The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-21
The Evening Story
Allies.


1t all began the day Eleanor Belle
turned to Robin, a casual on1ooker at
the tennis court, and said sweetly:
Wont you play in this set with me,
Mr.. Dean? I'm afraid to ask, I'm
such a horrid player; but
Robin had not allowed her to fin
lsh, in his haste to accept. He flushed
consciously as he answered: Thank
you, very much, Miss Belle. I'd be
very much honored, indeed, to play
with you" And as she gave him a
sidelong look out of her wonderful
eyes, which seemed to say You are a
man after my own heart, and 1 have
just discovered it," his own poor heart
almost gave jump right out of his
mouth, and he added, impulsively, I'D
eat peck of that sand, Miss Belle, if
you'd ask me to, like that
She laughed But I don't intend
to make such a demand now, Mr.
Dean she said, with another look
that thrilled him afresh.
And that is the way 1t began, for UP
to that minute Robin had regarded
Eleanor Belle as an unapproachable
planet of the upper heavens, with a
group of satellites all her own, who far
surpassed him in brilliancy and age
He belonged to a set known as 1.-The
Kids"
Craig HaIsted and Mary Lane, on
the other side of the net nodded I'M
derstandingly to one another. "NelPs
caught another fish" whispered Craig
Just a minnow!" laughed Mary.
isn't she the limit? I wonder what
she does it for!"
Shed better be careful. One of the
m1nnows might grow into whale and
eat her up" answered Craig lightly,
as he sent the ball over the net.
But after all that wasn't the real be-
ginning either: That happened years
before, one day when Robin was 6
years old and Betty Wright was 8.
Knocked Betty down and in sheer ex-
uberance of spirits was kissing her all
over her little face when Robin came
along on roller skats and bravely gave
the tormentor a whack with a stick
that drove him away The little
golden-haired girl had smiled ador-
ably and held out two chubby hands
Me love you'll" she said And Robin
had kissed her as impulsively as fif-
teen years later, he had offered to de-
YOUR part of the tennis court at
Eleanor Bellies command.
Betty and Robin had grown I'D
chums, fighting each others battles,
sharing each others joys, triumphing
In each others victories
Even now, Robin flushed with con-
sc1ous pride as he thought of Betty.
perhaps Miss Belle will let me walk
home Won't she be surprised, though.
to see me cumming with such a
queenI"
Robin and Eleanor Belle won the
set.
What a splendid player you are,
Robin! You don't mind me calling
you Robin, do your" She flashed a
splendid smile at him and held out her
hand. Il want to congratulate YOU.
on are the flrst man who has beaten
Craig Halsted this year"
the "minnow' gasped with a con-
reply of some sort. He did walk home
with Eleanor, and they did pass
Bets" house, but so complete was his
infatuation that he didn't see his old
chum waving at him from a side
porch swing.
home, one of the charmer's satellites
passed, man six or seven years Rob-
ms senior. What are your hours,
Nell?' he called You ought to hang
out a signi''
Robin turned a hot red. The ref
erence to a kindergarten went home
and he felt like fighting. Then his
good sense came to his rescue and he
paid no attention. That was the manly
thing to do!
When he had left Eleanor at her
door he went back to Betty's stepping
on clouds instead of the pavement
This time he saw his chum of the
swing.
''HelIe, Bet!"
Hello, Bob! Wonder you wouldn't
speak as you pass by What's up be-
tween you and Nellie Belle? You
looked as thick as thieves going along
a minute ago" The boy detected a
note of amazement in her voice, but
shrugged his shoulders indifferently
as though what had happened was an
everyday occurrence.
"Oh, we played tennis together and
1 thought I'd better take her home"
''Shes older than you, Rob!"
mot much! Besides, it doesn't make