The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-05-25
Eueninng Story
Four Winds.

every succeeding day. Don't you ever
feel it-you who used to travel up and
down and across this old world with
me?"
Fred shook his head, and smiled as
he lighted his pipe.
mo more" he sighed, but the sigh
was expressive of contentment. Mot
since Hazel came into my life have 1
felt the call You should be married,
too, and then you could settle down
and defy the fates that seek to send
you to far Places liked the old life,
the adventures we went thru together
L remember our tilt with polar bears
and recall our tiger hunt in the Jun
giles, and our wrestle with hunger in
the Rocky Mountains, and they have
become bright spots in my memory, be-
cause of the thrills and comradeship
connected with them. but love is Il
greater adventure than any or all of
them. Pm satisfied and I thought
you were, too. now that that very de-
s.rable young lady has place in your
ST = of existence. I'll be. frank
and say that it wouldn't be a square
deal to go and leave her now when she
has come to care for you. Besides.
rolling stone, you know doesn't become
plastered with greenbacks.
The Pickering light of the flame in
the fireplace reached out and brought
Jerry's face into bold relief. 1t was a
young face. with some lines, but other
wise no evidences of cares. 1t was
good face, too, and handsome, with
! eyes that burned with life.
I'm sorry" he said after pause.
while he puffed on a calabash, but
L can't give up. 1 think a lot of
Carrie, but can't resist the call of the
long trails. I'm rightly named. The
| four winds have woven a spell about
me that 1 can't shake-off. I've kept
this job as an auto salesman for two
years, and that's a record for me. I've
saved up some caSh-about four hun
dred doliars-and I'm going to Brazil.
L may not gather the greenbacks, but
| I'll have adventure, which my system
requires. 1 thought once I'd marry
Carrie-if she'd have me-but it's no
/ use. I told her last night when 1 left
her that 1 was going away for week
and foolishly made an engagement
with her for a week from tonight. I'If
have to break that engagement, that is
i ALL 1 have favor to ask of YOU.
| VIII you go to her the next day, after
the engagement that L won't keep, and
explain to her what a worthless fellow
1 am?"
There was serious look on Freds
countenance as the light from the fire
turned its attention to him.
III do it if you insist" he said.
but it's the wrong way. I'm disap-
| pointed in you, L confess, but I'm your
| friend, of course, just the same and
will try TO make satisfactory explana-
tions. You had better think it over,
the. before you take the step"
81 leave tomorrow morning" Jerry
answered. my mind is made up"
And he did. An early train bound
| for the south took him out of Waverly
his eyes shining with the excitement
of once more hitting the trail" and
| perhaps little with regret over some
| one he left behind.
No girl is going to tie me down"
Jerry muttered as he watched the out
skirts of the city flash past. I'm
leaving just in time. She was getting
a pretty strong hold on me- Poor
Fred! He's settled for good"
Jerry settled himself in the smoker
and tried to pass the time with the
magazines, but somehow he couldn't
get interested in the printed page as
he used to when travelling. He was
unable to account for this disturbed
| condition of the mind, but finally de-
cfded it was the two years spent with
| his nose 20 the grindstone, as he
phrased it. He would overcome it in
a short time, he was confident.
! In the afternoon the car became
crowded andS> Jerry shared his seat
| with a young travelling; man. They
! discussed business and reconstruction
7, and bolshevik and other matters and
before long the talk turned to per-
| sonal matters. The travelling man
seemed inclined to be sentimental, and
finally admitted he was in a joyful
| mood because he was returning to his
home in the west and never was going
to leave it again.
/ "At last my firm has given me a
city territory" he said, "and now I
can stay with my wife and kids. What
do you think of this?"
Jerry looked at the photograph held
out to him. 'Who are they?" he
asked his new friend.
tho xUifa and kids - q said
proudly. whats the verdict -
"Fine!" said Jerry, with real ad-
miFation. The travelling man lapsed
into silence and appeared lost in re-
Election. So was Jerry.
In the diner that evening Jerry sat
across the aisle from young couple.
kwho continually smiled at each other
and patted each others hands in what
was intended to be a surreptitious
manner, negIeeting their food shame
fully
"Honeymooners!" grunted the fat
man across the table from Jerry.
Act crazy, don't they?"
"Oh, don't know" Jerry demurred,
and was surprised at himself: Sbecause
; ordinarily he would have held the
/; same opinion.
When darkness was settling the
train stopped at small town-one of
those places which uses the station as
a public assembly hall. Young couples
in arm. chatting gayly and laughing.
Jerry felt a lonesome feeling creeping
over him. Never before had he ex-
perienced anything of the kind. and he
could not explain it.
1T can't be I'm homesick," he
growled, and turned from the window
drawing the blind.
Jerry had a lower berth IN the
, center of the sleeper. but he failed
somehow to sleep well. Things didn't
IL 81
/ ture who was more at home on the
: trail than in house. The next morn
ing he had to change trains at a small
town. and also to purchase a new
ticket He didn't believe in contiU1-
: Gus passage tickets. because he might
want to change his mind about where
he was going.
Soon he was ensconced once more
in the seat of a rushing coach. 1t wa:
warm and he Invested himself of his
L.. -. :. ..f+ l.