The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-08-21
Stories of an Inland State.

the door and went on.
.Revered shxde of :llustrious Caesar
exclaimed the man at the, door, What
| lazy copper
He worked away diligently. trying key
| after key, and glancing quickly up ana
| down the street. At last he gave the key
quick turn and pushed the door open
and closed ii again.
"A vestibule," he said, not expecting 1t.
81 might nave known that. But It shuts
US off from our friends and excludes US
from our enemies, and We could not ask
more Now for the main door. Quite an
elaborate door, no doubt. 1 might steal 1t
from its hinges, but that would be throwing
the house open TO thieves
The door opened, and he stepped into
the hallway and snapped a bulfs-eye Ian
tern and turned its ray about over the
apartment
Nice place, Mr.. Joseph Reuter-. Charm
ed 20 find you so comfortably located.
Bric-a -brac and statues, Ell? And tn.s Old
gentleman clad in steel. Looks like pat
emit stove doesn't ne? Worn by an ancient
Reuter-, I suppose. whose tailor was
blacksmith
Dick Thomas, the thief, walked up to an
old stand of full armor, In the hallway,
ard placed his hand on its welded breast
plate.
"You make me feel sad, old fellow" he
went on. knight errantry was joviaI
thing, Ell, old boy? You sucked honey out
OF risk, didn't you, you long shouted
devil ehe Those days are gone, and the
times are as empty of courage as your
iron Jacket. Heroism IS out OF PRINT, and
bravery with the Old shoes in the attic.
circumstances must now surround man,
and poster him, beg. coax and caJoie hlm
into risk If man now acts bravery, ne
acts SO from necessity. There IS no crown
in this world for necessity. Inc great
deeds are done without the spur OF need.
Must IS a word that never won blue nd
bon. The greater the folly the greater the ne
ro:sm. am truly brave when am unneces-
sarily brave. Those were your tactics, en-,
YOU old pot-bellied curmudgeon? You
would not consider it heroic TO rescue
maiden from a gurgling stream, now,
would YOU? For she fell in herself. and
Won had nothing 10 do with making the
risk But l know your style. IL was 10
Quarrel with her, and knowing you would
have to risk your life, TO throw her IN the
surgling stream and then jump m and
rescue her. That was your style You were
of the breed that made the risk and took
il You were of the breed that played
with peril for pastime, and invented dam
gers that you might test your mettie RISK
was your religion, as il is mine, AT present
out of fashion and Illegal but still reig-
ion. with a drinking song for hymn, and
a rigid discipline which demands absolute
individual irresponsibility."
He passed away from the old armor and
walked into the drawing room, flirting his
light from corner to corner. pulling sack
from under his coat and passing from OBJ
iect to object, returning many TO their
places and dumping others into his sack.
"In payment of an old debt, and almost
outlawed,'' he said over and over again to
himself.
He spent much of his time in the dining
room selecting pieces of silver-ware with
great caution, and finally, believing he had
all he could carry. worked himself to
hack window, Unmatched il, threw 1t up
abruptly and looked out. The starlight
night showed him his way clear through
The yard to the alley-way.
But he did not go out through the win
dow lust now. He turned and set his Ian
tern down on a secretary, found a pen
and a sheet of blank paper, and wrote:
"Mr. Joseph Reuter-. Dear Sir and Friend;
I have this night drawn on you for medical
state of Kansas. I have made careful
collection of your best things and feel
amply repaid for all my trouble. Thank
ing YOU for past favors and soliciting your
future patronage am considerably yours.
Dick Thomas"
He folded It up and addressed the note,
and as he laid 1t aside he sprang suddenly
10 his feet, for a strange hand took 1t.
''Ughv" he said, staring at the intruder.
well. how do you do?'
Joseph Reuter- had watched him from the
first and followed him on up-toe.
"Sit down." said Joey. Don't think your
self thief You are my friend and on a
visit 10 me-"
THAT is cordial said Dick, but allow
me moment for the transition from
stealth to ease. AS you were about TO re-
mark
"Sit down. It is all right. I do not be-
grudge you the articles although I shall
redeem them. How are you getting along?"
The thief was revolving something in MS
mind.
"You don't mean this, DO you? That
am your guest? You are playing some
trick on me?'
Certainly not
81 am your guest here. your very good
and worthy friend, and all that? Is that
right?'
Certainly
well that being the case, would you lie,
me crafty whim-in word. can l don
that armor out there in the hail? l want
to get into it,
joey smiled.
us il a go?"
.ru turn light on first" said Joey, as
he did so. LET us bring the figure IN
here"
They carried the old armor into the
room and. piece by piece. the thief put it
on. When he vas armed capa-pie, he said:
Everything IS complete. Merely turn
the centuries back three or four cogs. and
I'd make old Chevalier Bayard hunt his
hole. Oh, Lord, why was l born so Later.
He took the armnr on admiring piece
after piece as he laid each aside and set
them up again.
This is decidedly comfortable" he said.
sinking in a great chair. What would you
like 20 talk aooutc Give ne cigar and
turn out the light. Il makes me feel IN
comfortable in these surroundings"
joey turned out the light and handed him
a cigar. and the thief lighted il and went
or smoking. the reddenlns end OF the c.
gar glowing rosily against the back of his
hand.
II don't want you 20 take those things"
sad joey. Each has a value % memory
about it. can give you a check instead
Come 20 the store tomorrow morning, not n
tire afternoon, and VIII write it for you"
'-No." sad the thiet. slowly.
NO doubt you mistrust ne Suppose
I take You 10 bed with me tonight SO ina;