The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-03-30
Eoening Story
The Friends
BY S. B. HACKLEY.

1t was long, long before the great
war, and the clocks of Marennes told
that it was noon. The groups of girl
workers in the oyster culture chatted,
laughing over their simple lunch.
At the approach OF cart in which
sat a young man in a PEASANTS blouse,
an aged, shriveled man in a shiny
black coat, and a slim, dark girl wear
ing wooden frock, Rene Riout,.
young blonde, sprang from one of the
groups.
You'll mot forget, Susanna" she
cried in passionate tenderness, If ever
you need anything of me in that far
away country, I'll send it to you if it's
the heart out of my bodyi"
The black eyes of Susanna DuFais,
the dark girl. filled. She laid her
cheek on Rene's bright hair
IN not forget" she whispered;
"the Bon Dieu keep you, little one!"
Paul, Susanne's father. stiffened him
self and the cart rolled away
HOW they loved each other-Su-
same and Rene!" exclaimed Mignon
Gillette How hard for them old
Paul thinks he may get more for his
breadmaking in America"
"But listen, Mignon," her cousin
lowereds her voice, there's Rudel La
motto. We're he to come to choose
between them, >ah, there's no friend
ship between women that would stand
that test, Mignon!'
In the new country, old Paul pros
pered. Every month, -Susanne wrote,
he was able to put by a little toward
paying Father Henri, the good cure
who had loaned them their passage
money. When the letters came to
Rene Rudel, who worked at the fish
ing with ~Rene's father. came in to
hear them read. Now and then he
himself sent notes inclosed in Rene's
letters to Susanna and old Paul.
But after a while when Rene and
Rudel became betrothed, a feeling of
awe in her happiness kept Rene from
writing the news to her friend.
Il will wait" she thought, until
Susanna, too. finds a lover. then will
tell heri"
In provincial France the young
women often go to the near city to
sew fors a few months. where they
world.' When they return home they
have a little money saved-and much
to tell.
Soon after Rene's betrothal Adele
Treveau and Mignon Gillette persuad-
ed her grandmother to allow her to go
with them to stay with their great
aunt, Yvonne Treveau, in Paris, for a
little time at the sewing.
IT will have other things about
which to write to my dear Susanna
;.
the fishingi" Rene rejoiced. land Ru-
del-Rudel will love me better when
I come home at the Christmas time!
That is the way of the men, grand
mere: is it not?'
What ails you, Rene? Your tongue
is as still as one of our needles at
evening, since the assembly forbade
nightwork. Eat your lunch, cherie,
the letter will keep"
The midinettes strolled along the
sunny street in front if the big shop
in which they sewed.' eating their sau-
sage and bread.
Perhaps Rudel has written the
wedding will have to be put off an
other year. Has he lost all his boats.
Rene? Cheer up, cherie"-Mignon-
laid a little needlepricked forefinger
on Rene's heavy waving yellow locks
when the wedding time comes, if
RudePs pockets are empty, you can
sell this (the price would stock you a
barnyard) and put on your wedding
Golf"
But who sells the hair nowadays
when the Golf is often laid aside?"
demanded Delphine LIE Mere, a girl
\ from Rochefort.
PLENTY of folk" declared Mignon.
"Old Mere Nannette D'Auria has 500
francs in her purse she sold hers for"
Rene folded her letter. II must go
home" she faltered DULY. "Susanne
| is very ILL"
Bon. Dieu." thought Rene in the
this morning and smelled the honey
suckle I thought of Susanna and I
was happy"
She had had a terrible fall, and she
had only a short time to live, Susanna
had written, but whether weeks or
months the doctors could not tell. But
she must tell Rene her secret Since
coming to America RudePs beauty
and tender ways had been constantly
on her mind, and now since she had
nothing to do but think, she had come
to know she loved him! She must see
him before she died-she wanted him
to marry her and to hold her in HIS
arms when the life went out of her.
Send him quickly, Rene" the letter.
ended, for the love of the Bon Dieu!
II he has not the passage money. help
him to it. beloved, some way, only send.
him soon"
The click of the car wheels resolved
itself into a refrain of three words:
Send me Rudel! Send me -Rudeli"
A darkness came before Rene She
pinched her arms to keep off the faint
ness.
n Maybe if Rudel married Susanna the
happiness might make her we'll. Rene
had heard of such. If when he mar
wanted Susanna to get welll But
Rudel-
Rene ree1ed in her seat, spent by her
conflicting angufshed emotions "Ah,
mon Dieu!" she cried, clasping her
cold hands on her bosom IF l had
but written Susanna long ago was
hetrothed TO Rudolf Let her live, mon
Dieu! Let me be willing to give her
my belovedl''
When Rudel. wet and weary after
an alFnisht at the fishing, saw her
coming to meet him, he hurried his
feet. But the light went outs of his
eyes when she showed him Susanne's
letter.
Don't tell me you won't go. Rudolf"
she besought him. IF you love me,
Rpdel go--make my darling happy
the little time she has to live.'
What if I have not the passage
money!" he faltered. hope and anxiety
strangely mingled in his eyes. 81 have