The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-04-26
THE EVENING STOR
Court Cards and cupid.
(By Colin c. Collins. }

Jack O. Spades" gilbert called him
that first morning; he had gone 10
work in the Buckley building. Pro
tests to the effect that his name was
John Symonds were of no avail: diS
name was Jack, and he was as plack
as the ace of spades, SO the name
chung.
AT first he was angry, but one could
not remain angry long with Kingslanu
Cuibert, and in the end Jack wound up
by paying him hero worship that at
times threatened to cost the man his
position; for with gilbert in the eie-
vator, it ran express to the next 10
the top floor, no matter what the other
passengers might threaten.
But Jack had gained the position
through having saved Buckley's little
girl from runaway accident. and he
merely smiled tolerantly at the COM
plants and suggested that perhaps
the elevator had become unmanage-
able.
Until Edith Mcqueen came, ,Culbert
had reigned alone, but after that he
was relegated to second place, the only
instance wherein, according to Ben
Hodgman, the queen outranked both
king and jack in the pack.
Miss Mcqueen was employed by
Hodgman & Petit, whose office was
on the third floor, and it was Culberts
habit to drop off at their offices on his
way out to lunch and pick up the girl.
He had obtained the position for her,
and it was understood that they were
engaged, though no golden band an
nounced that fact.
Then there came the day when Jack
noticed that Miss Mcqueen had been
crying when she came in. gilbert did
not arrive until late and his face was
drawn and very white. He. did not
even smile when he nodded to Jack.
When he went out to lunch he stayed
twice as long as usual, and when he
did return it seemed to Jack that he
had had more than the one cocktail
he usually allowed himself.
Miss Mcqueen did not go out to
lunch at all, and when her employers
had ridden down to lunch together,
Jack slipped into the office to ask if
he could bring her in something. There
he found her with her head upon her
arms. Her eyes glistened with tears
as she raised her face at the sound of
his entrance
Don't you want a cup O. tea, Miss
Queenie % he pleaded. TITS sho' good
for the headache"
She shook her head with a wan lit
tie smile and Jack slipped out again.
That night the car passed Culbert's
floor twice before it stopped for him.
A king had been deposed.
But he was reinstated again because
of his evident suffering. After that
first day he did not repeat the cocktail
episode; indeed, he seemed oblivious to
lunch time and never by any chance
used the elevator when Miss Mcqueen
might happen to be going out or in.
Jack pondered the situation but there
was only one conclusion possible in his
limited experience, There had been
quarrel and both were too proud to
speak first.
1t grieved him because they were good
friends of his, these two, and their quar-
rel hurt him as much as it seemed to
hurt them. More than once he was
tempted to speak to one or the other
and tell how the other suffered, but
certain delicacy held him back and he
could only miserably wait the turn of
events.
Then came Jacks scare. 1t was a dull
afternoon. and he let the elevator drop
slowly down At the ground floor he
huge policeman; not Charlie who had
the beat and who sometimes came in to
get warm, but another man, a stranger.
Though he had never had direct deal
ings with the police. Jack was afraid of
them. To him they were not guardians
of the peace. They were men who ar
rested people. When the big man de-
manded to know which office Miss Nc
Queen was in, refreshing his memory
as to the name from a formidable look
ing document, Jacks heart sank.
IT want to see her about a stolen
watch" he added, and Jacks misery
was complete. The little ehaIelaine she
had worn had been replaced lately by
more elaborate affair of gold with a
long chain. 1t must be this one that
was wanted.
There was only one thing to be done.
Hadn't Mr.. Culbert gotten the janitor
out of jail that time he had trouble with
his wife? Jack ran the car up to the
sixth floor and with vague ITO the
left" shut the door and dropped down
to the third.
He burst in upon Miss Mcqueen with
a face grey with horror and excitement.
She rose uncertainty at his call and
came into the hail.
and shot up to the top floor Through
the lattice guard he could see the off,
Ger descending the stairs. Some one
had told him where the girl worked
and he was going after her.
Painting with fear he stopped at the
seventh floor and pushed Miss Nc
queen into Culbert's office, closing and
locking the door after him. Culbert
looked up YEARLY from the desk.
whats the matter. Jack?'' he de-
manded, with formal bow to the girl. |
Oars a policeman after her." he
'She stole a watch and he's
1fter her" .......
''What are you talking about? ~ Gull |
bert cried. Miss Mcqueen a thief. I'm
possible"
HE done say he want to see her |
about a watch that was stole" in
sisted Jack. "Ah done hear him."
pOllC0ndn WISHES IL see HE!
asked the girl. about a watch %
Jack nodded. ''I think can explain" |
she went on, turning to gilbert |
When-when it happened I stopped |
wearing your watch and used moth |
ar's. I left yours on the bureau, and |
when I came home it was gone. I |
made a complaint to the police, and |
suppose they have caught the thief and /
wish me to identify my property"
but what have to do with it % he
asked.
SCI don't know" she replied. "Jack /
lust came after me, his face livid with /
'ear. I supposed that something ter |
'ible had happened, that perhaps"
In frn11h1e ,, CtII1hart