The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-23
EVENING STORY
A Substitute for MOllie.
BY IZOLA FORRESTER.

came down at 1879 Saturday morn
| ing. There was mail on the little oak
| desk by the telephone switchboard,
| but Molly paid no attention to it or
her other duties as operator and ger
eral reception lady for the orienta
4. apartments on Riverside drive.
Its me big brother, Danny. Miss
| Baxter she explained. He's just
of the transport and they've got him
out at one of those hospitals in fixed
over department stores downtown,
and it's me one chance to see him
after two years in France, and that
| old villain of Grumel won't leave me
off three hours. Danny says he may
be transferred after today, and what
if 1 don't see him, where he's all I've
got?
Harriet was disturbed and indig-
nant. She thought quickly. They
were only two appointments, one at
the dressmaker's-that was easy to
break-and one at the dentists. Then
the matinee that afternoon with Vera.
She could phone her, and this was an
| extreme case.
. "You go right along, Molly, and
forget all about this. L can run this
switchboard, and tell every one ABOUT
the apartments. Mr.. Grumel won't
be around, and you'll be back by
surely, won't you?"
Mollie promised blithely, and de-
parted with her blue eyes happy and
the dimples showing in her rosy
cheeks. She was only 16, Harriet
thought placidly, as she took a Lew
| book and prepared for a quiet morn
II ak
| from Aunt Serena down at the Bit
more.
.'Of course, 1 know you're frightful-
ly busy, dear, but this is urgent and
| I'm just going out of town, SO l told
him you would be glad to have hum
up for lunch. Is your father feeling
good today? No? So Sorry, but VIII
fred won't bother him a bit. He is
really Sir Wilfred Lorinier, but up in
Canada he drops the title. Lives OH
huge ranch in Alberta and is fearfully
rich. His mother and mine are
cousins, but he needs more diversion
than an old woman can give him. BE
nice, dearie. By-by."
Harriet heard her cut off with
feeling akin to desperation. That was
one of the joys of rich relatives. They
called you up and demanded anything
at all hours with the idea they were
comforting a favor on you by letting
you act for them.
AT 11:10 came a call from Sir Will
fred himself. Would she kindly give
him Miss Baxter's apartment?
Miss Baxter is out" said Harriet
fatty. Amy MESSAGE"
will she be in for lunch?"
| (He had a very nice voice..
Il hardly think so. She left no
message"
But she expects me-" he urged.
will you please leave word I called
up: Wilfred Lorimer.'
The time dragged until noon. Har-
riet tried to keep her mind on the
messages and answers, but her eyes
watched the door and she knew she
expected trouble any minute. He had
not spoken like the kind who would
take no for an answer. Perhaps she
might be able to send up to her father.
She called up softly and told Jane
to prepare dainty luncheon, for fear
| of an unexpected guest. He would
never know if he were going out west
at once.
Then, suddenly the outer storm
doors swung wide and she knew at
| first glance it was Sir Wilfred. He was
. very tall and blond, with humorous
, brown eyes and a smile that countered
any antagonism.
He was terribly sorry Miss Baxter
) had not come in yet; but possibly her
| father expected him. He would go
up. Harriet announced him, hoping
with all her heart that Jane would be
diplomat, and he passed on upstairs.
AS long as he was leaving for Canada
within a day or two it could not mat
ter, and, after all, she told herself it
} was in a splendid cause.
, She bent her head low over her
| book when he passed out of the door
way a little past ,. Evidently her
father had liked him. She looked up
: in relief, just in time to catch his last
glance back at her.
. There surely was CLEAN of I'M
usual interest in his eyes that sent the
: color to her face; but Mollie arrived
t almost Immediately after. and her
, Sgratitude swept away every other con-
sideration.
. Two weeks later Harriet was due
, at the Biltmore for Mrs. Devereux's
= Thursday tea, as usual 1t was late
when she entered, a Slim, attra ctive
figure in her gray velvet gown
trimmed in moleskin, with a Persian
girdle in dull orange and Jade green.
; She was conscious of some ones scru-
tiny as she spoke to her aunt at the
l little tea table, but it was not until his
voice sounded behind her that she
Y knew she was discovered.
You don't mind if / sit here with
$ you. do your he asked, happily. Il
1 feel 50 well acquainted, don't you
= You know-as if he had made a re-
4 markable discovery-"I knew your
voice the minute 1 heard it; isn't that
D odd! You sing contralto, don't you ??
e His journey back to Alberta was de-
/ layed for weeks, and Mrs. Devereux
! as she said later, with a sigh of thank
+ fulness, never worked so hard in her
. life as she did helping him win Har-
riet.
. But there a last came the day when
: Jane knelt in the little dressing room
: the bridesmaids had just vacated, lac
ing up her mistress's travelling boots
. and as she finished she said a dittle
y breathlessly:
You know. Miss Harriet. 1 feel just
as if 1 was to blame for all this, and
e SO does Sir Wilfred- 1 suppose
= should be calling you Lady Harriet
= but it don't come natural yet, you
a know