The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1921-10-20
STORMY WEATHER
BY PAULA PHILLIPS.



fountains rinkled. and rare lowers
bIoOmed. was very miserable. indeed.
For the beautiful gift of happiness
was 10 be found neither in her fathers
luxurious home or garden. Nanette,
with her many cOnqueSts and care
free DAYS or girlhOod. had left IN
learned the lesson of true love. Now
that it was before her, it was Il diff
cult lesson to understand. 1t had been
very sweet before she had Known that
it was love at all. Knight Evers was
such a companiOnable satisfying sort
Of friend.
She was usually busily engaged in
her partnership Of some game. But
knight would turn occasionally with
his bright smile Of cOmraderie toward
her, and leaving her still undisturbed.
SO in their rides together. he always
had lime TO pause for the viewing Of
the glorious scenery which held her
spcllb0und, and seemed to know in
stinctively. when and where Nanette
would wish to linger most. They were
merry together, too. with little secret
jokes concerning others, that We're in
! nocently their own; and also. Knight
was unoStentatiOusly careful Of her.
When father Norton, millionaire
Norton. he was called, noticed the
growing friendliness between his only
daughter and the young nobody, whom
the Failings had incOnsiderately in
vited 10 the country club as their
guest, he merely raised superciliOus
eyebrows.
Nanette seldom showed any admir-
er undivided attention, and he be
Heved that this unusual acquaintance
would he of short duration. But as
time passed and Knight Evers, office
employee of an insignificant business
concern. continued to visit the country
club. and later 10 visit Nanette her
self. Mr. Norton became annoyed and
chagrined; for his 0bedient daughter,
for the first time in her life, ignored
his request
1T would be wise" her father ad-
ViSed her. TO cease encouraging young
Evers. You know rs well as I, that
/ nothing can come of such an attach
/ ment. TO put the case frankly, he is
decidedly beneath YOU and your fam
lily, in position. Drop him. We have
other views for you."
But Nanette did not at once drop
Knight Evers. Though KNOWN. her
father, she knew that he would not
relent in his judgment she Won
dered. tearfulIy and vaguely. if Knight
shOHld ask her to marry him. and Nan
was pretty certain that the question
was trembling on his different lips. If
Knight should ask her, would she he
/ able, after the dinident manner Of
her raising to make him a competent
! helpmeet.
Would Knight he unhappy in her
! failures? Would she he unhappy in
/ her restrictions
Nan pOndered seriously, and il was
| Jim Brent who came to be her fathers
| best aide. Capable Jim Brent, with
his poise and assurance. Her fathers
! friends called the man Jim naturally.
to most Of them he was their cOnfiden-
| tial banker. lie was an officer in the
| country club, OF which Nanette'S IA
! Their WAS president, and he was a bach
/ elOr. This latter state. however, he
t was quite willing TO forsake at Mans
/ little yes. As yet. Nan had not quite
/ whispered it. But when she compared
| her future wifely duties at the ac-
/ cOmplished Jlm's side, to those IN
| acquainted duties which she must
! painstakingly learn as Knights wife.
/ Nanette was inclined to throw up even
/ love and its sweetness for certainty
/ and the approval OF her own family.
So when Knights question came,
spoken ali impulsively in the beauti-
/ full mOOn-lit garden. Nan was ready
for him. knight had scarcely time to
regret what he called his own selfish
rashness' before Nanette uttered her
! no.
1t cannot be Knight. good old
friend" she said firmly. Love is all
right for sunny weather. but when il
comes TO storms the frightening
storms of life-well, it really takes
more than love. dear"
Knight had chOked up at the little
word dear, and had gone, blindly on
his way. The days that followed
were the hardest Nanette had( ever
known. She had expected to miss her
understanding pal, but she had not
counted upon the constant ache Of q
longing heart
And when, one day, Nan fled TO the
woods, 10 be free from the chatter of
guests thar wearied her. Jim Brent's
talk seemed like idle chatter now, too
Nan walked farther in the woods
than she knew. And there. a thun-
derstOrm found her. A flashing, roar
Ing thunderstorm in the cathedral of
trees.
From childhood, electrical storms
had been Nanette's terror. Wnd-eyed
white-lipped, she waited. Before the
last fearful reverberatiOn, she closed
her eyes Then out Of the threaten
ing darkness, came miraculously, two
strong protecting arms to enfold her