The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-15
The EVENING STORY
For .Iudifh.
(By Curran Richard Greenle

doubtfully, a fragment torn from a
sheet of writing paper on which the
characters were family peneiled. broken
here and there as if the writer's strength
had failed: IF you want news of Jack
Henderson it will be worth your while
to follow the bearer of this without de-
lay"
who sent this?" he said to the
grimy-faced gamin.
1 Dunno. He blew in tween two days
an the ole woman TUX him in. She
lows he'll croak fore night"
| Landon hesitated. but the memory of
Judith's face on the day of Jack Hem
derson's flight. urged him on. He fol-
! lowed the boy through the back streets
1 to the tumbledown row OF tenements
down by the river, known to the police
as Carriers Rents along a black pas
sage and across the court to room at
| the back of the saloon, where the light,
| hltering through the unwashed panes OF
a small window, accentuated the power
1 ty and filth. On the heap OF rags in the
| corner q man stirred and moaned. Lam
1 don recognized him as one of the wrecks
| that had haunted the river front during
| the past summer.
| Here, take this and get some brandy,
the best" and thrusting a coin in the
| closed the door.
$50 you have come to the end of your
| row, Red?"
The man. on the floor opened his eyes.
of US have to come; but we haven't
time to be passing compliments. Do you
| know where Henderson is?"
mo. He has dropped out completely.
What do you know of him?'
What brought you here to tell you
that he never stole that money"
"What"a
IT tell you the boy had nothing to do
with 1t. Locke knew q thing or two
about me-knew that I had escaped
from Sing Sing, and he forced me to do
his dirty work. I could not refuse. 1t
was that or prison. but I'll swear 1
didn't know that the boy would get the
blame Of it. Locke wrecked the bank
and had me doctor the books, making
the entries in another mans writing. He
gave me an old letter to copy it from;
then he had me forge old Dalton's mama
to that check. / never did figure out just
how he managed to lay 1t on the boy,
but reckon my false entries must have
been in his writing, and when the young
fool lit out that fastened 1t on him.
Locke kicked me out like dog when
he got things fixed to suit him.
drffted south for couple of months
and came back like this. didn't know
my time was so short or I'd have sent
for you before. Write it out and let me
sign it,
Landon's pen flew over the paper.
Black, ugly and tangible, the tempta-
ton whispered at his ear:
Delay, gain time. Henderson free
to come back, and Judith is lost TO
you"
ly. Hurry, Mr.. Landon. It's getting
dark-mig11ty dark. Get Mother Bid
die and Jimmy Sullivan from the sa-
loon for witnesses. Where's that boy
and he snatched eagerly at the bottle. |
"Get it done with, Mr.. Landon. L can
not hold out much longer"
1t was over, and Red Matthews lay
back, painting from the exertion:
ct almost forgot" he said to Lam
DON when was over in St, Louis I
met Don Battle. He told me about
Henderson's trouble, the first I'd
heard of it, and he said that fellow
from Laramie had told him about
meeting Henderson in Santa Fe. He
got onto his name by accident and
didn't know that Don knew Hender-
son. when he was telling it; so l
reckon you will have to go to the
you will find him and set this straight,
Mr.. Landon? 2"
The glazing eyes sought for the face
above him, and Landcn answered,
Eyes, Red. I'll find him" y
He watched her come slowly down
the stairs, the light of the great WIN
dow behind her framing the little
head in an aureole OF sunset rays. His
hearts lady-his no morei With blind
resentment choking the words in his
throat, he b1undered through the
story of Red Matthews confession,
and then, he found himself wondering
at the possession with which she
discussed the ways and means OF deal
ing with Peter Locke.
- poor little Lilias! What a miser-
able tangled" said Judith. as they
walked to the gate. /,
laughter, the pretty little girl who t
had been Judith's shadow since Jack
flight. The position had I
reversed itself. 1t was Judith who
would play consider now. t
Landon lost no time in placing the
confession with the proper authorities Il
lie swore out the warrant against s
Peter Locke, interviewed reporters,
md then, with Judith's letter in his c
pocket started westward on his quest.
The Limited" passed just along
nough to drop Landon at Umiltas, +
he struggling settlement strung along
he track half shanties, half tepees. h
s"Hotel?" /;
The station agent grinned and :
ointed to a house whose crazy clap v
cards ratified in the desert wind. d
"Arapahoe Kate is a-runnin' that :.
here hash joint. She'll take you in. .
ut you want to keep your gun handy"
And he strobe off down the track H.
The knot of Mexicans and half u
reeds made way for Landon. Kate u
TODD in the doorway. leering d
lan's, hat slouched over her frowsy
cad. In
"Grub's a-plenty an Texas Charles y,
it the trail, leavin' his bunk behind" n
nd upon that assurance. Landen fol-
WED her to a cubby-hole back of the "
lloon, where the aforesaid bunk was ps
,cated. Somewhere behind the thin &c
artition a jang1ing piano reeled and
lrieked, and a chorus of discordant "
oices beloved medley OF ribald t.e
,ngs. He could hear the snap of cards u
pom the tables, the clink of glasses, .
nd then a few minor chords were az
ruck and a mellow baritone rolled 81
nth in a border song of starry nights =,