The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-13
EVENING STORY
Blind Eyes.
BY IVAN GRAHAM.

wife and three children it was just
his luck to meet the loveliest girl he
had ever seen.
It was early morning, ana the golf
links were deserted. Only the>grace
full figure of a girl swinging a club
broke the tranquil peace of the
scene.
Jim Hartly. as he had registered at
the hotel, advanced toward her. He
raised his hat.
you'll pardon me, miss he said.
'but 1 guess you came out for much
the same reason that L did-to get
breath of fresh air Doctors orders.
Shall we play a round together"
This, of course, was very unconven-
tionaI behavior of Mr.. Fordyce, but
being at least temporarily bond
| salesman he had the aggressive man
| ner.
The girl seemed not to resent his
aggressiveness, however, for very soon
they were tramping together over the
great open stretch and swinging away
at the little white balls, that went
jumping and bounding along in the
bright sunshine. 1t was fine to have
the golf links to themselves
This was only the first of their
early morning games. After the sec
ond or third day they began to grow
confidential. J. Hartly was enjoying
himself immensely.
Sometimes they would sit for
while on one of those mounds of
sodded earth called so appropriately
| bunkers, and tell each other all about
themselves. Jim was a bond sales
| man in Wall street, with a snug little
| flat in the Bronx and wife and three
| children.
The girl was a stenographer and en-
| larged to the listening Jim on the
shortcomings of her boss. the depart
| me: manager. She also had a beau
and tentatively showed the httle rlns
| that ornamented her third finger jim
was here for his health. she on
vacation.
Jin rather resented that ring, but
saddled as he was with a wife ana
three children he was not in position
to take any steps in the matter.
When the girl asked him the names
of the children he answered promptly
enough. They were Bob, Charlie and
! Gladys He made his first slip when,
on a later occasion, he was explain
| ing how well Harry was doing at
school.
"But I thought their names were
Bob, Charlie and Gladys! she ques-
toned him.
| .Why, yes, SO they are. But you see
| we call Bob Harry for short. Sort of
| pet name. you know"
"Oh, I see,' said the girl, and
laughed at the whimsicality.
| IT was not until u
dyce was back again in his sumptu-
fous apartment in New York that he
fully realized how deep his friendship
with the girl had gone. They had
| not exchanged addresses and the in
| cident was closed. 1t had been on
the advice of his doctor. who pre-
| dicted a serious breakdo Wn from
| overwork, that Fordyce had changed
| his personality and gone to remote
resort where he could brace his nerves
! and muscles on the local golf links.
| THE change had had the desired eff
| feet. and the doctor complimented
/ HIN on his renewed yigor. But in
the heart of him Fordyce was regre =
ting the wife and three children. That
| had been a little artistic touch of his
own to help carry out th7 Illusion and
| drive from hts tired brain the IL oughts
| that would come surging within him.
| But how he missed those sunlit
| hours on the open turf with the
| chummy little stenographer as his
partner! There was no use denying
it even to himself, he felt her loss
| more than he could have imagined.
! Of course he went thru the daily
| and nightly routine of work and play
| like any other human being, but his
| friends while congratulating him on
| his renewed health rallied him on the
score of his dullnass. Billy Varnow
| CAME nedIeF the IIldC ne SuS-
| pected when he declared to an assem-
+, bled group of fashiona bles:
why. Hartlys in love, of course.
| Any one can see that
And certain pink ears which over
| heard the remark tingled a deep red
| beneath the exquisitely coiffured coils
| of hair. Hartly was handsome and
| eminently eligible.
Fordyce was sitting in the conserva-
| tory when his hostess discovered him
'and led him forth ito the slaughter :"
1t was the night of the Vansittarts'
ball and he had ensconced himself
among the screening palms and banks
! of dollhouse flowers to smoke a quiet
lcigaret.
Now, Hartly,' Mrs. Vansittart said
| on finding him. you shall not Nope
there all evening"" And she literally
dragged him out from his hiding place
He WIS duly presented to various
blushing debutantes, whose names he
! inscribed on his dance card.
And now l must introduce you to
my niece from Boston. Betty is the
| sweetest girl,' the amiable lady ram
bled on as she towed poor Hartly
down the length of the ballroom. AT
last they landed up before a girl whose
radiant beauty made the mans heart
fairly 1eaped within him
Betty, let me present Mr.. HartIy
Fordyce, the famous novelist. Hart1y
my niece, MISS bdfStONe.
| Fordyce bowed before the girl at
the introduction, but there was no
acknowledgment on her part. She
drew herself up.
"Auntie," she said in ice-cold tones
| this man is an inlpostor. He's not
Hart1y Fordyce. He's James Hartly
a bond salesman He has a wife and
three children. Their names are Bob
Charlie and Gladys. They sometimes
call Bob Harry for short
My dear child" the anna BILE hos
tess fairly gasped.
Yes" went on the girl inexora bly,
81 was playing golf at Paxton before
1 came on to you, auntie dear. This
man was there He told me all about
himself"
The berouged face of Mrs. Vansit-
tart beneath the diam ond-studded hail
turned from one to the other speech