The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-08
The Euening Story
The Eternal Feminine.
(By lola Forester.

Hello, helloi Yes, this is Milf.
Oh"-Milton's tone breathed interest
and surprise-''it's you, girlie?"
Beth turned around and stared with
wide-open eyes, listening.
Indeed, L will-right away. Not q
bit of it. I'm awfully glad to help out.
Goodby.''
He hung up the receiver and
wheeled about, looking not at Beth,
but at the clock.
Its Mrs Hewitt. Her husbands
in Baltimore, and wired her to meet
him, and the maids gone, and there's
nobody to help her down with her suit
case. She wants me to run up to din
ner and take her to the station after
ward You don't mind of course,
Beth?"
who is Mrs. Hewitt?' she asked
frigidly.
why, she's a girl I knew out in
Denver, you know
1T don't know. How old Is she and
what does she look 1ike?"
Now, Beth''-Milton looked bit
bored as if he hated to go into the
subject, It was so trivial-"I think we
agreed that real love is above Jealousy.
This is only common courtesy I've
known Grille Cooper-sfle used to be
n Cooper-since I was boy at school,
She's about twenty-four. 1 guess
around there"
At eighteen, twenty-four looks
worldly wise and experienced. Beth
pursed her lips.
I'll be back by nine,' added Milton.
| 81 don't see why on earth she sin
gled you out if you haven't seen her in
years
"Oh, I've seen her, dear. 1 know
| her husband well. He's splendid fell
| low, nandsomest man you ever saw.
Girlie's so much in love with him it's
almost funny"
Beth looked at him with growing
suspicion.
as a tame cat?" she inquired wither
ingly You needn't come back here,
Milt She could call taxi and go
down by herself. OF course, you can
i do just as you please. but you needn't
come back here if you go carting suit
cases around for old sweethearts."
"She wasn't a sweetheart" Milton
retorted wrethfully. Now do we have
to scrap over this act of common cour-
| tesy, Beth"
She eyed him dispassionately.
I'm not in the least bit angry, but I
won't have you play the part of car
pet knight. What right has she to call
you up and ask you to carry her suit
cases for her if you never were en-
gagged? Does she know we're en-
gaged?''
II guess SO. Why, Beth
would you like me, after we're
married. to call up some old sweet
train at a moments notice ?"
You're absurd
Il am not If you go, you needn't
come back. Why did she call you up
here?"
clock.
us she blonde?'.
mo, no. Brunette, brown eyes,
brown hair. Beth, please be reason
able.'
You know, Milt, you can't deceive
me one bit" She leaned her adorable
chin on her palm and looked up at
him. I've heard of Grille Cooper.
Mrs. Daniels told me you were en-
gagged to her and perfectly wild over
her five years ago. 1 think it's ter
rible for the man you love to have
memories of other girls
II never was engaged to her. Beth
standing there, expostulating.
She really did need a lesson, Milton
told himself severely. Utter lack of
faith in him was too much to bear I'M
checked. He would take Grille to the
train, and show her every courtesy.
1t was only common decency. Beth S
very opposition had invested the situa-
ton with the zest of adventure. Grille
had never really cared for him any
more than she had for twenty others.
She had always been a favorite, and
was a mighty nice, sweet girl. OF
course she'd never have Beth's snap
and charm of strength of character if
she lived to be a thousand years old
|, but she was a good pal.
All this he told himself going up to
Girlie's, all the way through dinner
all the way downtown Grille talked
necessarily of Hobart, her husband, OF
his congressional ambitions, his tastes,
his achievements, showed all his news
clippings and photographs. She was a
little, appealing sort of woman, with
big brown eyes and a wiStful chin
Milton found himself comparing her
mentally with Beth's beautiful clear
eyed buoyant girlishness.
you know the real reason why
| asked you to see me to the station
Milt," she said as they entered the
taxi. IT'S for Hobart's sake. I want
you to see that his new bill is handled
fairly by the papers. You will, won't
you, Milt? l don't know myself just
what it's about, but it must be a splen-
did measure or he'd never take it up
He's that type of man, you know, Mi1t
: Just ask Miss wharton
Beth? '' asked Milton, alarmed
what does she know about him?''
why. don't you know" The big
brown eyes met his in surprise. 'She
saved his life. We've been married g
year, and it was before he met me. She
: was hardly more than a child, he told
me. and they were all down at Pine.
hearst for the late winter season. be
lieve he was accidentally shot, and she
| found him as he was riding through
the mountains and saved him.
''Was=was he in love with her p
; asked Milt feebiy. Quite romantic
: wasn't it?"
He was till he met me- Grille an.
swered eomplacentls. but he'll never