The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-27
JUST A GIRL
Blu JANE PHELPS
MR.-CLAxToN ASKS TO CALL.
CHAPTER 12s.


eyes. wrote Kenneth Lawrence. 1
gave him my address," replied slowly
to mothers question. Some way felt
a reluctance to talk of Kenneth, even
to her.
Have you heard from him since
you wrote?"
yes, Just a short letter. He says
he may come-to Chicago before long
His superintendent is away and he IS
very busy"
= You will be glad to see him, ex-
pect. AItho we did not know him very
we'll" Mother had said 1--WE" as was
natural to her. In the old days my
friends were her friends. too. 1 was
not allowed to receive anyone they did
not know. Kennetb had been Claudia's
cousin, and so welcomed. ! But neither
father nor mother knew Him well. But
1 felt that did-not only as 1 remem-
bered him, the good times we hal
together, but as 1 had held him In my
thoughts ever since.
"I shall be glad to renew the ac-
quaintance," i replied quietly. AS /
said it my heart beat more rapidly and
felt my face flush. 1 changed the
compensation before mother noticed.
In the days that followed / was often
tempted to tell her how 1 felt about
Kenneth Lawrence. But it seemed so
foolish IN me to have held him SO in
my thoughts all these years without
knowing anything of his feeling for
me-or what it would be when he saw
me so changed-that L said nothing.
He was almost a phantom lover-if
such term as ''lover" could be used
a dream companion whom I had en-
dowed with all that makes a man de-
sirable.
Perhaps, he too, had changed. I
dismissed the thought almost as soon
as it came. He had been a ranchman
when l met him, was still one, while I
and my life had altered in every par
ticular. But not even to mother would
confess my fear that he might be dis
appointed when he saw how different
1 was from the happy, carefree girl he
had known. Not that I wasn't happy,
especially now that had mother with
me, but I had lost much of the vivacity
the girlishness that had been mine in
the long ago before dad left us.
Mother had written Mr.. Claxton a
little note of thanks for her flowers
and I also had told him how we had
appreciated his thoughtfulpess.
II wish I might do more" he said
with glance that made me blush II
am very glad for you, Miss Stewart
May I call on your mother and you
some evening"
Certainly Mother will be pleased"
"And your"
81 of course will feel honored." My
reply was a bit sarcastic, but seemed
unable to help 1t.
1T is 1 who shall feel honored if
you let me come"
That was ALI The words were COM
monplace enough, yet unusual between
employer and employee. But felt that
he meant what he said. That was one
thing about Frank Claxton-you felt
sure he never said anything he didn't
mean. If was pleased, and if mother
also appeared a bit elated, 1t could not
be wondered at. I had told her Just
what he said, and she had remarked: :
II am quite anxious. to meet this
man who has been so kind to you. 1t
is kind in him to call-yet. Zena, we
must not feel that he is doing US too
much of a favor. You are his equal
in every way save in that we have no
money He recognizes this, 1 am sure,
have told me of him. I am positive 1
shall like him"
"Of course you will, and he will like
you. I can just see his face when he
meets you, mother. You look just
what you are, you know, a born aris-
brave and courageous as they make
them" I often lapsed into a sort of
slang which at first had worried
mother. But she had Become accus-
TONED to 1t. and now only smiled.
why shouldn't be courageous
when have such a daughter"
Mother was very frah. Her only
complaint had been that she was I'M
able to earn money and so make my
burden lighter. But she never had re-
covered from the shock of dads death,
! never been at all strong since. For
her to be confined to any sort of work
was out OF the question. At times 1
feared that even the keeping of our
little home would be too much for her,
and would insist upon either doing the
heavy cleaning myself at night, or
upon hiring it done-which as yet was
bit extravagapt.
A few days after he had asked II he
might call, Frank Claxton came.
| (Tomorrow-A call.)