The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-28
A Stenographer's
Romance
BY JANE PHELPS
DONALD REsCUEs NELLIE.


Chapter 80
Nellie awoke struggling. What was
it? She raised herself in bed, then
fell back gasping: Was she dreaming?
Suddenly she realized it was smoke.
The house must be afire.
She almost fell as she made the eff
fort to stand. Just then there came a
knocking at her door,
Nellie. wake up. the house is
afire!" It was Donald's voice altho
she did not recognize it. "Open the
door, dear! Hurry!
She staggered to the door, then as
she turned the key, she fell forward
into the arms held out to her She,
knew nothing more until revived by
the air in the street. with Mrs. Roberts
bending over her, while Donald held
| her.
'What is it?" she gasped. Then she
| remembered, smoke and all these
people, all the boarders around her.
THE house caught fire somewhere
between the walls made a lot of smoke
but everyone got out, and the fire is
also nearly out. There never was any
danger excepting from suffocation,"
Mrs. Roberts said quickly. Nellie was
still dazed, still choking.
| II was only in time" Donald had
told her. Her room was full of
smoke and she was scarcely awake"
But like Mrs. Roberts he made light
of the danger to Nellie, whom they
| feared, until a doctor arrived had
swallowed enough smoke to injure her.
In couple of hours they all went
pack into the house, Nellie remaining
| in Mrs. Roberts room, one of those
least affected by the smoke,
| 1t was several days before she en-
| tirely recovered from the effects of the
smoke and fright combined. Naturally
Donald had often asked about her,
/ and when she was in Mrs Roberts
| linpQrad m 70 II he
said.
) NONSENSE You would have found
your way out. or someone would have
Weakened you"
mo- could scarcely breathe, even
when I first wakened. And it was all
I could do to reach the door. fknow
should have died but for you" She
shivered. At her age life is sweet.
Have it your own way, but get
did by forgetting all about it, the fire
me, everything" He had noticed her
almost convulsive SILVER when she
spoke Of it, 1T is a tabooed subject
| from now on"
| ST shan't forget tho, Donald"
After this Nellie, as is the way with
girls, looked upon Donald as a hero
She felt sure he had saved her life and
was so Hind and grateful to him that
he began to feel a hope that in time
he might win her. Gradually he began
again to ask her to go out with hin
occasionally, to the theatre, a concert
or occasionally to restaurant dinner
sometimes including Mrs. Roberts
While they had never talked of his
feeling for Nellie again. he felt shf
approved of his suit; that she would
help him if she could.
The boarders looked on approyingiy
Miss Pitt remarked:
'I hope she knows her own mind
this time, and isn't leading that mics
time. In my, girlhood people wers
more serious"
Still Donald waited,
II must be sure she has forgotten
hin1-that she has no lingering re-
gfets," he said to himself.>, But ]
have so little to offer, compared te
what he could have given her.
Nellie's old gay spirits had returned
she was happy without questioning
why She liked her work, knew shf
gave satisfaction, had made some new
friends among the emp1oyees-mosto o.
them rather superior girls who ha6
secured their positions much as she
had, thru personal acquaintance with
the heads of the board.
Occasionally she Joined these new
friends for an evening, and thorelJ
enjoyed herself with them, She wa,
frankness itself concerning her pleas
ures and Donald often felt a bit jeai.
Gus of the young men she met,
They'll be falling in love with her
No one could help it," he said. and II
gave him an anxious feeling. He had
| tried to be patient but he couldn't be
much longer. IT must knew.n he de-
elared.
(Te be coHtinued.)