The Topeka state journal., 1916-12-21
EVENING STORY
The Unbidden Guest.
(By IzoIa Forrester.) }

rooms" said Beth. HE hasn't been
in them for months, Anne, and nobody
knows where he is.''
Eyes, they do, too. Mrs. Lannigan
says she hears from him once a month
regularly, when he pays his rent, and
the letters are forwarded from Paris"
But she says it would be all right,
and it's only for Christmas eve We
can't possibly have twenty-five young
sters up in his sky parlor, and his is
the only other place. We'n pay her
for the use of the rooms and she can
settle it then with her own con-
science"
But Anne felt dubious over the
proposition. They had lived at Mrs.
Lannigan's quiet studio building just
off Washington Square for four
months now, ever since they had come
to conquer New York. Beth had dived
head first into settlement work down
in the italian quarter. She had a lace
class and modelling class, and helped
out on Sunday night concerts besides.
Now she had a Christmas party plan
ned, with twenty-five of the children
from the settlement to entertain. Anne
knew perfectly we'll that when Beth
had extended the invitation she had
not had the slightest idea how she was
to get away with it. Mr.. Randalls
studio had been a second thought,
probably brought out by a consultation
with Mrs. Lannigan, who aided and
abetted Beth in all her widest under
takings.
That afternoon Beth came upstairs
humming serenely to herself
1--WE got his keys" she cried. Come
on and take a look at everything"
Beth, enveloped in her modelling
apron. invaded the coveted suite with
the air of conqueror. 1t really was
just what they needed-three good
sized rooms, all furnished with a GER
tain easy desire for comfort as we'll as
artistic effect.
He smokes a pipe" Beth said, lift
ing several from a monk's-head
rack, with a critical air. Pretty
good etchings, too. but I don't like the
Jap prints. They always look like
spoon faces to me, those girls with the
drawn-out faces and long fingernails.
Wonder what he's got in the cabinet" :"
She sat crossed-legged on the floor
before a big teakwood cabinet, her
head on one side like a curious mag
pie.
You haven't one bit of right to
look in there, Beth"
I know, but. in the interests of
art" Beth smiled, and opened the two
doors wide. Sketches" she an
nounced. He's an artist. All black
and white, tho" She spread the folios
out on the floor, turning over sketch
after sketch. Then, all at once. she
held one up. 1t was a rough sketch,
just the turn of the drive below the
arch where the Fifth avenue motor
busses made their stops. And it was
summer. girl just stepping on the
bus had turned to throw a bunch of
flowers at some dancing half-clad
Italian boys splashing in the water
from the hydrant.
Anne" she said solemnly. Look
at me. It's my hat and suit and
everything"
Its very good, 1 think" Anne an
swered calmly.
You haven't q spark of adventure
in you. Don't you think it's strange
and mysterious and everything else for
him to make that way off last summer.
and now for me to find it here while
he's perhaps dying on the field of
battle in France?"
Anne laughed. 1t was so like Beth
to weave rose-colored mesh around
the picture But Mrs. Lannigan's
football sounded in the hall outside,
and they put the folios back in the
cabinet.
Only once again before Christmas
did Beth refer to the absent Iodger
His name is Gilbert Randall and
he's out there for the News Record, -
she said.
But she did not add that in her fire.
quent visits to the rooms below she
had discovered an excellent portrait
of Gilbert Randall, one of those sepia-
toned modern photogra- hs, showing
MIN relaxed and natural, with his pipe
in his hand. and a comra -Iy, personal
look in his eyes. Beth set it up in a
conspicuous place, and wh.n she
placed the final decorations around
the rooms she tucked a sprig of mis-
/ lnfr -, =
and placed a wreath of holly around
That's just, to pay you back for
sketching me when 1 wasn't looking -
she told him.
The children were due at sharp
Mrs. Lannigan was on duty over the
refreshment problem and Beth had
picked up a trio to play music. The
studio and two smaller rooms did look
charming. Anne declared, with their
wealth of Christmas green's and the
tall Christmas tree in the space be-
tween the windows. And the children
themselves, dressed in all cOlors of the
rainbow, with their brilliant, happy
eyes and colorful faces. seemed to ri
val the flowers in beauty.
"Oh, aren't they darlings?" cried
Beth eagerly, fairly on tiptoe with ex-
element after she had just led them
of into a dance. All in yellow she
was. her brown hair tumbled and
curly, her wide, dark eyes shining
with happiness and a close little
wreath of green holly leaves around
her head. Lets leave the curtains
up 1t looks so pretty to any one pass
/ ing by
1t happened that GiIber- Randall
and four friends from the club turned
off the square about 10 and found the
wanderers habitation ablaze with
lights and festivities He was still a
bit shaky from the wound in his left
( side and the long voyage back home
Danvers and Stewart held him by
! either arm on the sidewalk as he
stood with an odd little smile. staring