The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-10-06
EVENING STORY
A Matter of Momentum.
(By Elsie See.)

tomorrow at nine, WdTTei-
Warren Deans car sped silently
along the parkway to Alma's home
and neither of them spoke again unity
he drew up at the curb.
And when you have finished your
book?" he asked.
"A month or SO of rest in the noun
tains.''
And them"
"Oh, another book, perhaps; that's
the usual way, I believe"
Alma, dear, don't think me unsym-
pathetic. I'm as proud of your success
as you are. but some day the book of
your own life must have it's new chap
ters written in. I've asked you twice
for the big role in that book, and l
shall continue to ask you until you
confront me with a rival more formid-
able than your embryo books" War
ren's eyes searched hers eagerly as he
assisted her from the car.
We've been such good friends that
1 truly wish we might be more, War
rem, but unless I felt that we must be
more it would be unfair to us both to
give you the answer you want now,
said Alma gently.
.'Goodby," said Warren, at the porch
steps. "And remember that if you
ever want me or need me I'll be wait
ing for your call"
The next day. Alma set OUT for lit
tie mountain cillage where she worked
throughout the summer on her book.
BY September the book was finished
and it's first instalment as serial was
going into type for tie November issue
of a leading magazine. Alma went
from the village to a ranch, thinking
she would have absolute quiet there,
but the ranchman's wife received SO
many telephone calls ever the noisy
penetrated the thin walls of the small
house so completely that silence was
at a premium within the house. This
did not annoy her greatly. though, for
it was the outdoors she loved. Early
every morning she was either tramp
ing or climbing or riding horseback
in the clear, crisp air that limited of
frosts not fer away.
Books, letters and magazines
reached her in each semi-weekiy mail
delivery, but Warren's letters had
gradually become shorter and fewer
When she had been absorbed in her
books she had scarcely noticed this,
but now that she was idle and in
receptive frame OF mind for news from
outside. she began to take note of the
thinness and fewness of his letters.
''Ah. WE'LL she said to herself one
afternoon, its like a man to want to
be everything or nothing, but I'll climb
upon Eagle Rock with a new maya
zine for company and leave ali men to
their fate"
made the slow climb to the big rock
the new magazine seemed only a mass
of printing broken at intervals by il
lustratiors. She sat watching the
clouds pass below the highest point
of a distant mountain, but her
thoughts were of Warren. She had
unconsciously been loosening a round
rock with the restless movement of
her foot. and was surprised when the
stone suddenly bounded down the
mountain side. 1t bumped along at
first, but as it struck the protruding
edge of a large boulder, it shot out
and steadily gained in momentum
until It landed in the sandy gulch far
below.
Alma got up and looked about for
another rock she could dislodge. She
found one larger and rounder which
Guilty. Just as it was ready to be
given a final push she remembered
the schoolgirl custom of naming ap-
pie seeds and corners of rooms to de-
termine whether certain youths loved
certain girls
I'll name this rock for Warren"
she said to herself, land if it goes all
the way down to the gulch he loves
me; if it stops by the way he loves
me not
She gave it a push and it went
crashing down among the aspens, but
contact with some scrubby oaks
checked its progress and when it
reached the large overhanging boul-
der it was rolling feebly along. Just
as Alma was ready to murmur, He
loves me not" the rock rolled over
the edge of the big boulder and went
on down with such force that it
struck sparks from other stones as it
drove surely and rapidly to the gulch
below. where it embedded itself in the
red sand.
He loves me- even if he doesn't
write" Alma laughed at her childish
ness. but the incident made her feel
happy, and she descended the trail
feeling strangely elated.
When she reached the ranch house
large touring car stood at the yard
gate. Two women in ulsters and wells
sat on the rear seat, and the chat
feur was carrying water to quiet the
rumbling of the overheated engine
Alma passed hurriedly into the house
and in the narrow hall she encoun-
tered a faint perfume which suggest
ed a type of woman she did not like.
Then she head the shrill voice of the
ranchman's wife trying to get tele-
phone connection with a big hotel at
& summer resort forty miles away
The voice came clearly thru the thin
walls into AIma's room. Here they
are, madam" it said, here's the Elk
ton house,
Please let me sreak to Mr.. Brown
the desk clerk said a woman's rich
voice that had u familiar sound to
Alma. When the woman spoke again
Alma ciapped her hands over her
mouth to smother an exclammation 1t
was the voice of a woman she knew
and disliked, but woman famed as
a bewitching widow This is Mrs
Atwill speaking, Mr.. Brown We lost
our way and have just succeeded in
locating ourselves. I'm expecting
some friends from the east. Has Mr..
Warren Dean. of New York, regis
tered" A brief silence. mo? Then
he may arrive on the o'clock train.
If so, will you kindly tell him of our
delay and say we shall be there not
later than s? Thank you
Long after the automobile went