The Topeka state journal., 1918-09-07
EVENING STORY
4sThe American Plan. -
BY INES MACDONALD.

the arduous task of enjoying himself.
That afternoon he left the resort with
its hundreds of bathers behind and
strolled far up the broad beach that
low bluff along which was a row of
summer houses. Panama in hand he
breathed deep of the fine sea air and
let the brisk breeze blow the warm
sunlight thru his light hair, pausing
before a. great log that had been flung |
high on the shore during some storm. |
And finally with a little sigh of con-
tent he laid himself down on the sand
| in the strip of shade cast by the log |
and dozed of to sleep.
Presently, down the long flight of |
stone steps that led from one of the |
houses on the bluff short distance |
beyond flashed bathing suit seeking |
| the deserted beach. The bathing suit |
| in question was rather well filled, and |
| its color of bright blue was startlingly |
| enhanced by the flaming scarlet Of The |
3aunty cap. The young person who |
occupied the colorful equipment waved !
her arms joyously at her temporary
| freedom from conventional restraint, |
and raced down the beach.
/ However. Holbrooke missed all of |
| this. for he was peacefully sleeping on |
| the farther side of the log which OBJ
structed the path of the running girl.
| Without hesitation she 1eaped high in
| the air in order to clear the log. Too
| late she saw with CONSERVATION the
| man WIZ Slept on UNCONSCIOUS OF MS
| fate,. and in a frenzy she flung out her
| feet in an effort to keep from landing
| on him, thereby depositing her 124
pounds in a sitting position right in
the center of his unprotected chest
At that inauspieious but identical
moment OF concussion Holbrooke was
busily engaged in dreaming himself a
| dream wherein he had just plowed
thru Yale's ironclad defense for five
yard gain, and painfully he gasped
ivr 4. -
tscurse, Down. you rummy. down! Get
off my chest, you big cheese!" He
moved his arm feebly and then his
half-open eyes caught sight of a pair
Of smooth. round, b1ue-stockinged
ankles. Some quarterback" he muir
INJURED. and his bewildered glance
moved on up, stopping at the wide
brown eyes that stared into his from
under the scarlet cap.
She slid to her knees in the sand
beside him and. burst into a torrent of
Spanish, contritely patting the, place
she had Just vacated.
1T Is with SO much regret that I sit
on you.'' she pleaded. MANY times
} have I jumped over the log and never
before has a man been under where
hit. Your suffering must be Of such
greatness. I implore that YOU for
give"
ITS all right" eonoceded Hol-
brooke with grin: with q little
He arose weakly on one elbow and
looked UP comically out of the corner
of his eye. Whereat the recent bonn
bardment sat back on her feet and
giggled Historically.
IL think. for one long time /
> have killed you dead, you fonny man."
she said in English. Then her face
famed with sudden color. 1T H. not
that am not sorry,' she bubbled, "but
am SO excited for the first time sit
1 a ma
BY this time Holbroeke had gained
Y sufficiently in health to be ablea to sit
/ ! up with his back against the log, and
she sat facing him every now and
to peep over the log toward the house.
She chartered and talked half the
II time. forgetting herself and slipping
: into Spanish while Holbrooke teased
r her politely. till finally there came a
V call from the direction of the house.
Ill Holbrooke started to rise, but the
\ girl looked at him protesting1y.
r l. "Carmencita!" the call was re-
peated.
+ at is what you call my auntie." said
4 the girl demurely, but with sparkling
!. eyes.
"I shall go. but you must not be
seen by her. For me to talk to a man
without her to hear what say--it is
terrible" She laughed as she slid
over the log, at the same time waving
toward the house, and then, looking
back over the log at Holbrooke. she
reached down inpulsive1y and gave
his cheek q little caressing pat-and
was gone.
For several days Holbrooke haunted
the beach in the vicinity of the fateful
log. but Carmencita returned not. He
had about despaired of seeing her
again and was on the point of making
q canvass OF the <neighbornood in, or
der to find her when one day as he
e strolled along the street that led down
y to the sea a girl tripped out of little
2. gift shop some distance ahead of him
n and dsJoined an elderly man who waited
10 for her.
Together the two walked on ahead
4, and just as Holbrooke came abreast OF
|: the shop the clerk came running out
called after the two, who had by this
j. time gone some distance down the
" street.
i. "Senorita. your change" called the
i clerk. You forgot your cha4ge!" 81
e dare not leave the shop he com.
planned to Holbrooke.
II know them,'' offered Holbrooke
u shall take 1t to herr"
s. And so it happened that Holbrookt
overlook the man and girl with 9
quarter and a nickel in his hand.
The senorita seems to have forgot.
ten her change" he smiled at the mar
| with his hat in his hand. And ther
he smiled more broadly than ever a,
the genial glance of the elderly mai
engaged his. why, it's the ambas
sador!" exclaimed Ho1brooke. I'm
m Holbrooke, at one time undersecretar. T.
,e at the American legation at Rome
e. You used to be frequent visitor, you
IA excel1ency."
al "Of course said the ambassador
ne extending his hand. "Some five or si,
ne years ago, wasn't it? You know an
" at Washington, now"
Mt Eyes, I read Of your appointment.
?" MY daughter" introduced th
9. diplomat.
d. And Holbrooke looked down int
re the dancing, daring eyes of Carmen
an cita