The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-22
The Euening Story
The Loving Lou"
(By Hope Ainslie.)


sent Ted Rogers west, determined to
win out or die in the attempt AS
Eleanor said, he had dallied on for
years, expecting luck to perch on his
shoulder and give him tips on all ere
alton. He had tried one thing after
another when he left college. and had
taken a postgraduate course in min
ing engineering TO be sure he wasn't
missing anything he might need some
day.
To the family at large, he was a
perfect prince of indirection. He was
good looking, a delightful friend and
companion, popular everywhere, but
he lust missed the elements of real
success by dallying. All the clocks in
the world might run down and Ted
would not have noticed it for several
days He disliked having calendars
around-said they reminded him OF
times limitation. The really great
soul rose above such things, said Ted.
But when Eleanor Wilkes came to
live at Cedar Grove she brought with
her a new spirit of endeavor. She dld
not belong 20 the regular old families
around the exclusive Long Island sec
ton. In fact, she rather shocked the
conservative element by going IN Tor
landscape gardening and opening a
charming office in the real estate
building near the railroad station.
When Ted Rogers began showing
her attention and Mrs. Chalmers, his
sister introduced her at the country
club there was nothing for Cedar
Grove to do but like her. And she
proved a delightful addition. If the
girls of the younger set had secretly
feared her ct first, they found she
made a good acquisition for all of
them and was brimful of enterprise
and suggestions.
But Ted had been her most dlftlcult
enterprise. He loved her. This was
evident, and he had won her in
quick, ardent courtship that was char
acteristic of him He wanted her to
give up her work and marry him
ION what, Ted?"
"I have a good allowance from IA
Their. Wen get a nice, coy little place
along the shore and be mighty snug ="
mo, we won't" said Eleanor. We
won't take any little coy place until
you are capable of swinging 1t your
self. Do yeu think I'd give up a good
income for such an uncertainty, Ted :
OF course, if you wish to make sort
of business partnership. I will marry
you and keep up my work. Every one
would understand why"
/ So he had gone west, vaguely at
/ first, with no objective point, armed
with letters from his father to old
/ friends in the mining interests. And
even among them he rambled in
definitely first in one place, then off
to another, until he struck Panther
Peak, Nevada, and the Loving Lou
mine.
Therefore it happened that when
Mrs. Chalmers heard from him the
telegram read briefly: Busy, happy,
new interest loving Lou"
kilograms are strange things-dis-
| connected, mispunctuated, without
proper capitals. But when Eleanor
received another similar one the same
day reading, In luck at last located
loving LOU" she sat back at her desk,
looking perpleXed at the sheet. Then
she called up Mrs. Chalmers and told
her all, and Grace, in return, gave her
her own blithe message.
Dear, I'm sure he's gone mad,
comforted Grace. Wen probably get
word from some institution soon ask
ing what they are to do with him. He
always carries my address, thank
1T may be quite true, though" said
Eleanor.
Certainly not If it were, do you
think he'd wire US the news? Maybe
it's learning Loo and the operator
got it wrong. He may be in a Chi
nese gambling place for all we know
Grace laughed a bit hysterically
over the phone. 4 asked Phil where
Panther Peak was, and he'd never
heard of it. Maybe he'll wire again
Ted did. Even if Cedar Grove was
unaware of the location of Panther
Peak, yet there was a single teIe-
phone line down the mountain so yoJ
could send your messages to the oper-
ator at the railroad station, and Ted.
MESA ges arrived daily and were full
of spontanaity and suggestive ro
nance.
"Tenderest thought engaged loving
Lou"
Chief advisory engineer stay defn
shes some wonder shy but sur,
, country fine"
, ASK Phil if he knows her think h,
was here last year"
Il won't ask Phil anything NOR,
about it" Grace said emphatically
but if 1 were in your place, Elean
, or, I'd go out there myself. 1 don
think the boys well, and he may b.
t coming down with fever"
: mo, I think he can manage his owl
| way best" said Eleanor slowly. II,
) seems quite cheerful
And she did not answer the tele
: grams. Out at Panther Peak, Tel
waited yearningly. He was up to hi
: The owner of the Loving Lou hat
, taken a fancy to him, and he was lay
t ing out all the cross cuts on the new
2 shaft It was prime work. Only h
could not understand Eleanor's silence
r Then something happened out of tn
= blue sky as Tuck Hanson, the owne
of Lou" said. One of the new eros
5 cuts in the mine caved in, with sew
I enty-two men behind the mass of rocl
2 and earth and Ted Rogers was witt
e them
4 They wired for help from the near
e est town and Tuck set to work witt
: a handful of seventeen men to di
them out. The second day brought u
t | more helpers, but the rock stood il
$ their way and they were afraid I
/ blast And just as the morning o
4 the third day broke in glory, Hanson
r haggard and gaunt from his vigil
5 heard a shout far below the camp,
long faint helloo, and he saw me