The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-15
Eoening Story
A Good Angel.
BY MARTHA WILL
LIAMS

+,
fake"
what pity" Wilton answered.
with a grim smile, since you are
likely to stay in it a month-maybe
longer. You knew the bargain
II knew what you said of things
Marin retorted. IF you had told the
truth, my mother
"Thatn be all from you right now"
Wilton broke out sternly. If you
were not what you area shadow, nor
mani would wash my hands OF
you before tomorrow morning
"But-since L am weak and i'll. you
want me for a son, Ell ?'' Marin taunt-
ed. All you legion fellows think it is
easier, also pleasanter, to marry
money than to make it. Let alone
waiting for grateful country-
Wilton caught the other man
wrists, held them immovable for
minute, then loosed them; his eyes
suddenly filled with infinite pity
reused by the tremors, the heat he felt
in the others flesh. In kind, steady
voice he began: "Billy-I know what
shellshock does to a fellow-how it
seems to kill his right soul and put
a devil instead of it. Let me help you
to dislodge that devil. You know that
is why we are here.
DIR. Lyme says your one chance of
getting back is quiet, good care, good
| food, and exercise in this healing pine
woods air. Try to remember that
remember, too, you are here by your
| own volition-you were keen enough
about coming only yesterday. Ask
yourself what motive 1 could possibly.
! have in bringing you here, except a
sincere wish to help you save your
self!''
Marin apparently was not listen
ing. Suddenly he broke out: See the
new moon Moon, is Anna looking
at you, too? She promised-you know
she did! Do you think she will break
her word? ''
Wilton strolled softly away, not dar-
| ing to remain. Anna Delna was hard
ly likely to be looking at new moons
! upon the eve of her wedding She
was not deserving sick man in cold
blood-instead she had fallen out of
love with him while he was away
compassion had kept her from break
ing with him openly at first-later,
when she knew the shock might kill
or craze him, she had temporized,
keeping him deluded in FOOLS para
disc, wherein there was no forecasting
| beyond the day.
Then her new fiance had demanded
| 1mperiously immediate marriage. 1t
was because of this that Marrin's
mother had prevailed upon Tommy
4 Wilton to take her poor child into the
deep silent wilderness. Wilton had
known his task would be hard-just
how hard, tho, until now, he had not
Erealized.
AS he went about necessary tasks
| Marin sat relaxed against a pine
trunk, his eyes on the moon, his face
blissful. His ill humor had vanished
I-he came cheerily enough at the call
to supper; after it smoked a pipe in
smiling silence, and presently flung
| himself on the bed of fresh boughs
where inside of a minute he was sleep
ing heavily. Wilton was thankful-it
was long since he had slept naturally
L I inc l,n-
gan thus early might it not make
whole the shattered creature? Unless
1t dtd-Wilton would not think fur
Their. He loved Marin, in spite of
he were of his own blood. Yet there
was no truth in Martins taunt-Wil-
| ton revered Lucia Merlin as a saint
! rather than loved her as woman.
She had carried weight SO CALAMITY,
faced down i'll luck with a. courage,
faith and charity that showed her
quality to be rare indeed.
Gallant lies had yelled the disgrace
or an unfaithful husband when he
died. Only his wife and his old law
yer had ever known the truth; Will
ton had guessed it intuitively. Lucia
had sent her twin sons to the army al
most joyously-glad of their chance
to redeem the name and blood. One
had fallen among the first and farth-
est forward; there remained to her
only this heartbreaking wreck.
Heart-wrenching tragedy-yet Will
ton held fast to hope. 1t grew with
the morning. Marin was almost bois-
ferrous in spirits. you promised me
wild strawberries he said gayly after
breakfast. Unless you make good
: well. awful things may happen tc
lyou."
The berries gemmed the grass of 9
natural meadow a mile or more from
} tcamp. but the tramp did not tire Mar
| lVt11 l.. Il
first ruby cluster he spied, shouting
like a hoy and examining his mouth
with fruit.
, Then twenty yards off up rose
slim figure, beautiful-yet Wiltor
. started at sight as tho it were a ghost
No ghost, but a living likeness of Anna
IDelina, in pose, features, coloring. How
would Marin bear sight of it? Wiltor
watched him with a wildly humping
heart, as he sprang erect, and made
three PAGES toward the stranger. hi.
face illumined, his hands outstretched
Suddenly they fell lifeless-he begaI
to stammer excuses. The girl nodded
comprehension, stepped forward and
Offered him her hand. saying: "St
glad to happen on you so early-wt
are camping 1oo-mother and 1.-THE
milk boy told us there was soldier,
gentleman just come. Welcome to the
pine woods. No better place in the
world to forget-things better-forgot
ten"
you are right, indeed Wilson said
approaching. Inside of five minutes
he had placed himself and Marin, ant
found out that the girl. Annals double
was Mary Provost. her cousin.
Three days later he said to hel
l aside: You must know the situation
, do you realize the danger of it,
t'To him you mean?" Mary. fluns
I back, her head high: '.You-yoJ
can't think 1 would be so heartless a!
: to-hurt him? I felt like murderins
Anna, when she told me-that is VIII!
i I-Oh, never mind. Maybe if I car
make him content. until nature save:
E him-what L am doing will be justi
I fed
TT needs no justifying." Wiltor
l L4said, lifting her hand reverently to. hi
4 lips. ''Unconsciously Billy is begin
D ming to love you-helped by the sens
D that it is deadly wrong. This in hi