The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-31
THE EVENING STORY
Helping Haskin Out.
by MauGe Lambert

but our well is pump exclaim-
ed Myrtle SO dolorously that even her
mother. intolerant of superstition. had
cit doesn't have to be your own
Well, explained old Mrs. Prentis with
defiant glance at her daughter-in-
law. 1t says that if you look into
well at midnight on Halloween you will
see reflected in the water the face OF
the man you are to marry-if you are
destined to be a bride within the year."
notions into Myrtle's head" exclaimed
Myrtle's mother. 1--WE tried all these
years to keep such things away from
her and now you are filling her mind
with arrant nonsense
The grandmother made a gesture Of
dissent.
1--WE didn't call it nonsense in our
day, SUSIE" she protested. I'VE used
and all that sort of thing. guess Myr-
tie can be good girl, even If she does
bother her pretty head about the Hal
loween rites. It's high time she tried
them, anyhow. We can't go back again
when we grow up and find out what
we've missed as children"
Tit younger Mrs Prentiss shrugged
her shoulders. Her own youth had
been brought up with Puritan rigid
ness and sought to mold Myrtle's mind
even as her own had been formed in
the rigid cast of conventionality.
the childish diversions, and the advent
of her paternal grandmother, with this
new lore of Halloween. was like the
visit of fairy godmother. It was the
mother since, as child of 4, she had
been brought west, and already the
kindly old lady had completely won
Myrtle's heart.
teries was the most important disclos-
ure yet made, and Myrtle threw herself
with interest into the idea. Her grand
mother lamented that there was not
but it was agreed that Myrtle should
prove her fate by the well test. Wells
were few, but in the orchard was a
walled spring, and this, it was decided,
would answer the purpose.
Myrtle had never had a sweetheart.
SweetheartS for very young girls were
frowned upon as being frivolous, and
talk of love had been rigidly discour-
aged: At the time even her mother
could not prevent Seth Haskin from
blushing redly under his tan when he
CHANGED to encounter Myrtle, and
though he had been refused permission
to make the weekly call, which in that
section was the preliminary declaration
of more serious intention, the girl was
more acutely conscious of his presence
than of the few other men she met in
town or on her weekly visit to church
Her grandmother. born matchmak-
and If Myrt1e's mother had known that
the old lady had found opportunity to
drop hint to Seth, her passive acqui-
escence in this frivolity would have be-
come active opposition. AS 1t was, she
argued that since Mother Prentiss' stay
was to be short it would be possible to
regain her lost ground after the old
lady should have returned home.
In John Prentiss his mother found an
able ally. He gleefully recalled his own
Halloween celebrations, and insisted
that he could still duck for apples with
the best of them.
. Next year" he shouted, well have
a regular party. mother 1 haven't felt
the tub to plunge his ruddy face after
the elusive apple, and his wife, grimly
regarding the unseemly performance,
shook her head in disapprovaL
But Prentiss was too absorbed in his
fun to notice the head shake, and he in
sisted upon trying all the tests he
knew. Almost before they knew it.
the clock struck eleven, and then half
over the adventure, stole softly through
the orchard to the bubbling spring.
There was no moon, but stars span
gled the sky and their light made 1t
bright enough to see her reflection in
the little pool. Obedient to instructions,
she leaned over the placid surface and
began to repeat the verse her grand
mother had taught her. Her heart
stood still as she heard the approach
of footsteps, but her blood froze in
horror when two men took their stand
on the other side Of the hedge and be-
gan to talk of their plans.
1.-THE train will be along in about
thirty minutes said the first. 81 bit
she gets smashed up some this time"
Best job I ever did" was the re-
Spouse. "Jim's the engineer and he
won't see that the rail is out until
they're right on it. They'll be in the
In hot
'em. Well have the safes an away
before they get a hint"
She needed to hear no more of the
conversation to guess at the identity
of at least one of the speakers. For
nearly a year the southwest had suffer-
ed from the depredations of a gang of
train wreckers who operated only
when heavy consignments of specie
were being carried by the express COM
panies.
In place of the usual holdup, they
derailed the train, often with heavy
o. safes ana tbe win
ment was over. Half a mile beyond
was ravine bridged by wooden
trestle. 1t was evident that they had
removed the spikes from one of the
rails and that the train would pitch
into the gulch.
Even as she knelt over the spring
wondering what it would be best to do,
the sound of bell came floating down |
from the house; the signal that it was
IL o'clock. In the water of the pool
a second face was reflected and Myrtle |
gave a sigh.
IF it only was you, Seth" she whis- |
pered. 81 need you so.'
1T is Seth came the answer in a |
whisper. What is 1t, dear?"
Even in her excitement Myrtle |
tn drilled deliciously at the word. 1t was |
the first time any one had called her |
dear" in that tone. She half rose to |
her feet.
There are two men on the other |
side of that hedge" she whispered. |