The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-21
EUening Story
The Joke That Turned.
EY 4. w. PEACH.


eyes smiling at her sister.
audrey looked down in turn at the
rosy face lifted to hers. lie was far
from handsome-that is, now-he was
so thin: but they told me at the store
that ne had hired the Point cottage
and was going to board himself. He
was engaged to a girl. and after he
had furnished a home, she backed out
and it made a woTnan-hater of
him."
y should think it would" Beth an
swereG briefly. then repeated musing-
", "a real. live woman hateri"
Her father booked up from his pa
per. Now. look here. youngster, don't
you so getting into mischief
She nodded with an upward sweep
of her gray eyek at her father who
always seemed able to read her mind;
then she promptly started out to get
INTO mischief
| The Point cottage was lonely place
on the shore beyond their cottage.
That afternoon, she left the main road
for the sake of going by it. 1t lay
silent among the pines
/ Beth hesitated. He must be away.
and 1 would hkeSto see real. live
woman hater keep house" she
thought to herself.
To think was TO act with her. Her
small feet, falling lightly. made no
sound She went up to the window
| land peeked in. A slight noise behind
her made her whfrl. She found her
self facing a tall. pale-faced man of
about thirty, and thin-as she said
later. thin TO the point of extinction"
His eyes were brown and Swallowed by
WEAKNESS, but. they frightened as he
saw her.
Good morning. Miss SIattery. You
have come just in time TO help me out
| Please come this way. 1 am varnish-
! ing a canoe out back he said pleas
Beth was startled. but she was not
to be outwitted. "O-hoi, it is Miss
said to herself. as she followed the tall
form. ''he~can't do anything more than
fire mel"
He led her to the kitchen and point
ed to the sink. 1t was heaped with
soiled dishes. She stared at them.
You must have had a banquet all
by yourself. Don't you ever wash
them 30
His brown eyes were cold. mo.
keep using clean dishes till I've used
all in the house; then 1 have them
washed and start over again. That's
one thing I want You for
She Looked at him keenly, but there
was no smile in his eyes All her life
she had her fun with people who took
life solemnly. and many times they
had never known the merry game she
sure of him.
Nor did she in the week that passed.
Every day she went to the cottage
and did the homework for him. To
be called Miss, Slattery" by the ear
nest young man. to find herself home
unusual flavor of a huge joke. She
did not realize the danger of it; she
had grown up fresh and innocent as
rose in the friendly shelter of her
home garden.
1t was good fun-and~ silently.
mysterio@sly, it began to be something
more. Under Lis brown eyes she Sc W.,
now and then, the twinkle of a merry
spirit that answered to her own. She
liked the outdoors; and she soon dis
covered that he was putting himself
thru a rigid physical training. 1t
seemed to her that under her very
eyes his thin. lean figure began to fill
out TheA. one day she ''stumped"
him to take her out on the lake fish
ing, and left him staring when she
showed him she could handle fly
rod as skillfully as he could. Then
about the cottage-gave her another
insight into his mind and nature and
formed . common meeting ground for
She found S soonIthat the happiest
hours of the days were spent with
ter a long swim, he came lightly TO
the house, his muscular. erect form
swinging easily up the walk. She
wished he were hers! The sudden
thought yelling from her heart left
her trembling. and something in her
face must have arrested him.
When he came downstairs again,
he went over to her side and quietly
took the dust cloth from her hand
His brown eyes were sober. serious.
and very tender.
IT think that after today shall not
need you any more. Miss Hammond"
Miss Hammond'!" she cried at
his use of her own name. How did
YOU know? WHY her voice lost
its establishment and changed to
amusement
He stood a moment IN silence;
then he turned, and looking down
at her from his six feet. he smiled
again in the tender way that set her
heart pounding.
ct confess. I knew who you were
that first day; and it popped into my
head to follow the plan 1 did. I owe
you an apology"
She shook her head. 'sNo, I owe
you one I thought I was playing a
good joke on you; instead
Instead" he caught the word and
went on with a new note in his voice.
the joke is on me, for, little girl, 1
don't see how I can ever. ever let you
go. But your father@''
Another surprise! My father!"
she exclaimed.
Yes, I went to your father and
told him what I was up to. He and
my father were college mates He
said it would be all right, that for
once he would like to be in on joke
on you"
Il should think So" she said.
Everybody has been fooling mel"
There was a slight WAIVER in her voice.
Il thought ave were all fooling; in
stead-I have been falling eyerlast-
ingly in love with youi"
She smiled in the quick, tense
silence that followed. but her chin
qufvered. His eyes watched that little
chin for enc moment; and then she
found herself tightly imprisoned in
muscular arms. feeling upon her lips
his kiss-and kissing back!
You do that exceedingly well for