The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-02-14
Euening Story
His Dark Past.
BY MARY MORRISON


"And So" said Mrs. Trent. I'VE want
your advice
"Yes, Cousin Anne, we were sure
you would know just how to handle
| it, chimed in Daisy. =
Cousin Anne looked at them with
! a. rather humorous expression in her
beautiful gray eyes. Let me see II
| have it straight" she said, show
| ing her concentration on the subject
| in hand by a most alluring froWn.
Tommy and one named James-both
standing on their toes to marry Daisy
here"
well. really, Cousin Anne inter
| rupted Daisy conscientiously, lanes
has never said anything as definite
as that. 1t is just that he Keeps COM
| ing here day after day and sends me
all sorts of lovely things
Mrs. Trent broke in rather breath
| less1y, Among them some French
poems which of course, wouldn't
/ let her read!'
"Dear, dear, how dreadful of him!"
assented Anne Dunsany, a sternly re-
pressed twinkle showing in her eyes.
ssWhat else does he do. Daisy?"
| Its more the way he looks at me
| than anything else said Daisy. His
eyes are so, well intent-they make
me fairly squirm. And then the, next
minute I think he's laughing at me-
Tommy says he knows there is some
thing very qeeer about James, drop
ping down there in Glenbrook from
| nowhere that We know anything about
| and keeping a~dead silence about ms
| life before he came. It does look
queer, doesn't it."
II can see how it would look queer
to Glenbrook," replied Anne equiv
ocabIy. These silent, mysterious,
fascinating men with intent looks in
their eyes generally bear investiga-
ton"
Daisy.
Anne looked at her young cousin
in silence for a moment. Then she
rose, picked up her very chic hat
and placed 1t on her golden head
with a most becoming tilt all her own.
Til be back before long" she said.
I'm going to have a look at the
mysterious James house. An observ-
ant woman can learn almost any
thing about a man from his front
door mat"-and waving her hand in
farewell she disappeared down the
garden path and out the big gates onto
the road.
In spite of the difference of ten
years in their ages and the differ
OF life. Anne Dunsany was very fond
of her little cousin. BY some freak
of .cousinship they looked almost
enough alike to be sisters and Anne
took a very deep and personal in
terest in everything that touched her.
ct could easily murder that James
man in cold blood if he is playing
with her" she unused as she ap-
preached a comfortable house set
back from the street. She was just
in time to see motor car dash thru
the gates and disappear in cloud of
dust up the road.
That's James" unused Anne.
Now for his house."
1t was a nice house from the out
side, Anne had to admit. The white
pillars of its broad veranda cleaned
in stately purity at all suspicious
passersby as if denying their owners
possible blackness of reputation. The
wicker chairs and tables, the maya
zines and books strewn around in
pleasant disarray looked attractive.
IT wish I could see the inside"
suddenly thought Anne. He's out
and don't see any servants around
I'm going to explorer and before she
had time to reconsider she had hurried
up the front walk, mounted the steps
and entered the house.
She walked into a long. low room .
The late afternoon sun came thru
the open windows and touched the
rows of old books that reached up to
the ceiling with a golden light 1t was
a most satisfactory room and Anne
sank down on a deep sofa to take it in.
She picked up a little red bound
it's late reader had thrown it only
short while ago-and caught her
breath. Monsieur Beaucai1 e." she
murmured
What memories the title brought
back to her! 1t reminded her of a
wonderful summer years ago, of long
days spent in q small white sailboaI
on bright blue ocean and of evenings
when man with -quizzica1 gray eyes
had recited bits of Monsieur Beau
caire" to her in the moonlight.
1T was one thousand years ago."
said Anne Dunsany.
So absorbed was she in the sudden
rush of memories that surged over
her that she did not hear a motor
drive up or a heavy footstep enter the
room.
A man stood in the doorway, quite
face whitened\a little and his mouth
twisted into a quizzical little half
smiles but his voice was quite steady
as he said:
Hello, Anne"
Monsieur Beaucalre" dropped from
| Anne's grasp and lay unnoticed on
the floor as she sprapg from her seat
Jimmy" she exclaimed, "how on
earth did you get here? Am I dream
;ng?" and then in sudden realization,
on. you are James,
James TO Daisy" answered the
man, still looking at her from his
place in the doorway, but Jimmy to
you,r Anne-always and forever"
| There was utter silence in the big
room for a minute, and then the man
went on:
do you remember the first time
| you called me Jimmy?" he asked. ut
was at the Van Norden's. We sat out
| six dances in succession and started
all the old gossips talking. That was