The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-05-31
TIE EVENING STORY

(By Honore WlIlsIe. J

! :
thoughts from straying eastward; had
crafnmed with anxiety each moment
that otherwise would have been
wretched with HON esickness-
But now, with the leisure that came
with Jacks returning. health. home
sickness was beginning its fnroads
upon her. This made doubly hard to
bear the fact that Jack was developing
and that an ordinarily pacific DISPOSE
ton was becoming so irritable that It
taxed even the devotion of this most
devoted sister. On this particular
afternoon he had expressed an inordi-
nate desire for a certain brand of
cigars.
But. Jack dear" objected Eleanor.
the doctor says that you must not
smoke"
Who says I want to smoke?'.
them, and sniff them, and feel them.
And want them today
Eleanor sighed patiently It's five
miles to town, Jachy. And though it
4 o'clock. it's fearfuIly hot Don't you
want to wait until tomorrow %
'Oh, of course, If you don't want to
do the favor for me-" replied the in
valid, walking feebly across the tent to
pick up a fan.
Why certainly I'm going, Jacky.''
she cried. THE heat won't last much
longer" and she disappeared toward
her own tent, leaving her brother look
ing a trif1e sheepish.
so now, Eleanor was rl0lnR SLOWLY
along the blistering trail toward the
sleepy little adobe village which boast
ed a single Yankee store, at which she
thought she could get the cigars. She
was a beautiful girl, slender of body
and lovely of face, with the refinement
Of good blood through many genera
tons showing in every lineament- Her
dark blue eyes, Swallowed by the heavy
lashes, looked tired, and her figure
dropped little as If in utter WEAKNESS.
IT'S getting pretty hard" she
thought Its spring up there, with
the snow melting into little rivulets,
and the pussy willows out. and the wild
flowers coming. Only the thought of
Jacks getting well keeps me from 60
ing mad"
She started a little. as a CHEEKY
halloo greeted her. and she saw riding
down the trail toward her a broad
shouidered jolly chap in cowboy attire
He wheeled his mustang and rode be-
side her.
81 was taking a jaunt out to tell you
| that have almost finished my work
and must fly eastward again.
"Oh, that is too bad" cried Eleanor.
The mans fine, brown eyes beamed.
i've only known you week" he an
swered. but it's been a mighty pleas
ant week"
Jack will miss you said the girl.
The man eyed her silently shes
wearing herself OUT he thought Ct
wish I could take her away from here.
!
1t alone, now. Gads. She's a, beauty
Eleanor wiped the alkali dust from
her face and told him the reason for
her trip to town
Rather hard on you" commented
Hartley.
Eleanor smiled but said nothing ana
they rode for some distance in silence,
Hartley's gaze scarcely leaving for an
instant the dropping profile beside
him
II wonder he thought. sif she
realizes that she's never told me a
word of herself, who she IS, or-by the
Lord Harry, If she'd have me, I'd
marry her tomorrow, even If they both
came from a founding asylum =
By this time they were riding up the
street Of the dirty little Mexican VIII
lage, whose inhabitants were too alb
sorbed in the sight of the "Ameri~
horses feet until urged to do so by
Hartley. in a patois that made up in
vigOr what it lacked in lucfdity.
The Yankee store was the only
was owned by an enterprising Yer
monter. who was making a small
fortune in the lazy little town, where
money went faster than it came.
Hartley tied the horses and they en-
tered the store Just as they stepped
within the door it slammed shut VIC
lentIy behind them, and the tremor OF
its impact shook the entire building
IN the dusky room, looked up in sur
prise that quickly changed to alarm.
The tremor. instead OF ceasfng. in
creased.
Whats the mather?'' he cried. run
ming to the front Of the store.
Il don't know, replied Hartley. eff
I we're up north I'd think it was a
dynamite blast. but
Here the crockery in the window
clattered and a roll Of Turkey red
fell to the floor.
TITS an earthquake.'' cried the Yer
Tnonter. Come on get out of here
quick and he made dash for the
knob But the door was fast and I'M
mediate1y the floor was rocking so vio-
1ently that the whole room seemed
filled with flying articles from the
store shelves. Hartley suddenly pulled
Eleanor toward him, as IL trying to
shield her with his body Then. a
great rumble, with continuous shocks
like explosions, fearful Grassland
darknessi
It had all happened in 50 short a
space Of time that Eleanor had scarce
w realized that she was actually en-
countering an earthquake She had
been thrown violently to the ground, I
as the final shock came, and now she |
felt out IN the darkness and encoun- |
hystericaI with fright she called to him {
and chafed his hands feverishly. Then /
came the voice Of the storekeeper.
'fEe1lo. you two in therei"
yes" called Eleanor. weakly. I'm 4
all right but Mr. Hartley seems badly /
hurt -
s'Ths whole dfnged front OF the store /
has fallen in" called the vermonfer. |
but 7 got out through a hole Can l
you stav still till get help"
Yes" answered Eleanor. and again 4
she fell to ehafinz Hartlev's hands
1t was a long and arduOus task to re-
move the debris without injury to the
prisoners beneath The work was /
doubiy long, owing TO the fact that i
what few natives had not fed to the
desert were lowering over their ruined /
adobes with walls Of Gel terremotol FL
terremotoi'' so that the storekeeper did
most Of the work himself