The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-25
EUening Story
Winged Heels.
BY FREDERICK HART.

run-he's got the best pair Of legs I've
seen on a man around here in year
but he doesn't seem to take any in
terest in it at all. He g9ts out there
every day and flddIes around and fid-
dies around, and that's all he ever
does Put him in a meet and it's ten
ito one he gets licked.
eff he cared I wouldn't mind. but ne
doesn't seem to care a whoop. You
remember the Ardsda1e meet? He
was trimmed in the hundred by n little
chap about half his size and ne came
in grinning. I guess I let him get
away with something'--thatw was all he
said. What are you going to do with
a guy like that?''
Fire him." suggested the coach 5
companion. a grizzIed veteran of many
years ago, who had come up, as grad =
ates often do. to look over the ma
terial of his alma mater and lend a
helping hand tc tho overworked coach.
NO, 1 can't do that He's good for
! two places at least. and he can run.
but he won't. Firing wouldn't do any
! good-he'd just grin and let 1t go az
! that. I reckon III have to keep him
and be content with whatever he
shows-a couple of third places, like
as not. when he should have two firsts.
Confound a man with no ambition"
The man who had been talking t.
| the coacl left him in a few minutes.
/ his brow wr:nkled in thought. And
I that afternoon he sent wire to Ne.y
York. which elected instant response,
and that same evening Billy Renfrew.
much to his surprise, received a note
which read as follows:
Dear Mr.. Renfrew:
LAS a former member of the track
team here at Danvers I naturally
take an interest in everybody who
is now helping to keep the colors
of the old college at the top of the
pole. I have watched your work
at the track, and would esteem 1t
favor if you would come to call on
me tonight and talk about the team
and its prospects-And yourself, f
you are not too modest. I am stop
ping at the William hotel-just ask
for my room and come right up.
Yours sincerely,
Arthur Deviation, 1895"
Billy read the note in some amaze
, ment, but he decided to accept the
invitation, and that night he called.
He was shown into a comfortable suite
at the hotel and in moment his host
had introduced himself-and then
Billy felt the ground slipping from
under his feet and his head whirljng;
for there before his eyes was the most
Dewitching vision he had ever seen.
What was Mr.. Deviation saying? My
niece, Miss Marjorie Deviation, Mr..
Renfrew. Marjorie, you must help me
entertain this young man."
Marjorie blushed delightfully."-, and
assured the crimson young athlete
that she would do her best; and then
they all sat down and the CONVERSE
ton began. If Billy had been himself
he might have wondered that Mr.. De
vallon seemed TO desire to do SO little
talking; but he was not himself; he
was lost in the light of a pair of big
brown eyes and the meshes of dis
tractingly cobwebby hair that floated
about them and made a halo of dark
gold where the lamplight shone thru.
And when Mr.. Deviation found ex-
cuse to depart on the plea of calling
on an old professor of his, Billy
breathed a sigh of thankfulness. ana ma
the evening sped on light footsteps till
Mr.. Deviation returned, and Billy must
needs make his adieus; but he had
discovered that his divinity was going.
to stay in town for a while, so he de-
parted radiant.
After he had gone Mr.. Deviation
swung A4arjoEie off her feet and per-
formed IAN impromptu war dance
around the room.
BLESS your heart for an angel. niece
of. mine!U- he cried exultantly. 4
knew you'd come when you got my
young lackadaisy going. He'll run all
right, nowi Yon can make him do
anything you want Hooray for Dam
vers and the nieces of her graduates!
But Marjorie was a bit quiet ana
did not enter into the spirit of the
war dance, so her uncle sent her Off
to bed.
Two weeks later came the meet with
Downing college, and the coach, VINO
had despaired of winning-privately-
received the shock of his life. Billy
Renfrew went to the starting line with
his law set and turned i1p two first
places-one in the hundred and one in
the tyyo-twenty designating better
time than he had ever done before,
The coach was amazed; Mr.. Deval-
lon was jubilant. but kept MS own
counsel; and only Billy and Marjorie
I-neyy that those races were run on
the inspiration of a. pair of bright
owes If the third row of the gran l.
stand. Ellly had found his interest
After the meet Mr. Deviation pro-
posed that Marjorie return TO New
York. you've done your work and
done If well. That young idiot has
learned what ambition is, and you
taught him. We can go when we
please"
But Marjorie showed a sudden inker-
est in the coming intercollegiate, and
begged to be allowed to remain. She
would stay with a girl friend of hers
she said: and, finally. Mr.. Deviation
consented.
The interconegiates were run two
weeks later. and Mr.. Deviation read
with pleasure that Billy Renfrew had
taken first in the 100-yard dash and
first in the 220-his special races
and afterward had tried his hand at
the broad jump. placing third-a total
of thirteen points for his college
Marjorie had promised to return i'm
mediately after the meet. so that even
ing after dinner he was not surprised
when she entered unannounced. But
he received a shock to see that she had
some one with her. and that that some
one was no other than Billy Renfrew.
What are you doing here2" he
asked. II thought you'd be with the