The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-10
tcOpyrlEht. 1915. BY the Mcclure Newspaper


2 WONDER what that woman thinks
about when she's dressing? Gale was
struggling with an evening dress tie |
Danv0rs stood at the opening door |
connecting the two rooms and watched |
Gales efforts.
why when she's dressing2' Danvers |
consulted a clock and sank into a big arm |
chair. Luxury was the keynote of Mar
by the grey shadow of death. for that
day Marbourne of Marbourne had
passed to his fathers amid the
Wreathed sorrow of the countryside.
It's the only time a woman is nat
ural. The rest of the time she is
acting"
Some day you will marry"
And provide a constant audience. :
Danvers looked up with q whimsi- |
sal smile. Gale was ever as unex-
pected = rainbow. but this bitter
cynicism was q new light. utterly at
Variance with the chivalrous ideals of
q lifetime. Equatorial heat on the
Great Northern was obviously to be
deprecated
but why do Miss stricklands
thoughts interest your"
When you get the sinuous incarna-
tion of flame clad Quakeresquely. you
can't help wondering what her real
thoughts turn to in her green room"
Gale was fully dressed now. his
eyes. half closed. looking Into endless
distance Danvers wished he could
give up dissecting souls when out of
court
but you can't blend Paqufn and
the lady housekeeper of an old gem
tleman Of eighty"
Cant your" answered Gale You'll
know better some day. Paquin isn't
shop. tia q temperament Anyhow she
seems to have played her part well.
Women admit she's handsone-infsrnal-
~ 80. Pet there's never been even . meet
-, -
Nothing but praise for her devotion to
old Marbournel Still they've only seen
her through the looking glass. That's
why I an somewhat in wonderland
well. who il she. anyway" said
DanverA
Il DON'T know much about her. She
came about q year ago. He wrote to
me IN the warmest terms of her. She
was the daughter of e country parson-
I've never seen her until today"
Danvers nodded and stroiled back to
his room and before long the splash
ings of summer content were heard.
An accompaniment of sound. which
Danvers called song, caused Gale to
close the Intervening door. As he did
SO. he heard q tap on his own door
and Charlie Marbourne, his new host,
entered
''Just dropped in to have I'VE min
utes with you before dinner. If I'm
not intruding."
Not bit Sit down"
Gale had known him for years. He
liked the young soldier not little.
I'm SO glad" said Marbourne, lean
ing one elbow on the mant1epiece,
down for the funeral As you know
I'm the only Marbourne left, and you
two are the executors. I want both of
you for today, and also for tonight"
"Tonight?" queried Gale.
Yes Smithson, the solicitor. Is very
anxious that the old custom of a fu-
neral reading of the will should not
be broken As matter of fact we
have not opened the will yet He and
I have two separate copies in two
sealed envelopes. The seals will be
broken tonight"
quite right" said Gale warmly.
its an old and honorable custom. But
how did you know Danvers and were
to be executorsT"
My grandfather told me two years
ago when he made his will. 1t comes
roughly to this: various small 1ega-
cies, ten thousand to Jack Daliison,
and the rest to me-"
Lets see." said Gale, was DaIlison
q relative7"
no"
The word was decisive.
''Oh. it's like this" said Marbourne
you are executor. SO you might as
we'll know the story, though I don't
want to say anything against him
Jacks mother was q girl the old man
and my grandmother simply adored
She married rather unwisely and Jack
was her only child. She died wher
he was born. The father turned out
a regular ne'er-do-well. I know ali
one time my grandfather made a big
provision for Jack IN his will. but
somewhere. and for years the old mar
even refused to see him. Two years
ago. when he made this last will. he
relented bit hoped Jack was run
thousand. I fancy Jacks been here or
and of for the last twelve months
while I've been at Malta with the
regiment"
Gale dimIy remembered some story
about Dailison-there had been les:
than q whisper. but the whisper syn
chronised with a club resignation, EN-
phasized as voluntary. and the whisper
grew.
see your grandfather. did your
mo. I was coming home on leav'
and the telegram announcing hi
death reached me as I landed
Wonderful changes in the neigh
Gus of a pause. when my grand
father came here II was miles IN tn
country; that was the day of horse
and oil lamps"
Gale watched him waste thre'
matches lighting a cigarette and de
termined to be helpful
"Marbourne,"" he said with kind!
seriousness, you are not houE
agent. come to grips. How is she2"
"I think airs WELL" he answered. IS
have not seen her for a whole year
but she has wrihen regularly Sh'
told me I might come over tonight
when we're through. Her people ar
dining out"
Gale stretched out a warm hand.
Good luek-you're paying her tn
compliment woman values most
you meant"
Final choice. It's such cumula
tive preference Women despise NAL
wallflowers."
Before Marbourne could reply Dan
vers strolied in, and the three me
went out together. AS they descend
ed the stairs, Nina Strickland move