The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-07-19
EVENING STORY
The PlOtters.
~ LINCOLN RoTHRLUM.

BY LINCOLN ROTHBLUM.
Bobbie Burton was a splendid. So
ciable good fellow, provided he was
among the boys. Even those MEM
had long since departed exercised a
power over his composure which quite
delighted them. But the one who
threw him into panic of embarrass-
| ment was a tiny miss of scant twenty
summers. who to all appearances
scarcely seemed to notice that he
! existed.
But to Bobbie, Delicia Hartley was
as some vision of loneliness out OF the
ether. Occasionally he would look up
from his work to steal a guilty glance
at this wonder creature as she sat OPP
posite and facing him. the keys of her
typewriter clicking out a continuous
and merry tattoo.
nails: such clear. olive complexion.
and such eyes. soft and brown. And
when they glanced up at Bobbie his
heart ran high. Hastily he would re-
turn to his work, cheeks burning and
his closely clipped hair fairly standing
on end.
1t had been but yesterday when De-
licia had simply said, Telephone, Mr..
Burton" and he wanted to answer.
Thank you, Miss Hartley" but could
not, for the words fairly stuck in his
throat.
How he did wish to have the cour-
age to laugh and speak with her, per-
haps even to ask her to go out with
him. But neither the proper oppor-
tunity nor the necessary courage pre-
sented itself and the invitation re-
manned unspoken.
However, Delicia was somewhat to
blame for this condition of affairs, for
every one will agree girl must needs
be devoid of all the intuitive faculties
accredited to her sex not to detect very
quickly the fact that a particular
young mans affections are partial to
her.
And so, althe she was quite eager for
Bobbie to make his advances, she
nevertheless wished to avail herself Of
her womanly prerogatives and hold
him in disquieting suspense, somewhat
as the kitten toys with a mouse be-
fore making a mouthful of II.
But, unfortunately, Delicta had not
taken into consideration the negative
effect of her seeming indifference
upon Boobies bashfulness and soon
realized she must prod the tagging
lover from his bashful inertia.
How to do 1t was the problem
very serious one. Divers were the
schemes suggested by existing situa-
ton of similar import in the movies"
which somehow lacked practicability
as Delicia considered that application
in her own instance.
Had she only known the fact, It is
to be doubted if Bobbie would have
required much more inducement to
loosen his awkward tongue than the
sight of Delicia Hartly this lovely night
in June as she sat on the edge of a
window sill, chin cupped in her hands,
gazing out intently into the dark and
seeing nothing.
Her forehead, usually unruffled, was
corrugated with many burrows which
Delicia was certain helped her to
think.
Il have it," she calculated, jumping
up and doing a turn on the limited
area between bed and dresser. ''Pn
make him jealous" this with an air
Of accomplishment as If she were the
first on earth to essay the scheme.
And then long into the night Delicia
planned in detail how to undo the
knot her coquetry had tied. 'I must
have an accomplish" she finally de-
termine, and it shall be Miss De-
Quinne."
Miss DeQuinne, bookkeeper of such
long standing with the firm that she
was considered as one Of the perma-
nent fixtures, put in first appearance
at the office that next morning, and
was closely followed into the dressing
room by Delicia Hartley, looking sur
prisingly wide-awake, despite the lost
hours of sleep.
Good morning, Miss DeQuinne,"
she greeted her ingratiatingly with a
sweet smile which not even the girls
could resist.
Good morning" mechanically an
swered the elderly woman, breaking
the customary brevity of the sum total
of her conversation by adding, You
seem alert this morning"
Indeed L am-because I'm plot
ting"
Miss DeQuinne smiled wanly. pilot
ting" she repeated. What? Trou-
ble?"
mo. Love plots. And you're to be
fellow conspirator'
Miss DeQuinne leaned weakly
against the washbowl. Color, infre-