The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-02-25
Eoening Story
Two of a Kind.
BY H. LOUIS RAYBoLD.

little grove adjacent to the farm
! house. Presently, he would rise and
hunt out ibis fellow boarder, Miss
Sherwood. and challenge her to a game
of tennis. For the time being, it was
cooler to lie and mediate. His
thought flowed thru devious channels.
ending up where they had always
ended of late-who and what was
Evelyn Sherwood?
| He had first met her across the
snowy clothed table widely and ac-
curately advertised as being freshly
served from it's own farm, with the
| thickest of cream. most newly laid of
eggs and vegetables which were the
last word in succulence. Among the
| other guests, the quiet thorobred
woman with her cool unreasonable
| little mods, sweetened by the warm
depths of her dark dashed eyes, had
stood out like a Richmond rose in
bed of dahlias.
| Their acquaintance did not go be-
yond the Please pass the-sugar" stage
until one afternoon when the canoe in
which Miss Sherwood had been idly
drifting on the water-lilied pond had
become involved inNa snag and cap
sized Stuart had pushed off in a
rowboat in frantic haste. She had
kept afloat, however, and was attempt
| ing to right the canoe when he came
up. But she had undoubtedly been
grateful, and from that day had beaten
/ him many game of tennis ana Deen
cheerfully beaten at golf
| But Stuart was not the only white
flanneled tennis playing youth at
| Mapleshade Farm who was interested
| in Evelyn Sherwood.
| In fact, when Stuart finally arose
, and sought his partner, he was cha
grined to find that lady briskly serv-
| ing across the net to Mr.. r. Bentley.
as the guest book had it. He watched
! them morosely for q few minutes, then
/ sauntered away. Passing the ham,
mock, he noticed two books depressing
its depths and, idly curious, picked
, them up.
: Their titles proclaimed them "Vag-
abonding III Italy and PROBLEMS of
the Rural School" And one OF them
had Evelyn Sherwood written on
the fly leaf
| a school teacher off on her vacation.
| If at first he was a little disappointed
at his failure SO to place her, thae
| feeling was Immediately succeeded by
one of joy that now he might dare
hope their friendship would ripen into
something more. Hitherto her ,ex-
pensively simple clothes, her casually
dropped references to experiences
abroad. her apparent acquaintance
with well known people, had made
him hold aloof. Come to think of 1t,
this pretense on her part wasn't quite
quite sportsmanlike- some how but
still he could understand and forgive
any woman's desire to steal away for
her vacation and play she was that
which would, in the recalling, tighten
the drab monotony of country school
teaching. Besides, when it came to
sailing under false co1ors-Ehow about
himself? Reflecting on the truth of
that ancient homily that it little be-
hooves the pot to call the kettle black,
Stuart replaced the books where he
had found them.
J. Meanwhile Evelyn had seized upon
the sultriness of the weather as an
excuse to stop playing tennis with Mr.
r Bentley and to take herself to the
DoathouSe dock where the canoes were
pulled out on floats.
Making herself comfortable on
some boat cushions, she let her
thoughts drift Who and what was
Stuart Bruce? Some things she knew
about him-he was extremely good to
look upon, very congenial to go about
with and an exceptionally fine adver-
tisement for his tailor. Her curiosity
consisted in wondering what sort of
family he came from and what kind
of a mans job he was holding down
in the world.
A moment later. as if disseminated
for her information, Evelyn heard
that which caused her to sit upright
at first in surprise and then in dis
may.
ADJOINING the DOatnOuSe was a per-
COLA frequently occupied by one or
more of the boarders, from which she
was not visible.
Sure. he's got a case on her"
declared a youthful Voice which Eve
Ign recognized as belonging to the
usually has on somebody. You know,
he comes up here every year-same
clothes and ALL"
do you think she like him." This
in awed tones from slightly younger
daughter of one of the boarders
"M-m-m. don't know-but she's too
good for him. You'd think from his
looks he was out of the Sunday sup
plement but he sells stuff on the
road, soaps, and-oh. washing pow
dersI'
Evelyn Sherwood did not catch what
! followed and did not wait for the
completion of the next. Sure she'd
have drowned. if it hadn't been for
him.
During supper sudden thunder
shower tumbled noisily over the hills
and spilled a liberal amount of rain
over the dusty country side. But it
took away the heat, and left behind
some stars and a thin young moon.
Evelyn Sherwood came out from
the dining room to the veranda, look
ing softly beautiful in a filmy gown
with something gauzy over her hair
Sitting down on the top step. she
leaned her head against the pillar and
looked out across the lake. Just then, |
a tall figure doomed out of the semi
darkness at her elbow and. altho I'M
invited. sat down two steps below.
There was an unbroken silence for
a moment. Then ct learned some |
thing about you this afternoon" said
a very cool voice, land while what
learned isn't of any great Importance
one way another. the fact that II
was so different from what you had
led me to suppose makes it impor-
tant"
Would you mind saying just that /.
again. said Stuart earnestly.
Evelyn looked surprise. 'Oh," she T
said, you know how much you have /
talked about the places you have been .
to, and the things you have DONE
why" returned Stuart, honestly !
puzzled, II didn't know 1 was such a /
blow-hard as all that"