The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-05
THE EVENING STORY
Love and the LocksIniths.

to the dingy little side street with its
miniature shops and pretentious signs
Yes, 1T still hung there between a
cigar shop and a secondhand store.
mammoth yellow key. She had seen
1t many q time. That must mean a
1ocksmith, and a locksmith was for
her at that crucial moment most es-
sential. For Agatha had locked her
But the Iocksmith's door refused to
bulge. Then a piece OF paper stuck
in the inside OF the door-frame caught
Agatha's attention.
out. VIII return at p. m.," she
read, in dismay.
She looked at her little chatelaine
watch. 1t was 5:35. In half an hour
her father would be home to dinner,
bringing a business friend with him.
1t was hard enough, heaven knows,
more truthfully speaking, Scotch)
leave that very morning, and coura-
geous enough, Agatha knew, to plan
to get the dinner herself so as not to
disappoint her father; but to LIE lock-
ed out of the house at the eleventh
hour and to find the locksmith out
into the bargain-this was a crisis for
tears.
A young man stepped out of the
neighborhood cigar shop just in time
to see Agatha's handkerchief make
little dab at each of her moist blue
eyes.
"Can I be of service to your" he
asked. calamity.
I'm afraid not, thank you" Agatha
replied, checking her momentary dis
play of emotion.
But the young man was so politely
solicitous that Agatha, in her distress,
explained her dilemma, ending her
explanation with, "And the locksmith,
you see, has the reconsideration to be
out"
'eWeH. we can overcome that diff
Guilty easy enough" was the young
mans cheerful response. you see, I
know the man who keeps the cigar
store here very well, and I can get
through his shop into the locksmith's.
Just wait a minute"
Agatha waited and soon the young
man reappeared, dangling a bunch of
skeleton keys in his hand.
''These will open most anything, I
reckon he said, smiling at Agatha.
''Now. If you'll kindly let me accom-
pany you to where you live, I'll have
the door open in jiffy.''
He was as good as his word. and
Agatha actually inside her own home
once more, was profuse in her express
sions of gratitude.
'I don't know how to thank you
Mr.. --" she stopped short, and then
name. either
Black the young man prompted,
''just plain Black
ut was an awfully white thing for
you to do, anyway" Agatha replied,
her eyes twinkling. And 1 am under
deep obligations to you, Mr.. Black"
Not at ALL" answered the alleged
Mr.. Black, lifting his hat as he left
The dinner went off with remarka BILE
smoothness, and Agatha had no inten-
ton of discounting the compliments
she received by letting her father know
of her carelessness; but suddenly she
put her hand to her belt and excIaim-
ed. my watch-I've lost it"
Then she remembered when she had
last looked at the time, and in a fash
it came over her that her watch had
been stolen from her by the solicitous
''Mr. Black" She was forced to make
a full confession.
What sort Of looking chap was
he?" inquired her father.
Not at all bad looking" answered
Agatha. almost defiantly. Really,
rather handsome. You don't suppose
I'd let any horrid looking old thing
come to my assistance, do you?"
Her father laughed in spite of him
self
But he was friend of the man
that keeps the cigar store, you say, and
had no trouble in getting bunch of
skeleton keys ?'
Agatha admitted both points reluc-
family.
Hum, bad lot commented her
father. Probably had the keys in his
pocket all the Time. come on, Balm
BRIDGE" he added. addressing his
guest. you and I have got to get busy
mighty quick. Suppose we visit that
cigar store first"
Agatha, left alone, sat for a while
tapping the toe of her smart little slip
per on the floor. evidently puzzling
over the details of her afternoon adj
venture. Then she picked up a book
and was endeavoring to make herself
follow the thread OF the story when
ia no ran itrr
ly and ran to answer it, expecting her
father and Mr.. cambridge back again.
When she opened the door she gave
a little scream of fright and tainted.
"Mr. Black" caught her in his arms
and then, realizing the seriousness of
the situation, hurriedly laid her on a
couch and ran into the dining room for
a glass of water.
ly she screamed Thief" at the top of
her voice.
AS if in providential answer to her
cry. a key clicked in the lock of the
outside door and Agatha, hearing her
calling thief, thief" breathlessiy
Her father grabbed the young man
by the throat and yelled at him
hoarsely: so 1t wasn't enough to
steal my daughters watch. You had
to come back, while she was alone, you
scoundrel, and try to rob my house.
Search his pockets. Agatha"
Agatha hes1tated.
SEARCH his pockets, girl" Mr.. An
derson repeated. This time Agatha
obeyed. She had never seen her faith
er in such a towering rage.
"Oh," she cried suddenly. "Oh, he
did steal 1t! Here it is" and she drew
the little jeweled tirnepiece from one
of the mans pockets.
The young man made a frantic ef-
fort to speak and Mr.. Anderson re-
leased his grip on his throat slightly.
~ 10 - Or
yourself?" he demanded harshly.
"I'm not q thief" Mr.. Black said
huskily. ''f wish to explain how I
came by the watch. Your daughter
must have dropped 1t this afternoon
outside the locksmith's. The man in
ffna cinar stnra found 1t on the side