The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-03
Epening Story
Substance for Shadow.
BY H. LOUIS RAYBoLD.

>ner zap, wondered whence came the |
leaden feeling in her heart as she pom
.dered the imminent meeting with Earl |
Baldwin. She knew from the veryi
wording of the message that the old |
question was to be reopened as to .
whether she would marry aim. Evil |
IDENTIFY her insistence on going to |
France in the face of his violent pro-
tests had not quenehed his ardor ut
terly. Theirs had been many a weeks
silence, then one or two casual let
tiers. and now this telegram.
Well, marriage with him would GER
tainly be a solution. if one could look
at. 1t in that way. Somehow or other.
the little home town of Preston had
seemed dfeadfully duh since her re-
turn. It was hard to pick up the old
threads, again, hard to find a niche in
which to take refuge from the mem
cries which obsessed her.
Always they were with her-those
memories of the days in France. Not
a trained nurse, Caroline had yet man.
aged to elude the red tape restrictions
and slip across. a thing not so diff
cult to do in the early. short-handed
days of the war. Once arrived, heF
efficient and tireless personality had
helped her to make good where others
less capable had been sent home.
Those days were over now. but per-
petually, home in Preston, where moth
ing ever happened, fitted visions OF
places and episodes in France. And
of all the recolleetions. one alone never
left her-the picture of a tall, thin
figure in khaki, both arms in 3 sling,
a maple leaf his insignia.
The discovery that they had a COM
mon bond between theH-they had
both seen Niagara Falls!-led them on
to further conversational explorations.
I-Ef dT-axx hi Ff%
tell of his western Canadian home,
rolling prairie fringed at a far herizon
with blue mountains. BY means OF
such innocent advances their acquain-
lance ripened into friendship. Then
suddenly, impetuously, he told her he
loved her, and she, heaven forgive her!
had taken his declaration lightly
doubling its real worth. Convalescents
so often fell in love with their nurses.
The next day he had been dis
charged. Practically "as good as new,
| he had returned to the front She had
never seen him again, did not know if
| he were alive or dead. But little by
| little she)had come to realize that his
| love was not mere gratitude, but
| passion so real and deep that, by its
very intensity, it had succeeded in
awakening a response in her-a re-
Spouse, however, which came too late.
J She had never mentioned hfm-to her
family This was due partly TO a
delicate reticence on a subject which
touched her so deeply, partly to a feel
| ing that there would be no patience
with a sentiment which turned down
| Earl Baldwin's substantial self in favor
of a shadowy- apparition submerged in
the limbo of a war that was over.
Truth. to tell, Caroline never thought
OF him as living. So very few of those
who went at first were safe and whole
| today.
T. But the memory of him fought
against her acceptance of Earl. And
in addition, there was that feeling
about Earl himself Would not the
same pig medicines which, when she
refused to respect his wishes about
going to France. led Shinn to sulk for
Irnontt1s, prove an sinsurnlountabIe
barrier TO welded happiness? Would
not that which, in youth, might
charita bly, be called force of char
acter, generate with the years into
sheer dominating assertiveness?
| Yet Caroline was no advocate of the
single life for man or woman. She be-
ilieved in homes and in children. This
was probably her last opportunity for
marriage. Even if her dream lover
were alive she had never told him
where she lived, and he would never
know that she returned his love, Take
iit all in all, the sensible. sane Thing
was to marry Earl.
Three hours later, Caroline; in the
midst of a patiently expeetant family,
sat awaiting the coming OF the man
she had decided to marry. To every
one but herself the hour was tinged
with romance, for Caroline's sisters
understood without being told that
Earl was coming to ask Caroline to
marry him, and of course dear Caro-
line would say ''yese." Imagine any
girl nearing her thirties refusing a
successful man like Earl
now cont be mean and keep him
waiting for his answer, Carol" ad-
, n1onished Alice. Remember how
long he has waited already"
If Caroline thought of the long days
in France when she had waited for q
letter from Earl, she gave no sign.
Some hidden, almost psychic, force
seemed projected from the entire fam
"A lily, pushing her into the arms OF the
man who was<coming. There was to
be evidently, no escape.
In thru the open window drifted
the fragrance of lilaes. and ever after
, ward Caroline associated them with
, this hour. Suddenly the bell rang
and all eyes focused on Caroline,
Again she felt their influence as she
; long before she returned.
For when Caroline with fingers that
were cold, opened the door she drew
back stunned, with a short gaspins
cry, "You--you!"
; a splendid. tall young man, quiet
eyed and smiling. stood. on the step,
his hat in his hand. Caroline drew
! into the twilight of the hall and was
: in turn drawn into the shelter of his
} arms.
Many seconds later. Caroline pu,
| the question, How did you find me2
Don't you remember. dear, the
? first night was brought TO the hospi-
: tai? I couldn't sleep and yeu stopped
! as you were passing thru the ward
and read to me awhile? AS you open
: ed the book, could see the fly Leaf
with an address Unconscieusly I re-
/ rnembered 1.-THE name Of a girls
school, I recalled it later. thought II
t probably the one you graduated from
I and when came home for good ]
! hunted it up and ultimately traced
g ssniI here L simply had to find you!,