The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-28
Eoening Story
Two wills and One Way.
BY A. W. PEACH.

induce him to sell the cottage Well,
I'll try!"
She turned the big roadster down
toward the Jake shore where the,
brown cottage nestled. She was not
used to having her will opposed. The
only and beloved daughter of the rich
mining niagnate, she had found wills
Of men easily bent to her wishes. Now
she had bought the fine estate high
on the slope to the lake. only to find
constantly in her view the squat cot
Etage.
Stopping her car at the gate. she
went lightly up the walk to the porch.
Stretched comfortably out in "a bat
tered steamer chair was tall figure;
it rose slowly, with evident surprise,
as she stepped on the porch. and de-
veloped into young man of about her
own age, light haired lean and strong
of face and~blue eyed.
She read in his eyes the admiration
her. but there was a grave intentness
in the look, a searching that seemed
to penetrate her and that irritated her.
Briefly she explained what she
wanted. And the price-simply
name what you want. I must have
you out of the wayi" she added.
He smiled gravcly. 81 like to be
obliging. but you see. I cannot help
liking this view myself; and besides,
this cottage is a family heirloom.
but 1 have the mountains across the
lake-old friends of mine; and, really,
1 think 1 shall stay"
There was a calm certainty in his
manner that annoyed her still more
than the amused glance he turned
anger. Here was a breed new to her.
Neither the money she had offered
nor-her own sheer loneliness seemed
to make any. appeal to him.
II wish I knew some way of getting
rid of YOU" she advised him.
A shadow came into his face, leav-
ing it a bit haggard. His voice
changed to a sudden stern note that
she had never heard before in her
life.
you should have been a princess
of old-then you could order my thick
head cut off" A slow glowing anger
crept into his. voice. This is Amer
lea! Your father forgot it. That
great mine of his has ground out
the lives of men and children and
mothers; he belonged to the dark ages
as a business man. He refused to see
what his associates saw-that employ
er and la borer must work together.
The wealth that is yours is mot yours:
in it's cohditionsv' He stopped sud
denly. The stern light faded, and the
amused glance came.
She stamped her small foot IN
wrath. what are you-a Socialist?
No one ever talked to me this way."
ST am glad I did then" he an
swered NO. I am not Socialist, as
you think of the term. I was an in
dustrial engineer until your father
hired me; and thenEwhy. little girl
you know nothing of the terrible con-
ditions there!" u.-
Don't little girl mel" she cried al
most in tears. you aren't a day older
than am--and you know it!'''
HeTIooked at her with frank, boy
ish eyes. I guess you're right. I've
got lots to Iearn-and so have your
Lets not quarrel" she said. "If
you won't sell this cottage, wlfy-I
suppose you won't!''
He nodded. and she left him-only
to think of him more than she had
over thought of any other man. What
he had said about the mines might be
true-her father had given her all his
love; but she knew how cold and stern
and harsh he had. been at heart. She
wondered if she had better visit the
mines.
Roger Seward = she remembered
hearing the name mentioned with an
ger by her father, Stewards words
haunted her until She exclaimed. Fl
wish I We're princess, I.would have
his head chopped off,
She could not get the clean, strong
face from her mind; and the upshot
was she sent him an invitation to a
garden party: and she u6schievously
planned to make herself as beautiful
in hisseyes as she could. To her Won
der. he refused the invitation.
She sent him a brief note which
said: You haven't the courage to
Gomez
He came. She planned her revenge
well. but he carried himself among
her friends with an ease and assurance
that astonished her. Some of the older
men greeted him with respect. They
evidently knew or knew of him. Like
a naughty child, she 1onged to humili
ate him in some way; so she teased
him with her beauty.
At last. as they stood apart among
the moonlit aisles of the fragrant gar
den. he turned upon her; bitterness
and pain We're in his voice
wreck the lives of others to possess
a woman like you. You are beautiful
beyond dreaming" Then. with scar
ing words he said quietly: 'tYou have
played with me this evening-tortured
was civilized, bux there is just one way
to make you see. You feel safe in your
power of name and wealth. but
Them very calmly. but with
strength that seemed to hold her
helpless. he caught her. held her and
naughty girl. Now be good.''
The days that followed were
strange ones. From hot anger at
him her mood changed. The warm
memory Of his kiss changed. the quiet
charm of his manBer fingered. the
sure assurance of his attitude Sbecame
more pronounced in her thought Last
OF all. the old usefulness and tender
ness in his last words haunted her.
The days were restless. In search
Of peace. she made with effort shy
attempts to see him. But he had
gone. Then she stole away to the
mines and returned, Mortified. to
summon the grizzled general manager
and tell him what she wanted done,
no matter what the cost was. She saw
him eagerly agree to do what she
wanted. Then came a note two weeks
later signed Seward: Good for you
Princess. I have heard the good
news. I kneel to you'll"
Shef crushed the note in her hands
and trernbled. II don't want to love
him. I hate him-yes. I do" Then