The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-10-04
EDening Story
A Mans Soul.

spirit glowing opalinely, recalling yes
terday. Life had burst in flower then
from a desert of other yesterdays,
drab and desolate, monotonous be-
yond expression.
The great adventure had befallen,
taking her wholly unawares. She did
not live it over, rather sensed it as
one senses music in a dream. The
peace of summer lay softly about her
here or there a dropping bird-note
accented the stiffness. The notes wove
themselves thru her consciousness,
undervoicing the new rythms of pulses
and breath. Tapped in peace, she
bodiment of joy inarticulate.
A BLUR of sounds broke thru the
soft silence-the purr and hornblast
of swiftly coming car, with shrill
gay voices and Homeric laughter, ris-
ing in staccato chorus, as it halted at
the steps.
Here at last Mariana in the moated
grange! Been watching long," one
voice said as a man, 1.-THE, leonine,
tawny, flung himself up the steps and
darted at Marjorie with hands out
held. She overlooked the hands. say
ing absently as she rose, Il had for
gotten you were coming-alInost"
shrinking a little as she spoke. I'm
possiblel Mustn't tell fibs," the man
said touching her filmy frock, as
opaline as her soul. Suppose 1t was
our wedding rehearsal" this very low,
land the maid of honor sent her wits
wool gathering?
'I never suppose the impossible"
Marjorie answered IN his own key
with the faintest possible shrug- He
looked at her narroWly-his eyes pre-
datory, making to lead her to the car.
She hung back, saying with half
tremor: Run along. I am coming
NOT In GT-TTC
my frock-see. They are right behind
you"
sol" the man glowered. Before he
could stay her Marjorie ran down the
side steps, gained the Lesion car and
waved a triumphant hand at him,
smiling from her billowing tulle like
a rose from thick mist. Mrs. Lesion
patted her arm softly-the squire
growled over his shoulder as they
swung past the first corners: Min
lister of what not; Ruel Hadden is
handsome beasts handsome, so
beastly, I'd like always to see him in
a cage"
mo. say vestments. All the girls
think he's divine in full canonicals,
Mrs. Lesion flung back.
do you?" the squire shot at Mar
jorie, who shook her head, yet blusAed
unaccoUntably.-
She dared not speaker voice
might betray her. She was thrilling
more and more with each yard of the
way. In ten minutes. in five. in two,
she would see him again--the mate
foreordained for her. yet until yester-
day unknown. There must be a rate
in it--else how should the chosen best
man have broken his collarbone and
so sent a stranger in his place?
"Just the same as me myself-only
double as good every way" He had
written to Bridegroom Tom, who was
Marjorie's cousin and who had thrust
the stranger and Marjorie merrily to-
gether, saying: since you are bound
to fight over everything, make haste
and get hostilitfes out of the way
There had been no fighting-in-
stead looking and loving and lingering
in a dusking garden, where eyes said
II love you" and lips swiftly echoed
the saying and where under the first
stars the pair had kissed and parted.
The memory famed between them as
they stood together, a little apart, try
ing to heed the cross commands of the
brides eldest sister and the groom ;
rich aunt. The strife of tongues suit
ed ill the dim religious GOODNESS of the
tiny Gothic church, outside whose
windows slender pines whispered as
softly as lovers. RueI Hadden in full
canonica1s was a distinguished figure.
Vestments subdued his eXuberant
high -colored vitality, much as the
thru stained glass. He looked priest
ly, almost noble indeed-yet his teeth
set hard as he noted Marjorie's IL
lumined eyes and John Kenton's face
openly adoring. 1t was impossible
they scarcely knew each others names
yet actually-of that his heart, hot
with jealous hate, left him in doubt.
And all the six months since he came
to the parish he had looked upon her
as his to take or leave at will.
Until now he had not been sure he
loved her. She had seemed but half
alive. a flower poisoning away from
the sunshine. No wonder-living as
she did in gray old house, with gray
old elders for company. and lacking
even the stimulus of unqualified
wishes. Her money had not tempted
him-he was too vital to be mekce-
nary. withal far from needy. Now. lit
with loves fine fire. she was wholly
adorable, wholly desirable. Have her
he must and would, despite this pesti-
lent outsider.
A born actor, he masked his anger
under q seeming of jolly fellowship
before the wedding. the going away
and other frivolities had ended he had
Scraped a remote college acQuainta nee
with Kenton and all but compelled
him to come and share the bachelor
freedom of the rectory. Here the
weather helped hint had turned
suddenly torrid after a single day of
freshet that sent streams out of banks.
They were small but many, running
down to the mill pond, which
stretched broad, silent. silYern, for
two miles above the big mill. The rec
tory abutted the pond-so did Thorn
way, Marjorie's home. Consequently
she swan like a mermaid, and loved
nothing better than a water race be-
fore sunrise in the heat of summer
Ruel Hadden had been her competi-
tor many times, but not always victor
Her adroitness offset his greater
strength. Commonly they went mid
way the pond in a canoe, steadied it
with mooring in deep placid water
leapt oversize and spent blissful min
utes in clear. cold water almost ocean
blue at its deeps.
Kenton swan moderately we'll
mainly through lack of practice Still
he did not love the water. Yet be-
tween the waters enticement, Had
denis challenging eyes and Marjorie's
Il = IT, e.