The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-06-26
Eoening Story
A Tangle Untangled.


the use of its employees. The girls
were seated about, talking or reading.
Ruth was the only one to whom no
young man of the many men in the
I great building had seemed to turn an
interested eye-that is, no man of the
kind she wanted to know.
The girls had joked her about the
situation SO much that when Mary
Kennedy had come to her and showed
her q picture of a whimsical mascu-
! line face, handsome in a clean, pleas
from her town upstate, she had said
giibly:
/ .'Oh, yes. know him; he's an old
! friend of minei"
: Adam.
You do?" said Mary. We'll. that
is fine. He is a friend of Fred's, and
( is coming in on the evening train
| just in time TO go to the dance; and
you can take care of him. All the
other girls are tied up"
| And Mary, walking gayly away, had
announced to the gathered girls that
at last Ruth was to have a beau.
Thinking it over in the room, Ruth
glance at the clock startled her into
action. She got out the simple dress
that was her sole evening gown, and
with unwilling fingers prepared her
self for her ordeal.
She went alone to the kall where
the girls were giving the dance-a lit
| tie, lonely, and somewhat pathetic
figure. She was welcomed with smiles
and questions. 'Is he good looking?
didn't see the snapshot ~ us he an
old flame of yours?" and similar
| queries were asked her. She forced
herself To smile in a tantalizing way,
but her heart was not so gay as her
smile.
The dance began, and to her sur
prise she found she was asked to
dance more than ever before. She
wondered why.
The fateful hand moved around on
the big hall clock to the train time,
then to a little after. Perhaps he
would not come; and she prayed that
her hope might be true. She had
not when a slight confusion at the
door drew her attention. and she saw
| Mary bearing down upon her
Ruth, he's come and waiting. AS
long as you know him. just get him
and give him good time" Mary said.
This is my favorite dance"
Setting her will to the effort. she
went down the hall and up to a tall
young fellow who was watching her
with an odd expression on his face.
She stopped before him, panic
stricken until she saw the brown.
friendly eyes looking down at hers.
She held out her hand and he took it
in a close, friendly grasp.
| MARY had Just time to say Hello!
I'll get a friend of yours-an old one!'
Are you the one? I hope So" he
added.
1t was enough. Forgetting that he
still held her hand. she blurted out the
whole miserable story. He listened
soberly-she was a bit frightened at
that-and then spoke the words that
brought some peace to her stormy
1--WE ought to be old friends if we
aren't Let's dance. That music is
great" he said smiling.
She drew a long breath and swung
with him into the dance. How sim
pie he had made the puzzle unravel
with a few words. And the girls would
not know.
They did not, but soon they did want
to know the tall 'old FRIEND with the
smiling, pleasant brown eyes and the
straight. 1.-THE form that betokened
strength and manliness. She intro
duced him to all, but he kept coming
back to her for dance.
She thought she knew the reason.
please don't feel that you must dance
/ with me because-because you are an
cid friends,"s she explained painfully.
The smile left the brown eyes and
she saw in it's place the strong, search
ing glance of a man with a girl and
$4,000
.'That is not the reason" he said
briefly, and tucking her arm under his
he led her to the floor.
Four hours later it was a tired but
supremely happy little girl that crept
into the small bed in the hall room
after a long examination at the mirror
and the old verdict, What a homely
| pug nose; If I could get rid of that!
Never mind have had one good Il ne
that no one can ever, ever take away
n from mel"
At the office, the next day, size was
the subject of much interest. But she
parted all comments that were sug-
gestive He goes home today" she
said quietly.
But he did not She was called to
the telephone at noon, and his pleas
ant voice asked her to promise the
evening to him In voice that must
have been faint to him, she agreed.
| Then the wonder days began
golden, glorious days when hearts are
finding their way to each other in a
union that even death. supreme over
all else, can never sunder-
And then came the last evening.
They were alone in the little reception
room. He was standing and saying
simply: Il must go tomorrow. Be-
fore go, Ruth. want to know some
|
I am away"
She could not find the words tho her
lips moved. The keen, searching
strength came into his eyes. Suddenly.
something strong and steadying went
about her, and from his shoulder she
was looking up.
But nobody ever loved mel" she
whispered. dazed and confused. and
shaken by what had entered her life
with overwhelming force. Just see
my homely nose and my"
Something gentle and kind burned
softly in eyes above hers. and my
dark. pretty hair and-little girl, there
are all kinds of flowers; the one 1 love
is the simple rose that used to grow in
my mothers garden; you are it, As
for that nose" His gentle hand
tipped her face, and he inspected the
turned-up nose critically Il like it,