The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-14
THE EVENING STORY
Their Reconciliation.
(By Carl Williams.)

just OeIOTe the IIeSLle was reached
the fat man in the corner seat rose
and left the car, reducing the num-
Der of its occupants to two. The con-
ductor smiled softly to himself as he
gave the go-ahead signal.
He could remember the time when,
the car, as they were at present, the
man and the girl shared the same
cross seat on their daily ride into
town.
AS the two bells sounded the motor
began to hum and presently the
which cut forty minutes of the run
ming time from the city to Bayview by
spanning two miles Of salt water on
sturdy piles.
The sun silvered the crests Of the
tiny waves while the summer breeze
the steamer now slowly approaching
the draw in the channel on the other
side Of the island. 1t was an ideal
summer afternoon and no prettier
spot could have been found than
Sound bay, but its beauties were en-
tirely lost on the two passengers,
though the motorman. to whom the
bay was an old story, regarded the
scene with pleasure.
Tom Norton and Lucy Brayling,
each busy with his or her thoughts.
gave no heed to the blue bay, with
its silver-tipped waves They had
met today for the first time since the
dreadful night two weeks ago
when Lucy had broken her engage
ment.
rel. Lucy had announced that she
was taking cooking school lessons,
and Tom had leased her about it. The
day had been hot. and she had taken
his joking seriously with the result
that when Tom had come away the
l. L. Lii l. q 4,
such glowing hopes a few weeks be-
fore was tucked in his pocket, while
at his heart there lay a burden of
dull despair.
Blundering he tried to ex-
plain that he was only speaking in
jest. but Lucy had spent half the day
over a hot stove, and to have Tom
poke fun at the cake which had been
the result Of her labors was too much
for feminine endurance, and she
would listen to no apology.
Now. as the car rolled along, she
kept her glance straight ahead
through the front windows, and Tom
pretended an absorption in the
scenery as viewed from the rear plat
form, though neither was conscious
of the beauty of the day.
The car had just reached the is
land, midway in the channel, when
with sudden whirr the motor came
to a stop, the car rolled on a few
yards and halted. The motorman
climbed down to the trestle and exam
ined the fuse. them he climbed back
again and threw on the power.
A second time he climbed down and
on his return he tested the lights and
found that they would not burn. The
conductor made his way forward and
presently. he, too. dropped to the
still open draw.
The motorman came inside and took
seat opposite Lucy, after admitting
Ignorance as to the cause of the delay.
1t was not until the conductor came
back from the draw. where a tele-
phone was installed that they knew
the worst. gi-
1.-The power house is afire," he re-
ported. The fire chief wouldn't let
his men go until the power was shut
off and here we are to stay until the
fire is put out and the switchboard is
repaired"
Il suppose that we can walk" sug-
gested Tom. THE ties are close to-
gether.'
The conductor glanced through the
rear of the car. You can if the walk
ing's good on the water he assented
Both draws are open and they can't
close them until we get power again.
How long do you suppose that we
shall have to stay here?" asked Lucy
| despairingly.
our Vi nNo was tilC Al
| consoling response. 1.-THE switchboard
| burned once before and it took six
hours to fix it,"
But surely they will send boat
after u.s. suggested Lucy hopefully
| IF you learned what the matter was
| there must have been a telephone al
| the draw"
There is" admitted the conductor
! but Just now there amt no one al
the other end of the line. l bet they're
burned out. 1t amt a city line. you
| know"
| Lucy turned her attention to the
scenery again and the conductor and
| the motorman went out on the front
platform to smoke their pipes and en-
| Joy a chat Tom repaired to the back
platform and lit a cigar.
There was no boat in sight save the
| two tiny steamers that made daily
| trips between the city and the head oil
the bay. The one city bound had
| rounded the point and the other was
| too far away to be signaled. The only
| chance was to hail some passing pleas
ure boat, and there was small chance
that such craft would come this far
down the bay.
For an hour. which seemed a day
to. the marooned ones, there was quiet
| in the car. Once or twice Tom
turned toward Lucy, but she promptly
| turned her back and Tom turned his
gaze toward the bay again.
Presently the motOrman ana con-
| ductor raised one of the seats and
drew their lunch pals from the
/ locker. Then they returned to the
| front platform, ignoring the obvious
| hunger of their passengers.
Tom saw that Lucy was gazing hun
grily at the feast Cheerfully he
sprang up and entered the car.
az don't want to annoy you" he
said diffidently, "but will you lend me
your aid in teaching those Fellows a
| lesson? 1 did some marketing for
mother in the city, and I've steak
and some other stuff in that bundle.
We can build a fire on the shore and
| cook the steak on a stick like we used
| to when we were children
| Fora omoment pride and hunger
struggled, then hunger won. and
| nresently Tom was assisting Lucy