The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-09

rather intimate place in SyIvia's heart.
The fact that Tom had returned to
the college town and would meet Syi-
via at the dance of dances left him
with a feeling of apprehension. For
him the remainder of the ride had
been without charm.
They had reached the gymnasium
just before the first dance. Ted had
left Sylvia at the door and had hur-
ried into the smoking room, and when
he had returned to the ballroom he
had found Sylvia and Tom IN earnest
conversation. The CIR. had turned
to him with a bright spot in each
cheek.
I've given Tom three of your
dances" she had said. I'VE haven't
seen each other for months, and 1
knew you wouldn't mind
Ted had nodded.
Which ones are they?" he had
asked. You Nigh tell me so that 1
can check them off"
THE third. sixteenth and twenty
third" she had answered.
The orchestra had struck up the
first one-step then, and Ted and Syl-
via had danced off to the music. But
as they swung on the floor Ted had
been conscious that the girl had
smiled over his shoulder at Tom Aims
ley.
During the third dance he had sat
in an out-of-the-way corner and
watched them 1t had seemed to him
that Sylvia was especially vivacious,
that there was a new light in her
| eyes, new note in her laughter. Size
and Tom chatted together happily,
and when the fourth dance began she
had been late.
The evening had worn away. The
girl had noticed Ted's rather restrain
| ed silence and had chided him about
it. But he had refused to respond
to the chiding. and finally Sylvia, too,
had grown quiet. And then the TWEEN
| ty-third dance had arrived.
THE next dance is the last" Ted
had told her just before Tom had
come to claim her. Its Mighty Like
know"
The girl had nodded.
Yes, that is our dance" she had
repeated absently.
But it hadn't turned out to be their
/ dance. after all, for when the music
started Sylvia had been walking along
one of the shaded campus paths with
| Tom.
She had seemed sincerely sorry
about it.
Il didn't know the dance had begun,
Ted" she had explained. We walked
too far and I'm sorry that 1 missed it.
You believe me. don't you?"
Ted had told her that it hadn't
| mattered SO very much, but during the
| ride home that night he had not pro-
posed.
That was six months ago, and since
the prom Ted and Sylvia had not once
been together for more than five min
utes at a time. Sylvia had asked him
| to come to see her and he had assent
ed, and once when he swallowed his
pride and dropped around to the IA
miliar porch Tom Ainsley had been
there and Ted had not gone again.
Tom and Sylvia had been together
quite frequently since that time. To
Ted it seemed as if they were always
together. In his own heart there was
an emptiness which nothing could sat
isfy.
The yearning to talk with Sylvia
came to him with renewed force as he
sat on the porch of the Country club
listening to the strains of Mighty Like
a Rose" So he sat, his chin in his
hands, looking with unseeing eyes
over the rolling green of the golf links.
And then a figure suddenly appeared
beside him and a soft voice called his
name.
He looked up almost unbelievingly.
for Sylvia was standing so near that
he could touch her. He leaped to his
feet.
what are you doing here?" he
asked, blankly.
Il was tired of dancing and thought
I'd come out to the terrace" she an
swered.
He's in the club. I wanted to be
alone"
why"
For a moment Sylvia was silent.
When she spoke there was just the
hint of an appeal in her voice.
"Sit down and I'll tell you," she said
They found a vacant bench halt
hidden in the shadows.
DO you really want to know why
came here?" Sylvia asked.
Yes"
1T was because this waltz always
reminds me of a man who used to be
nice to me-" the girl explained. "Once
3 he said that it was our waltz, and
! then, because I made a mistake and
( didn't get to the last dance at a junior
prom, he didn't want it to be oul
dance any more"
Ted caught his breath sharply.
How about your" he asked.
81 always wanted it to be oul
dance"
n 1t was rather fortunate that thu
e shadows hid them from the people OF
e the porch of the country club. for Tee
= Gibson did something he had never
4 dared to do before. He took Sylvia il
s his arms and kissed her.
8 And then they went back to the bal
). room and danced the last half of tn,
n waltz together.-(Copyrig 1917, b,
S the Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate)