The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-03
The Evening Story


just for Tonight.
(By Earl Reed Silvers.)
The strains of .'Just for Tonight
died away. Phil Kendall looked into
the eyes of Mildred Arnold and smiled.
rs it going to be just for tonight
with us ?" he whispered.
81 guess so, Phil She spoke kind
ly, but there was hint of determine
ton in her voice. There's Arthur,
you know
Phil frowned darkly.
Are you engaged to him %
Almost" Mildred's voice Quivered
| slightly. 1T isn't announced yet, but
two years ago, when he was a sopho-
And now. when you know that he
isn't all you thought he was, are you
going to keep your promise ?"
Yes" They had walked to the
porch of the big gymnasium and were
standing in the shadows. ITS the
only thing for me to do
But it isn't" Phil spoke passion
ately. when you find out that you
tinue your engagement with him..
Mildred shook her head.
81 wish could think SO, but can't.
I've been brought up to believe that
promise is sacred"
but your whole future is at stake"
ST know, but that doesn't make
promise less binding. Arthur hasn't
done anything wrong so far as l
know. He's just weak, but lots and
lots of men are weak, and girls have
married them just the same.
| HES a coward" Phil spoke hotly-
"You-you really haven't any right
to say that The girl laid restrain
ing hand on his arm. You must re-
member that I am engaged to him.
81 beg your pardon!" He was silent
for a minute or two, but suddenly he
turned to her 1mpulsively. II know 1
shouldn't say these things" he said,
but it hurts me SO to know that you
are going to give yourself to someone
who isn't worthy of you. Not that 1
am" he added hastily, but at least
I'm more of a man than Arthur Mar
tin is"
'I know you are She spoke softly.
s'Then why don't you tell him SO ?''
ST can't; a promise is a promise. Ar
| with me, and until he does something
to which I can take exception I will
not break the engagement"
The music for the next dance
Arthur Martin appeared to claim his
partner. Phil watched them until they
were lost in the shifting crowd of
dancers.
IF only something would happen to
show her what a cad he ISL he NUT
tered.
During the rest of the evening moth
ing happened,a and when the final dance
was concluded, Arthur and Mildred
walked arm in arm from the frater-
nifty room where the house party WAS
being held. Phil saw them at the base
ball game the next afternoon, and in
the evening, when he stood on the
porch of Herro1 Hall, where the final
| dance of junior week was being held,
he watched as they whirled off To-
gether to the strains of Mighty Lax
Rose" the first waltz of the night.
Phil managed to engage the sixth
and seventh dances with Mildred. and
| instead of staying in the crowded hall
| they walked over the shadowy paths
of the Belmont campus until they came
| to the steps of the old Kings build
| ing, where they fingered They were
half hidden in the shadows, and the
| two persons who stood beneath the
arc-light. not ten feet away, did not
notice them. Phil started as he noted
that one of the figures was Arthur
Martin and the other Nellie Burt,
whom he knew by sight as a factory
hand for the Thompson company
downtown.
They could hear Martin speaking
angrily..
| "But you promised to marry mel
There was a hint of tears in the girls
voice
Il can't marry you; I'm engaged to
some one else.
l GU oHo spoke lonSelys anu
seized the arm of his coat. You can't
turn me down like this
I'm not turning you down 1 didn't
| promise to marry you-just suggested
that we might possibly be married
some day.
you asked me that night on the
river"
ct didn't
You did-you know you did,
The two in the shadows could not
help hearing what was said. Phil re-
covered from his amazement first, and
took Mildred's arm.
Come on" he suggested. Lets go
| back to the hall"
/ mo" Mildred spoke firmly. I'm
going to find out the truth about this
affair"
Before he could stop her she had
confronted Martin and the other girl.
Arthur she asked, lis this girl
speak king the truth?''
| Martin gasped as he saw her.
Mildred he parried. what in the
world are you doing here?''
| ct was sitting on the steps with
Phil" she answered steadily, land
couldn't help hearing what you said
Nellie Burt stepped forward.
Are you the girl he's engaged to ?''
she asked.
Yes
ssWeu he prornised to marry me-