The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-09-27
EVENING STORY
To Highest Bidder.
~ IZoLA FoRREsTER.

BY lola FORESTER.
There was no specially sentimental
reason why Dexter should have felt
interested in the final fate of the
Windygool estate, yet as he saw the
! broad advertisement of the local auc-
felt a peculiar twinge of what some
1 have called heart strings.
After breakfast he took the small
chummy roadster and made the three
and one-half mile run along the shore
road to the grounds.
There was an arched stone gateway
at the entrance on the side road, and
he left the car there and went up the
winding drive alone.
1t was a large square house. built in
the Italian villa style. with project
ing tile roof and iron wrought BAL
comics with tumbling masses OF clam
berins vines and flowers. The view
out to sea was splendid.
In the gardens that dipped in four
wide terraces to the beach he found
everything Overgrown and neglected,
even the two statues on their pedestals
looked fOrlorn-a STOPPING Mercury
lacing his sandal and a questioning
Echo.
Dexter made up his mind he would
put in bid for this place simply be-
cause he liked it. Not to rent
He did not have to commercialize
his testes. He would put old Jerry in
DIS CdTeNdheTs WIFI MS WIG. II was,
more than anything else. the wish to
save the beauty of the old place from
the hands Of vandals who would not
see II.
And here he turned the corner of
the path and found girl watching
him intently from the summer house.
She was a stranger to him and to the
village, he knew. Tall and slender and
dark, with the look OF a startled child.
Her widebrimmed hat was of dark
blue straw and she wore a sweeping
dark blue travellers cloak capped in
military style. The two gazed at each
other in surprised silence for a mo-
ment and then she beckoned to him
to approach. Not in a friendly man
ner. but imperiously.
when are you going to sell this
placer"
I'm not going to sell 1t at all. 1
intend to buy it," he answered courte-
ously, one foot on the lower step of
the summer house. 81 am not the
auctioneer. My name is Dexter"
She frowned and paused. Evidently
his appearance inspired confidence,
for after a quick second glance, she
explained:
Il have come from Italy. This was
my fathers house. Perhaps you
know of him ?"
Dexter's eyes were steady and keen.
He knew more of Seward Coates than
his daughter did, he fancied. I'M
provident, extravagant. lovable, he
had descended on Wahasset years be-
fore, built the house on the cliffs and
spent two summers there before going
abroad. The estate was to be sold at
auction now. he understood, for &C
cumulated unpaid taxes.
my father is dead" she added.
without emotion. He was in the war.
My mother is very beautiful, but she
has no head at all for business, so
am managing things now"
Dexter nodded his head gravely. She
was deeply in earnest, and he Won
dered if her mother could be any love-
lier than she herself.
I'VE donot wish to sell Windygool
at all. I shall pay the taxes and live
here. I do not wonder my father
loved it. 1t is a place to forget war
and trouble and death, isn't it? 1 do
not care to leave it at ALL"
Don't. then" he said quickly. LET
me send you a couple of competent,
trustworthy old helpers. and pay off
these taxes and look out for things
have several Of his paintings myself
I should be glad, indeed, to have you
for a neighbor"
He lief. her still in the old summer
house. resting, roses in her lap and
peace in her dark eyes Before sun
down, old Jerry, and Roxy, his wife
were installed. and a telegram had
that Mrs. Coates would arrive in the
morning. Dexter reviewed his days
activities and laughed to himself.
Eyes like a brown moth wing" he
said, slowly. and her name is Fran
cesca. wonder II Seward Coatess
rambling spirit brought her back to