The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-13
TIE EVENING STORY
Bobby's Ghost.
by Colin S. Collins. ]

These are good" protested Bobby. /
/ They're first rate. III let you nave II /
/ to read after I've finished If you don I [
| believe it,
Carter fed. It was not the first
time he had sought to correct BOBBY /
literary taste, and it generally ended IN /
his defeat. Once he had thought OF
/ appealing to Thomas Pace, but he had /
/ a liking for the lad and to report to
/ the head of the firm that the ofhee
/ boy was devoted to dime novels might
simply result in the loss Of his job
It was Bobby who had saved the
day when Mabel Keller had been ac-
cused of losing an important letter, by
! declaring that he had lost it himself. +
It had very nearly resulted in his own
dismissal. But Bobby could be sworn
at and this had saved the situation by
providing a vent for the ''old mans
choler.
Ever since that night Bobby had
been favorite with Carter and Mabel.
long expected raise came, and Bobby
/ knew it.
It was some three hours later and
the exploits of Antelope Andy, the IA
nous Indian killer, were drawing to a
close wherein he saved the girl, but
did not marry her in order that there
might be another romance in the next
issue of the series, when the book
suddenly shot into the desk and Bobby
stood at attention. Long practice had
enabled him to tell the cold mans
hand on the knob among a thousand.
Pace passed rapidly across the Gus
toners space and into the cashiers
cage. The clerks looked -wonderfngly
at him. They knew that it had been a
memorable day on the Street, and
PAGES appearance bore the marks of
the storm.
Garter" he said hurriedlv. "vou
may let the clerks go. but wish you
would stay yourself. I shall be busy
Tor some time and may need you. Miss
Keller please get your book"
With sigh Mabel picked up her
Istenographfc book and followed her
temployer into his private office. Car
ter dismissed the other clerks and re-
turned quietly to his books. Bobby
made himself comfortable and reached
Tor his beloved literature. He must
wait to copy the letters Mabel was TAX
ing down, but he had a new issue Of
The Young Pioneers" and a delay did
not worry him.
For an hour or so the outer office
was quiet, the stiffness broken only by
the scratching Of Carriers pen and the
lnd1st1nct monotone of PAGES voice as
he dictated steadily. Then with
crash the door was thrown open and
Frederick Brace burst in.
BobDy sprang up in surprise. Brace
was broken down OPERATOR
ghost in the slang of the street;
ghost Of the past, who now and then
came into the customers room to beg
a stake" from some old timer who
! could remember when Brace was one
Hof the leading operators on the street
and not a broken down hanger-on
? playing an occasional tip in the buckle
shops on money borrowed from some
sympathetic and prosperous acouaint-
ance. He could have no business with
III OnaS Pace.
Brace brushed him aside and strobe
. through the wicket gate. Carter
? sprang to interpose, but was thrown
) roughly to one side, and followed. ex-
postuIatng, as the excited man forced
his way into PAGES office.
Pace looked up in astonish rrent
, w nat Is it. Brace?" he asksd His
t hand sought his pocketbook.
: We not come for a Loan laughed
Brace wildly. I don't want your char
t iity, Tom Pace, [ want Justice He
/ swayed unsteadily, the light of mad
( ness cleaning in his eyes. II want
you to give back what you have stolen
Pace held out a I'M you are excIt-
ed, Brace" he said quietly. Come in
the morning and talk 1t over am
: very busy now This viii fix you up
! Tor the present, won't it?
4 Brace snatched the bill from his hand
and tore it in shreds. Five dollars -
! he laughed wildly. You think You
can get off with five dollars? Why, I
= want million. YCvve got it-there in
! You should know better than that. .
I protested Pace. You know we send
!. everything to the safe deposit at five. ?
4 You've got it tonight" raved Brace.
r 1 Know Come back" he broke off
as Carter tried to leave the room The
4 / bookkeeper paused for a second. irreso-
lutte Brace drew a revolver from his
o pocket. Carter motiOned him to return
d and he stepped back to the desk The
y incident seemed to fan Braces ftrv
e He glared wildly about the room.
& You ruined me-" he shouted. you
n stole from me- They tell me you broke
IS the 6. & w pool. Don't deny it. The
Il papers are full of it." He drew out an
h extra of one of the afternoon papers
e and waved it in front Of Pace.
z What Of it2" demanded the broker.
Brady gave me a hundred to play
on the pool. One hundred dollars on
a two dollar margin. Fifty shares-and
you broke the pool
Il found that the others had broken
It their agreement and I had to get out
to protect myself" explained Pace. Il
IS had no knowledge of your operations
It was purely self-defense.'
It you lie" suarled Brace. you did
e it TO throw me. You knew that with
such a start I could have won back
!, to the exchange. You were afraid OF
n me and you ruined me-"
For the first time Pace showed i'm
- patience. He must set certain letters
: out in time to catch the night mail
. Come in in the morning and argue this
matter" he said Il cannot spare tbs
! time to talk tonight"
o Brace leveled his revolver. "Unless
you give me back the money you stole
n from me" he said irnpressively, q
= shall shoot you down like dog. you
I. and these others too Then I shall take
r the money that is really mine and flee
It have it all arranged. will count
n ten
PAGES face was beaded with perspira-
=, ton. No help was at hand. and this
If man, driven mad by the excitement O
+ the panic, had them at his mercy. -
will give in he said weakly fCome
over to the SAFE
TOO late" said Brace, his brain TAX
u ing q new impression. Il am going
e to kill you anyway. One. Two. Three
L. sarI- To the fionr with a Qrnan a