The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-13
EVENING STORY
The Revolt.
BY INES MACDONALD.
.nurisxht 1910 AGn(,l.,rc, Nou-a

Inc curtain went QOWn on the iaSt
act and. as Kirkland arose to join the
general struggling toward the exits.
there was a light touch on his arm
and he turned to look into the wide.
frank eyes of the girl who had sat
next to him thruout the performance.
Tim afraid it's an unconven-
tional thing for me to ask" she said.
but would you be kind enough to see
me to my carr"
rMost certainly" said Kirkland.
VERY glad to be of service"
He gave her number to the door
man and they stood there while wait
ing for her car, discussing the play
in a friendly fashion as if they had
been acquainted for years instead of
seconds. At length he assisted her
into the car at the curb, when sud
deuly there was panic IN her eyes as
she looked out of the car over his
shoulder and into the crowd that
edged about under the entrance avn
ing.
With a swift understanding he
! caught the expression. She had seen
someone whom she feared
shall I get in?" he asked. CURLY.
please she nodded.
And so without-a backward glance
he entered and sat beside her as the
car moved off slowly with the crawl
ing lines of after-theater traffic.
1T is good of you" she began.
Not at ALL he assured her. And
l shall not trouble you with questions.
You may set me down anywhere you
like, or 1 shall ride with you to your
home if you desire"
For a moment she was silent. He
could see her profile against the win
dow as she watched the crowded street
and he wondered who she was and
why she needed the protection of an
| escort when she turned to him sud
denly:
Are you married?' she asked.
mol" He inspected her gravely.
But she only sighed a little and
snuggled down into her furs in the far
corner. For twenty minutes they rode
thus, and he realized that she was
crying softly. He hated to intrude on
her thoughts and privacy, but it SEEM
| ed so heartlesS to sit there and let the
| girl weep her heart out without max
ing some effort to help her if it was in
| his power.
please tell me about it," he begged
Perhaps can help you So often our
| troub les are but fancied ones, you
know, and friend or someone we can
trust can dissipate the whole thing
with a little encouragement"
If you'll come in a few moments
she said when the car stopped before
plain stone house in an aristocratic
L
enough courage to tell you about it,
There were no servants about and
! she led the way into the library where
Kirkland tossed his coat Informally
across a chair and stood looking into
| the open fire of the CRATE.
With a little restless gesture she
flung her cloak from her and moved
| about nervously.
"Oh the ignominy of it," she began.
THE years and years of tyranny and
/
sion, until my spirit is gone and 1 am
nothing but a spineless creature with
out haracter-without individuality.
My father with his stern, relentless,
| efficient direction of my education, my
| opinions, my present and my future.
Ny aunt, who for years has chosen my
| friends, regulated my diet, my clothes.
| my allowance, my department and
| now, between them, they've chosen a
man for my husband. Ana THE
weak thing that / am-have given in
to them-and promised. = You've no
idea the horror of it. I saw him to-
night as I was getting into the car,
| the man whom I've instinctively dis
| liked always-and my very flesh
creeps at the thought of it-but I have
no courage to resist them. There is
no one to whom I can go for moral
support or advice or courage. and
cannot defv them alone cannot
cannot Tonight. for little while,
/ /
| the theater alone. but my courage had
| 6eserted me until 7 turned and saw
| the light on your face. You looked
SO hearted. and upright. and
and resolute. 1t gave re ronra ge 1ust
! 10 feel that you were next to me there
and when I sroke to YOU YOUR eyes
were so omen and friendly. it seemed
as II perhaps I'd found way out"
| she was almost hysterical and Kirk
land stood before her sravelT thought-
l II. hit IF n G
sible way out?" he questioned "A
ooh. I don't know. I'm desperatei
If-if YOU could or would. stand be-
| hind me. show me constant attention
even make love TO me. or pretend to
i, The face of their opposition and
nerhaps their insults. If you could
| help me to defy them. give me
strength in the face of everything.
! believe 1 could recover enough char
acter to overcome them. But alone
I can do nothing. Other girls nave
gone into such marriages. Alice var
new is one She has monev-and
evervthing-but, oh, You should see
her eyes, A sort of subdued haunted
despair lies deep in those eyes OF hers
To look into them breaks my heart
Are my ewes doomed to carry that
Ioolx?' She sank into a chair and
sazed at Kirkland almost in terror.
"Yo,ir plan might work" said Kirk
land but for the TACT that I am sail
ing for my post in South America to-
morrow afternoon at B.
"Oh." she breathed with little ges
ture of desnair "it's gone! The only
hone I hadv'
mo" he said. gravely. there's an
other chance. but it's a desperate one
and you'll have to be game to carry
it thru"
"Tell me-" there was a new resolu-
ton in her eye.
Its this We can be married in
the morning, you and I. and you can
sail with me- he offered simply.
Her eyes went wide with amaze
ment. TBut-but you-you wouldn't
do that?" she said, ennulously. You
wouldn't marry me lust toto pro-