The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-20
EUening Story
The Riddle of the Sphinx.
BY H. IRVING KING.

BY H. IRVING KING.
| Polly Andrews and Clarence JUDI
| son were to be married in the fall.
I Polly thought the world of Clarence
I and Clarence thought the world of
Polly, and the match was a most
suitable one in every respect Polly
was now in Europe with hef mother,
| but would be back later in the sum-
| mer. Meantime Clarence took his va
cation at Luxport- by-the-Sea. Now, if
there was one thing that Clarence
Judson especially prided himself on it
was his knowledge of women.
| Clarence was an athlete of no mean
caliber, had been on the football team
at college and could box as well as
some of your so-eaned professionals.
/ Willie Carpenter, who was always
tagging about with Clarence. looked
particularly insignificant beside this
favorite of the gods and girls. But
not one paid any attention to Willie,
| anyway. But don't imagine for a min
ute that there were none who disputed
| the sway of conquering Clarence.
There was George Taylor, a young
| farmer living five miles away up the
Ashville road, modern farmer, with
| 500 acres under cultivation, a grad
uate of an agricultural college, man
/ of means who drove a high-poWered
| car and had made trip to Europe
George was a huge fellow physically;
mentally he was moroSe> and dicta-
toriaI. In his ordinary dress he was
an imposing young man, but in even
| ing clothes he was a hobbledehoy.
| About three miles away from Lux
port on the --shville road, stood a
| large, old-fashioned country place, oc-
cupied during the summer months by
Mr.. and Mrs. Parkman and ruled over
| by their daughtcr, Ruth was no sort
| of a name for Miss Parkman-she
was tall, stately, classic of feature,
could ride. shoot, run a car and sail a
boat. When you saw Clarence Jud-
son and Ruth Parkman together you
saw couple worth looking at-and
/ both Ruth and Clarence were fully
aware of the fact.
Ruth mingled great deal with the
hotel people; George Taylor mingled
sparingly With them and that! appar-
emily, only that he might not leave
tendencies of Clarence Judson. In
other words the two youths were
rivals and fierce ones at that. Polly
Andrews dill you say? oh, well,
| Polly was in Europe, Ruth was in,
Luxport. Whether George or Clar-
ence was on duty with Ruth there
was alwa.,s little Willie Carpenter,
whose function seemed to be to carry
| wraps and other impedimenta and
to serve as a butt for more or less
good natured Jokes. Ruth treated him
as she would a cat or poodle-kind-
ly but not seriously.
81 really believe that little sawed
off carpenter is in fove with Ruth
Parkman," said a younger on the
hotel piazza enc day-whereat all hiss
hearers laughed at the manifest alb
surdity. Whenever George and Clar-
ence met on the piazza of Ruth's
home, as they often did, Clarence ex-
erted himself to be particularly bril-
liant and treated his rival with a
punctilious courtesy which had in it
while George only growled and glow
cred boorishly. That she would marry
one of them was a foregone conclu-
sion with the hotel folk, and she dis
tributed her marks of favor so evenly
that the summer boarders felt they
could make wagers upon the result
without danger of being accused of
betting on a sure thing.
n Clarence bore with Taylor's boor-
ishness as long as he could; then,
one day, decided that the time had
come for a showdown. Ruth, who
had been making a call at the hotel,
proposed to walk home and Clarence
proposed to accompany her
Come along with u.s. said Ruth
to Willie Carpenter, 1.-The walk will
do you good"
Half way to the Parkman house
they met George Taylor booming
along in his big machine. He held
up at sight of them and said gruffly
&c you SdlQa you
drive over to Ashville with me. L
was at the house the time you said.
Why weren't you there?'
Ruth's color rose, fare not you
rather forgetting yourself. Mr.. Tay-
lor?" she said with dignity.
NO. replied George, I'm just re-
membering.' And he muttered some-
thing about "dudes" and "city fell
lows"
>"Carpenter," said Clarence calmly,
ST see you are headed for Luxport.
I'll ride with you part of the way, if
Miss Park1nan homer" Clarence was
in the car before the others realized
what had happened and George, af-
ter a moments hesitation, touched
the starter.
AS soon as they were around a
bend in the road Clarence said, sharp
ly, "Stop!' George brought the ma
chine to standstill. ''Now, you I'M
mannerly brute" said Clarence. I'm
going to give your good thrashing-'
'"Try it." replied George. They left
the car and pushing thru the under |
brush came TO a little cleared space
among the trees, pulled off their coats |
and went at it. George fought with |
all the ferocity of a jealous lover and |
the strength of a powerful physique;
but the skill of the trained athlete |
brought the victory to Clarence. And |
he had fought all the better because /
he had canSht sight of a fluttering |
garment in neighboring thicket, |
garment he recognized as belonging |
to Ruth Parkman!
Surmising what was about to hap |
pen, she had cut cross lots thru that |
bend in the road-dragging Willie I,
Carpenter with her and concealed in
a clump of bushes, had witnessed the |
combat.
At It's close she and Willie had |
scurried to her home by devious for
est paths. Clarence reached the hotel |
considerably disfigured, but much |
elated; he knew how much Ruth adj
mired physical prowess; he hs.d-done !,
battle for her in the lists; fought I'M |!
der her own eyes and confidently |
awaited his crown from the hands OF |
the queen of love and beauty. He |
did not appear at dinner; but came !
down next morning, explaining his !