little writing room
to send off a long letter to Ovens
mother, as soon as the mails Should
run again.
At noon only Kenneth came into the
dining room. He said that Gwen had
a headache and was lying down, and
he chatted delightfully."- until after
O'Clock. 1t was after before Miss
Newcomh was awakened from her
own siesta by the ringing of her tele-
phone bell. 1t was call from the
beach pier. The message was read
to her over the wire.
Married to Don >3:15, Atlantic City.