The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-28
THE EVENING STORY
when Betty Came Home.

Wy -. .. l/cWiSJ
[ The arrangement was satisfactory all
around. Mrs. Hardin, the widowed moth
err, accompanied by her daughter Betty,
and maid. was to spend July and August
at a seashore resort. VIII Hardin, the
son, and his college chum. Frank Archer.
island manor house.
The faithful old servant, who had acted
to remain. to care for their wants and
keep the house from. being turned into a
stable. but she was given two months
or with wages and told to make herself
scarce.
An went well at home and at the sea-
shore for month. Then the time was
ripe for something to happen, and some
thing did happen. The mother met with
a fall. Miss Betty lost the only young
came SO near being drowned i'i in the surf
that she threatened to quit her job I'M
less the family retired to a safe distance
Miss Betty wrote her brother, VIII, that
they would arrive home on a certain date,
and the date was put far enough ahead
dishes washed up and their fish-poles
removed from the parlor But what is
t wSo use doss OF writing letters to a brother:
called for.
Then. on the afternoon of the evening
on which the family were to arrive home,
WIN had to go up to Brooklyn on press
ing business 1t was midnight before the
=
ing question. and it was two hours later
before he dropped off a freight train at
the country station half a mile from
home.
Archer was left to fish the time away,
COOK MS own dinner and go to bed at ahy
hour was o'clock, and he had sixty
minutes to get to sleep when the family
arrived. No win appeared at the depot
a conveyance. and fortunately Miss Betty
mad carried her latch key away with her.
ana could now make use of it.
AS the hour was late, no time was
wasted looking around-tust enough to be
satisfied that brother win wasn't in his
bed. and that it would take two robust
FORMER tidy shape. The arrivals had been
abed for two hours when Archer woke
ed fish five feet long and was playing
1t, when he found himself sitting up in
bed with his eyes wide open.
he felt that some noise had disturbed
MIN. Ihere had been great deal of the
Raffles' business in the country. The
chums had talked the matter over and
invaded the house under their guardian
ship.
They were armed. and thew were 10 do
their best to kill or capture him. One
chum and one revolver being absent on
this occasion made a difference. but new
ta aea me cnum on the spot prepared
Getting softly out of bed and partly
dressing; he soon assured himself that
VIII had not yet returned. Just then he
distinctly heard a noise in the lower part
of the house-the fall of something.
Raffles had effected an entrance and
Numbered over chair. The student of
chemistry hesitated no longer. He soft
~ opened his door. and. with lamp in
stepped out into the hall to descend the
stairs
There had certainly been noise--two
cunied rooms at the front of the house.
After sleeping for couple of hours, the
mother 1;t,a had awakened in q NERVOUS con
number one.
The daughter had answered. mixed a
sleeping draught and knocked the bottle
off the stand to the floor. This noise
had brought young Archer from his room
into the hall. and he was Just in time
turning to her own room. 0c
OF course, she was startled OF course,
he was startled as we'll They were not
ten feet apart. and as they stood there
staring at each other, she forgot that
VIII was to have his chum with him.
and it went clean out of his head that
VIII had a mother and sister anywhere
Some girls under the circumstances.
their wits. Miss Betty was She mo-
toned the young man down the hall, and
when he could back up no further she
Mother is very nervous, and if she
knew, haeW You you were were in the house the shock
Yes replied Archer in some won
derment.
but I'm afraid it's not very good. Do
you take bric-a-brac? If so, there are a
few pieces in the .parlor worth your
bother. Won't you please step down and
take what you want and leave us alone
but, Miss-Miss-'' stammered Archer
who hadn't yet got it through his head
that the family had returned unex-
mond rings up here. but if You must
have them, let me get them. 1 won't
be gone more than minute. and I wish
1 wouldn't have mother wake up for
thousand dollars"
But see here Miss, II don't want
and confused young man managed to
she raised her hand and entered her
room.
He stood there. feeling and looking
like polite idiot for the next two min
utes, and then Betty reappeared, held out
watches and rings on her palm and whis-
These are all! have been very hon.
est with you. We are not keen for je W.
elry. Now won't you please go?'
OF" was asked. as the girl continued to
hold out her hand. with her ear bent to
hear if her mother was stirring.
I'm Miss Hardin"
Great Scott!', with a gasp. "Then
you must be wins sister. Let me say to
you that I am"
Hush! You are Raffles-Mr. RaffIes.
of course. Please please, go away.
wish we had twice much to be robbed
of, but you will have to be satisfied.
Here-I'H put the things in your coat
pocket. Now go on tip-toe. You may
leave the lamp burning after you get
through robbing down stairs and I'll
come down after 1t. Hush! Softly!"
Young Archer wanted to stop and ex-
plain but she laid one hand on his shoul-
Iar md and ha f{rcf
thing he knew, he was at the foot Of the
stairs and white hand was being waved
to him from the top Where should he
go? What should he do? There was an
awful mistake. but how was it to be
rectified?
viii had said that he would be back