The Topeka state journal., 1922-03-07
Etening Story
A Disturbed Decision.

sometimes it seems as if into our
moments of supreme happiness fate
dropped a regret or disaster that i'm
mediately comes pretty near to dis
10 Richard Marsh as he read and re-
read the letter upon his desk. Beyond
his~Windows the white winter lay with
it's ancient friendliness over the vii
lage square. His office was coZy and
warm. but he shivered.
The preceding evening he had gone
to the little cottage at the end of the
broad street where Avery Wells lived
with her pleasant-faced mother, and
there, in the homelike quiet of the
cottage living room, he had looked
into AveFy's dark eyes and asked the
question as bravely as he could,
which she had answered in a whis-
per.
dreaming in his rooms, building cas-
ties. He loved the village. and the
village people trusted him. His future
did not promise glory and gold, but it
did promise happiness with Avery to
share it with him. And now, from
beyond the grave, Brinner had
reached with bitter ingenuity to wreck
a dream he could not share.
Marsh turned to the letter. Tt was
from a law firm in Philadelphia. II
said in precise phrases that Edgar
Brinner had died. that in his will a
bequest of 100000 was made to Miss
Avery Wells, that the firm wished him
to take charge of the matter, to notify
Miss Wells himself as the will directed.
Som mething of an ideaist, yet prac-
tical in his acceptance of facts, he
knew that as far as he was concerned
two things were plain: he could not
marry Avery If she accepted this
money beQueathed to her by his old
and bitter rival; yet that sum of
money meant for her and her mother
independence and comfort, the re-
moval Of worry, after long years of
severe and frugal living. 1t meant for
them a bright future which he could
not offer them.
'Brinner," Marsh said a bit sad
ly, you knew finally that she loved
me. You were soured and embittered
by her decision. You knew / could
not marry her If 1 were to see every
where the things your money made
possible. How you made that money
L know, and it smells, but 1 can't tell
her that. 1 wonder what you want
in willing that I was to notify her
that was to take charge of the
fund?" He thought a moment, then
leaned back with a long mutter. 1T
would be easy-forge her name, and
since L am to notify her. and don't, I
could keep that money. 1 wounder If
you wanted to tempt me to try it?''
One thing he was sure of: if Avery
knew how he felt, she would not ac-
cePt the bequest, and her own sense
would make her acceptance of it inn
possible; but there was her duty to
her mother, whose years had been
hard and laboriOuS ones, while Wells
was building up his little business.
That was a duty to consider. Then,
too, Marsh reasoned, 'I cannot ask her.
to give the fortune up, and Brinner
knew I would not Funny, how a dead
man in his grave can tangle up the
living"
Under the stress of his suffering
memories. his thinking became a bit
hazy, but he.came to a decision. He
heard the jingliRg sleighbells, the
hearty greetings as men came into
he postoffice below him; faint as they
we're they were clear enough TO make
him think of the wholesome, friendly
life of his village. With the thought
,anle his decision: he would leave. A
friend in a northern city had written
o him repeatedly to join him where
opportunity was wide and money
'eady. He would go. refuse to assume
,harge of the fund and shut the door
quietly but firmly in his little house
If dreams.
A week passed. He did not see
Avery, and pleaded as an excuse that
he was very busy He was-in the |
,rievous business Of slowly sundering /
III ties that bound him to the home |
# his boyhood and his manhood
Sometimes he was doubtful of the |
Visd ON of his purpose, at times when |
lis great longing for Avery broke thru |
he barriers his judgment had set, at |
lines when the dream castles loomed |
O brightly on the hills that they /
eemed almost real. But ever and |
non he returned once more to his /
ecision.
Then came the incident that clinch- |
d the matter. A friend had come !,
n, his vice athrill with the news. /
Dick, what do you think? Brinner
las left Avery s10e, ,0oOi What makes
ou start? The news? I should think
! would. And, say, Avery is going to
ccept it.''
"No,"
'T stopped in to get her to sing at
he church faiEs and she told me about
said she would. She was happy as
lark over it, His friends face grew |
ober. "I suppose this will make