The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-20

1t was not till week later that Ann
discovered what she had really done.
The manager strutted in. How many
proposals IN the last two weeks, since
the last reel has been running? he
asked. He had come to take the num-
Der of these declarations as an index
of the heart appeal that George was
making. Mechanically Ann put her
hand to the pigeonhole marked PRO
posals' and counted them. Thirty
nine" she answered, and her eyes
caught sight of something that made
her blanch.
Thirty nine" muttered the man
ager and strutted out.
Ann looked at the calendar that
hung over her desk. Yes, it was the
goth. The wrong letter-the goth
the Central station-at 6:45 when the
western express came in. The words
of the letter she had written and had
sent by mistake came to her. A dozen
wild schemes went thru her mind.
She might-of course it was out of the
question but the thought presented it
self-she might ask George Bird to
keep the promise she had made for
her. For after all the stranger was
good to look at, unSpoiled by the city.
Then she thought of running away
somewhere where no one would ever
find her and blame her for the foolish
thing she had done. Then she deter
mined to meet the stranger any way
and to explain and ask his forgive
ness. Then another thought flashed
thru her mind.
1t yet lacked a quarter of an hour
of 6, her usual closing time, but un
observed by the manager she locked
her desk and hurried to the boarding
house. 1t was not till she saw her
own flushed face in her mirror that
she was really determined to do what
she did. Yes, she. too, had eyes that
flashed and looked soft and appealing.
She, too, had hair that waved affec-
tionately over her brow; she, too, had
lips that were young and sensitive
and she had no Jugs or style or smart
manners''-that was sure enough.
With what simple finery she had she
arrayed herself. And the curls that
no maid to coax them, she arranged
and allowed to hang down her back
tied with a wide bow of ribbon in the
way that George affected on the
screen, but never anywhere else. Then
she hurried from the boarding house.
lest any one she knew there should
see the hanging curIs and wonder.
She stood at the gate where those
who meet friends from the West watch
and peer expectantly every night at
GAS as the western express draws
near.
Shall 1 or shan't II" she was debat-
ing. "Of course, he will know at a
glance and then I'll have to explain.
Perhaps he won't come And
then he did come thru the gate. and
she felt herself almost totter as he
stepped quickly toward her and the
big, boyish man was shaking hands
with her and telling her that he
would have known her anywhere.
only you are hundred times sweet
er than the original" he said with the
sincerity and effectiveness of a man
who does not know the practice of
flattery.
But I am really afraid" Ann be-
gan as her conscience pricked her re-
peatedly. She tried to edge in her ex-
intent was the stranger on his plans
| that she got no further. And, besides.
being George Bird had come to be
second nature. TT isn't I that he is
saying these things to-" she assured
herself. Its George Bird and I'm
still the same old Ann that sits at the
desk and answers the letters
When the explanation finally did
come it was after dinner at the sta
apartment of the friend who was going
to vouch for the stranger. The
stranger was planning-for George in
the letter had agreed to such a ulan-
to be married within the week if what
the friend said of the stranger was
satisfactory. And then they would go
right back out West. Ann got in her
explanation. But he hardly needed it.
| He had forgotten the girl in the mic
lures for the girl that had written
the letter and the letter for the girl
that walked so confidently beside him.
l-(Copyright, 1917, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
\
Haiti has a cigaret factory.