The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-18
EVENING STORY
Her Masterpiece.
(By Martha Nee. Williams

stricted to trousers. he expressed his
discontinue by rather wabbhng
strides and a heavy flop into the cor
ner of the settle. There. after min
ute, he sunk his head in his hands and
! swore-under his breath-because the
duchess lolled in q long chair little
way off.
| She was not a real duchess, OF
course The nickname ran back to
| the days of pigtails when he rad been
King Mollygob, she Duchess OF Two
called them. commonplacely, Dave
/ Mason and Janet Lee. Only children
and close neighbors, they had been all
| but inseparable until the era of col
! Iege. Janet went first. oelng a year
| the older. Then Dave went. and thus
it happened that they had not met for
| five years. By all the rules of fiction
they should have found each other so
different, so wholly changed from the
remembered self as to precipitate vio-
/ lent Notwithstanding, of course, IN a
| still more violent love affair. Sad to
say, nothing of that sort came to pass
Save for externals, they found each
| other the same. Naturally they fell
instantly into the old free comrade-
/ ship, the basis of which was intuitive
understanding.
"Swear out loud! It's more reliev-
ing Janet said after a minute. with
soft, suppressed giggle. ''Or, better
still-tell me all about it. Does true
| loves course refuse to run smooth Tor
| lack of an obstacle?"
| Davy cried, sitting up with a jerk:
How did you-Eow could you
guess ?"
"Didn't-a ertainty-knowing the
other party in interest as I do" Janet
flung back. Davy shook his head at
her. Its bad enough to have you
reading law, tho you don't mean to
practice" he said IT won't have you
| talking it at me- want to forget
there is such a thing"
/ Hey. for the briny. The Spanish
Main. We yearn to go a-piratingi
We do, oh, we dol" Janet intoned, her
eyes twinkling.
blurred out: IF you knew what rea-
son 1 have to hate law and all its
works. you wouldn't make fun of me.
| Edna refuses me, because our joint
! inheritance of the Wayland fortune
makes it all cut and dried-I'd like to
| it to anybody-but-the will steps in
if either of US refuses the money it
works forfeiture to both
Leaving you free to refuse each
other? What a pity" Janet inter
rupted: IF Ed had to take you, will
she-nil-she, she'd be just the loveliest
martyr. 1 can see her right now,
fainting at the altar-regardless of
orange blossoms and the Wayland old
Don't! You hurt mel" Davy pro-
| tested You can't know how much
since you've never cared for-any-
body"
praise bel" Janet flung back at
him-with yet a subtle hardening of
the lips. But live in hope, my child.
Who was it sang, Old maids at forty
five grow giddy'? When my time
comes it will be your turn to laugh
|
promise you won't laugh at me
now" Davy answered eagerly. ~ gu
see, I've been thinking that maybe if
Ed could be persuaded there was
som ething-a prior attachment-Oh.
1hang it, you understand stopping.
beet-colored, his eyes down. Janet
went off into GREATNESS laughter-he
was too confused to mark the strain
ed note of it. You mean-between
us?" she said when she could speak.
II ought to have thought of that.
Why did you forestall me? If that
will do the trick you're at the end OF
trouble"
Butt don't for my life see just
how to manage it," Davy said doubt
fully. She got up and walked to the
window, saying over her shoulder,
Leave it to me. Nothing easier. When
1 come back, I'll have something to
| show you. Smoke a pipe of peace
with yourself while I goes and lays me
| bleedin' art upon the altar of friend
ship
AS she disappeared in the library
beyond Davy saw her suddenly falter
and sprang toward her. She waved
him back gayly and shut the door in
his face. Half an hour later she came
thru it holding a fairly written sheet
which she thrust into his hands
When he had read it his eyes were
dim. Lord. But you do make III
| q Mt 70 c<a f1xr
Tiff this were true" glancing a
the sheet-"why, 1 shouldn't evel
draw another happy breath ~
"Oh, yes. you would. You're for
getting. the stimulus to your vanity
Think of being the only man that evel
touched this adamantine BOSOM" ia
net cried merrily. Il call that yer,
perfect appeal and confessional
did lay it on rather thick. Ed like
her romance as the old lady did he
grog-she didn't mind so long as i
was hot, strong, sweet-and plenty o
it."
Cease, mocking cynic, and tell M
how you did it. 1t is simply wonder
full I swear truth couldn't be a
true" Davy interrupted. Janet hal
turned her head, saying in her gay
est voice: You f1atter me. Still,
agree with you. Truth couldn't be a
, true; feeling, you know, never equal
ID hoW, We OIL Win you
while l copy this for the mail bag
5 OF course, I'm going to keep the orig
, inal-of my masterpiece"
, Il wonder will Edna dare-TlI hat
her If she shows it to me-" Davy said
+ flushing. Then he got up, caught bot
+ James hands in his, and said huskily
. l''Duchess. you are the greatest woma1
> in the world. Not another would hav
SO humbled her pride, even in make
believe, to humor another woman
whim and save a mans love from tan
taliZing delay. Do believe me
couldn't reverence you more if wha
you have done were real. I marve
? that, knowing you, can love anybod
t else"
e "Will you take yourself Off" Jane
? cried imperiously. but letting he
! hands lie in his clasp. He kissed ther
h tenderly, turned and left her Sh
n flung herself upon the settle pressin
: her Inns her cheek her fiji, GERS ,1r,o