The Topeka state journal., 1922-06-17
EOeni11g Story
Salvage.
BY NJ. McC-wILLIAMs.


She loved growing things. the clean
smell OF newly stirred earth, above
all. birds, wheeling, darting, fluttering
from shrub to vine, or over the bril-
liant beds. Their chorus of joy match
ed her mood this midsummer morning
whose level early sunshine somehow
transfigured her. She had come out
for flowers; deftly, with tender touch,
she clipped the chosen blossoms. She
did not crowd her basket-Only the
choicest blossoms were fit for the day.
Her birthday-half her world would
come later with gifts and good wishes.
She would be grateful enough for all
yet somehow yearned for only one
well-wisher; since Austin Fay had
come into her life all beside him were
but shadows.
How her heart leaped at his joyous
haiIl Rushing across the turf he
snatched away her basket, set it down,
and took both her hands. saying:
Forgive me, rose of roses; but I had
to come ahead of the crowd. I knew
it was my only chance of asking you
something privately. Something dread
fully important-to me! Can you
guess what it is?
Let me see; it. is about the color
of your new suit or if you had bet
ter sell Sir Lancelot, while the selling
is good? Or maybe it is what chance
you have with Nine. Duvernay p"
Esme began. flushing happily.
''All wrong! Dead wrong" Fay in
terrupted. mot disparaging your in
comparable wisdom, you're way, way
off. You, you only know the an
swer-will you marry me tomorrow
morning just about this timer
Esme tried to hang back, to say
something gay and Indifferent. Love
forbade: with dropped eyelids and
tremulous lips she half whispered:
This b1oomed for you-just as I
did. 1t holds my heart in its heart
and myself goes with it," holding to-
ward him a royal half-blown rose,
white outside but with a glow of flame
scarlet in its deeps.
Fay took the flower eagerly, laid
it to his hps, and said, Daring, the
kiss is for you-given vicariously in
fear of prying eyes The rose is a
happy omen-it stands, you know, for
silence. And-and-what we do must
be kept secret-for just how long 1
cannot say"
Esme started family. at hate Sc
crets," she said. II have never had
one. Father begged me to the very
last never to do anything that could
not bear daylight"
IF YOU really love me you will
trust me-" Fay said in a hard, strained
voice.
1t made Esme shiver. but she faced
him steadily. saying: IF you can
show me a reason" stopping there
as she caught a faint, indefinable
change in his glance. He did not
speak-she went on, her head droop-
ing: Il do love you-I am ready to
trust you against all the world. But
i cannot do it blindly-so much I
owe to my name"
You must trust blindly-or not at
ALL" Fay said. fixing burning, hyp-
motto eyes upon her: UNLESS you
do. this is goodby forever"
Esme shivered again. Heart, soul.
body, every fiber of her yearned to
yield to him. But against that whelm-
ing passion stood the traditions of a
long, long line. No Wyeth had slurred
or stained it since the first of them
set foot in America, almost three
hundred years back. Last of the
name, she felt bound as no actual au-
thority could bind; but there was a
heart. Duly she heard Fay say some
thing-at first she hardly sensed it
Then his words took hold upon her
ear: You are twenty-one today
free! Your own mistress And I ask
OF you just this one small thing-to
let me make sure of you-before I go
away"
Then you lack trust" Esme said
piteously You should not. A Wyeth
promise has never yet been broken"
Only fool would leave his great
est treasure within reach of a burg
lar" Fay said impatiently. mo need
to tell You. when I am gone John
Lapsley will make you forget me-if
L
am-almost. 1t isn't in him to be fully
so devoted"
"Please-we need not speak of
him" Esme said gently. Il forgive
what what, you have said-you are not quite
stop! I can't be civil any long
er. Say yes or no at once-unless
you wish to drive me quite mad" Fay
broke in. his face working with pas
sion. Esme loved him, yet shrank
from him in this guise After a.
breath she said difficulty: 'T-cannot
at once Give me until tomorrow
morning.
You will take me to the station.
hands again. Think hard. hearts
delight, and be sure you think yes
Now must leave you-to haunt the
phone half the day instead of staying
to see you queening it here. I would
not go-only next thing to life depend
on It"
go! at once" Esme interrupted.
She was too Yearly faint to listen fur
ther
Breakfast was a merry meal, with
gifts heaped about her plate, and her
nearest, dearest friends clottine the
big house to do her honor. OF course
they had eaten their fil1-even John
Lapsley. Love surely had not taken
his appetite. His gift was only roses
royal even than that Esme had
bestowed upon Fay. A nameIess pres
ent, a diamond pendant, winkinE back
the morning sunshine, made Esme re-
coil family and drop it back in its
case. The phone was calling insistent-
ly a little way off. LapsIey went
briskly to answer it and caught an
impatient drone, 'Hellol That you.
Fay? Thank the Lord! Worse than
sudden death to miss you. Say-XC
and Q bonds better than cash to do
the trick. Be sure you turn up heeled
with 'em-else day after tomorrow
will be judgment day for fair. Mil
lions waiting round the corner-only
got to turn it this one more time. So
long! Remember-it's play and pay
Lapsley after the first sentences had
not tried to interrupt. He had a sense
that his eavesdroppfng was after a
sort proVidential The bulk of