The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-05-14
Euening Story
The Blind God.
BY JESSIE DOUGLAS.

You must go now?"
+ yes"
Butt shall see you again. II
was the sound in his voice-the sound
of the pursuing male-that made
Martha shake her head.
She looked very charming so; she
had looked very charming all evening.
In that quaint masquerade costume
of "a flower girl, short silken skirt
tsprinkled with flowers, wide flower
fell across her shouldersaand the will
| low basket on her arm, she was grace
| full, alluring, dainty.
The black mask covered all but
| her mouth, dimpling and red, and
| the man in the costume of Spanish
| cavalier watched it now as she spoke.
Were going to say good-by here"
| she insisted.
But why? I'm just getting to know
you, why break up the beginning of
more about me than tho we'd met all
winter in a casual way! I want to
| see you again.
| She hesitated and was on the verge
of temptation, then she felt his fingers
| on her mask and heard him plead,
Take it off, pleased"
| Martha stiffened and drew back
| II will meet you then tomorrow at
four" she said breathlessly, "at the
white gate of the far meadow
| He blew her a kiss from his finger
tips and took off his plumed hat and
made a sweeping bow. But Martha
Hadley, hurrying down the Changers
stairs, was only anxious to go. She
wondered why she had done that last
foolish thing, given him permission TO
see her again.
| >She knew why Ever since she had
danced with him first and felt the
strong guidance of his arm and had
stepped into the glassed Enclosure that
the Changers called their conserva-
tory, she had been a different Martha
twined itself about her heart.
l. He had said she was pretty. He
had said she wore the most charming
lcostume there, and that her voice was
sweet. He begged her to tell hei
name. But Martha had held him
him her name was-Martha-whe
she had always longed to be Rosa
mond or Paula.
| AS she ran down the walk and GU
past the thanked motor cars. Martha
looked back at the lighted window;
of the Granger house. It was the tins
to unmask now, but Martha hac
chosen to steal away instead, to ru1
back home thru the dewy grass, drink
ing in deep breaths of the soft air
looking up at the white stars SO IA
away.
What a wonderful night it hat
been! She had put aside the othe
Martha-the Martha who washed
dishes in the white house down tn
lane, and had been for just this one
the girl she had always longed to be
The sunshine next afternoon was to-
golden to be an excuse for the weathe
to keep her home.
ST won't go. tho!" Martha said. &c
never meant to 60"
| But at half-past three she was TAX
a H. I,2f e. r13a I'D ffs1a
with cold, trembling fingers and wish
ing that her blue and white checke'
Bingham was not SO plain.
perhaps he'll be cross=eyed," sh
4 thought desperately, ''or else he'll b.
so ugly that I can't bear to look a
him."
She almost hoped he would be, a!
she went slowly thru the meadow t.
the white gate. But when she saw
him far off. his tall figure, her hear
began to beat nfTdly, and she knew i
wouldn't make any difference If h,
was not good to look at, he was tn
man with the beautiful voice and tn
easy, masterful way and the charm
: that she felt even when he did no
speak.
The man had hurried on to NEE
her, and now nearby she saw he wa
not as she had thought him, but nicer
much nicer, hundred times nicer
Her heart sank lower.
aren't you going to speak to me ?
he begged.
Martha lifted her face to him. TIL
afternoon sun struck CLINT of golC
tacross her mousey hair and showed
the fluctuating color; first she wa
red, then she was white. and her clear
honest eyes that she lifted to his.
"Do you know you're 1ovelier thai
even the girl had. imagined" he sale
as he took her icy little hand.
ooh. DON'T" Martha begged. Sht