The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-11-22
The Euening Story
Where Reason Rules.
(By Hope Ainslie.)

him too, Jackie" The major chuckled
ippreciatively. Jack, at the window,
faced the darkness in surly silence.
How long since you were-er-en-
gaged?"
Never was, sir. She wouldn't
have me-"
$50 you tried, eh?''
I'D marry her any time she said
the word. It's mother who settled it,
"Lucia's peculiar, but still amen
able if you know how to get at her,
Jack. You're her one and only, you
see. She'll act like the empress of
China as long as you live-always
treat you as she did when you had
curls and Buster Brown suits. Sup
pose she has picked out your wife for
you herself, hasn't she?"
Jack nodded moodily.
It's just this way, Uncle Ted.
There's girl up home, Betty Roberts
and we used to be rather sweet on
each other. We both went to tho
same church and the academy, and 1
suppose 1 did write letters to her and
so on when I was seventeen or around
there. Mother likes her and she's al
ways said I'd marry Betty. Last year
went after that concession and met
Mrs. Leonard. She loaned her co1lec-
ton of Chinese porcelains to the eX-
hibit and I give you my word, Uncle
Ted, from the instant we looked at
each other I didn't give rap whether
i ever saw Betty OF any OlHSI
as long as / lived"
Good locker, Jack?"
She's just divine" Jack spoke fer
vently reverently. 'She's been a wild
ow for four years; married at nine
teen to a brute"
All good looking widows husbands
are brutes," murmured the major.
go on
That's all. 1 told her I loved her
and she was giving me at least a
Out to
Frisco and queered the whole thing.
She met Mrs. Leonard at Aunt Annals
and told her 1 was an impresSiOnable
boy, a perfect slave to sympathy and
all that rot, always used to being pet
ted, etc. Finally showed her Bettys
picture as the little girl sweetheart
back east waiting for me to get
through my travels. You know the
way she can put a thing Owe with the
tone of her voice and her eyes. Well.
I didn't have chance after she had
left. Dolores left for Santa Barbara
the next day.
''Humph," unused the major. Now
she comes here. Did she know you
were with me at the Springs"
mo, sir. We haven't written"
well, I don't blame you, mind,
Jackie. She's a wonderfully attractive
woman. And you're twenty-six, you
know, old enough to toddle without
the maternal leading strings, I should
ter to me, but still-what's this Betty
Hke?"
"Oh, she's all right" said Jack
vaguely. Like any girl Batty,s
crazy over her, always has been. OF
course, he isn't the style of a fellow
that girls take to, though, Uncle Ted"
There goes the widow said the
major, suddenly leaning forward.
Cad, she can ride
Jack vaulted the veranda rail and
made for the mounting stone to meet
the chestnut mare as she galloped up
the shore road. His voice was bit
husky when he spoke to Mrs. Leon
ard, slim and erect in her black habit,
her hair wind-b1own around her face.
her eyes dark and evaStve as he
leaned toward her.
Don't go in yet" he begged as the
boy took the bride. II must speak to
you. You've avoided me ever since
you found 1 was here. Dolores"
Hush, Jack. Some one will hear
you, you foolish boy"
Don't call me a boy" he swung
back miserably. I'm not. Come along
the pine road just a little way. You
wouldn't speak to me hardly at lunch.
! know you were sorry even to see me
here"
"Oh, no, I was not. 1t was a pleas
ant surprise, really it was, Jack"
"A pleasant surprise. 1t made me
perfectly mad to see you again
THE train service to Santa Barbara
is quite regular" she said demurely
you wouldn't have seen me. You
left without a word. You believed
every last thing mother told you about
me and Betty
Did ~" She looked away from him
steadily. Perhaps I did. 1t seems
too bad. Jack, there has to be IA
Betty
What do you mean?''
Il always think of you needing a
girl sweetheart, and still"
You cared, didn't you? Even
though you went away. Never mind
Betty l haven't thought of any one
in the world but you for the last six
months Uncle Ted took me under
cause 1 wasn't fit for anything else
It's the greatest, sweetest gift that !
luck could have brought me, sending /
you here
She smiled, leaning forward as he
crushed her hands in his, and quoted I
softly under her breath
It had not dreamt that love would |
stay,
Yet here he fingers many a day."
Don't go away from me again. Do
lores. swear I'll follow you this |
time to the ends of the world
She laughed, her eyes brimful OF
tenderness.
"Oh. Jack, Jack. why didn't you /
follow me then if you really cared 2?
The major came leisurely toward 1
them, the late afternoon mail in his |
hands.
Good afternoon, Mrs. Leonard Betty |
Roberts eloped with Batcheller Phil /
Married in New York. Your mother I
writes that she's glad it's only Batty I
as she always seemed to be this sort /
of a girl. You know Jacks mother. |
don't you, Mrs. Leonardo"
Slightly" said Dolores gently. Il !