Topeka Magazine from Topeka, Kansas • 5

THE TOPEKA MAGAZINE 5 Your Vote for Hugh T. Fisher for Judge of the Court of Topeka Will be Appreciated Republican Primary Augiut 4 He repeated, "Only my ears" She tingled from head to foot, felt pricks of shame. Her voice stumbled. "There is nothing to say, except forgive me. "Nothing else?" "All that I would say is in the letter I wrote there behind you on the desk.

am going away." "Read me your letter." "Read it!" She lifted startled eyes. Hadstone had turned from her. She thought his head averted to save her the pain of discerning eyes upon her face. "I was going away before you came. I left the letter for you to read.

It is a confession. "Read me your letter," he said again, You are cruel," she cried. Her hands, fluttering, besought Her eyes dwelt entreatingly upon his averted face. She thought he devised a cruel punishment in this humiliation. "When am gone," she pleaded, "you will read it yourself." "I want to hear your confession from your own lips." "So that your ears may keep your eyes from judging me too hardly?" He let this pass, urging her with a gesture to obey him.

She moved slowly toward the desk and her letter. She had the thought that the fire of Hadstone 'a eyes when she had stood motionless before him must have burned up the youth that had been within her. "You still insist on this" she hesitated "this punishment?" "Yes," he said. Age was not present in her voice when she began to read her letter. Her voice still held an exquisite echo of music; was vocal with suggestions of the beauty she had wanted to dwell in Hadstone 's thought of her.

She was doing penance for a long deceit. Her head bowed as she read. The sentences hung faint about the room. "All that there is of youth in me sounds in my voice. Your ears approved me.

I am going away before your eyes give the lie to your ears." She heard him move. She felt, but did not see, that his eyes were on her face. She thought of her wrinkles, the crow's feet about her eyes, the hair which was gray, although luxuriant. "Look at me," he said. "And now look." She moved slowly.

She counted to herself, fighting her fear. Reaching twenty, she lifted heavy eyelids. She moved still closer. Suddenly she realized that his eyes went past her, vague, sightless things. "The operation was not successful," till another housekeeper could be engaged.

She moved toward the bed, her hands reaching for the hat and cloak that lay there. And with outstretched hands she suddenly stood rigid! The front door had opened, and Had-stones voice was in the hall! In this moment she realized her desire for flight as she realized her breath, her sense of sight or hearing. It was part of her. She hear Scott, the man servant, saying something about the earlier train and Miss Denny not having expected them till 7. Then the bang of a door as Scott left Hadstane and went into the kitchen.

And then presently Hadstone 's voice calling her. She felt as one caught in a trap, desiring escape and realizing that it was impossible. Hadstone, with alert eyes, was in the house. He called again. She answered with all the music that could travel in her voice.

For this last time his ears should acknowledge beauty. He became silent when she answered, and she felt that this moment of silence was sacred. She dwelt in it, saying goodby to dreams. Something in the tone of Hadstone 's voice when he called her told her that he had not yet read her letter. He broke the silence with a quick sentence.

"Miss Denny, are you coming?" She must go. Not to go would be to thwart her desire for confession, to sully the reparation that was due to Hadstone. Since he had come she must face him. Her feet dragged as she went into the sitting room. She did not look at him, felt her lids weighted.

She stood still, feeling herself a penitent doing heavy penance. She was the first to speak. "Only your ears were satisfied." She was staring at the carpet, could not find the courage which would lift her weighted eyelids. dissent, and she said quickly: "Oh, I can't stay to meet the fire of his eye. I can't." think you owe it to Mr.

Hadstone to stay. Think of his return to a desolate house! An occasion that should have been triumphant made bleak and cheerless because of your pride. That would not show contrition." Me emphasized his sentences with deliberation, and she quivered as at the cut of a whip. Mr. Crayson was not a good reader of moods, and he blundered now.

Even his sympathy was of a blundering kind. She was glad when at lpst he rose to go. She felt that she led the way to the front door with barely concealed relief. She looked at the clock. Jn four hours Hadstone would be back! On the desk lay the telegram which spoke of the time of his arrival.

She moved over to this desk, seated herself, took pen and paper and began to write. She wrote: "Drawn all across my face are wrinkles dozens of them. The years have stolen all the gold from my hair. Only my heart is young. The rest of me is drab, faded.

I am only a few months younger than you are. All that there is of youth in me sounds in my voice. Your ears approved me. I am going away before your eyes give the lie to your ears." She wanted to say more, but could not. She felt her fingers weighted and the pen fell from them.

She had meant to tell him that her desire to fit in with his scheme of beauty was the root from which her deceit had sprung. This little house suggested beauty. She sealed and directed her letter and left it lying on the desk. She looked at the clock again, and at sight of the pointing hands she went hurrying to her bedroom. Her boxes were already packed.

She would send for them later. A woman from a cottage near was coming in that evening and would tay.