The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-15
THE EVENING STORY


- fBy w. y. Bryan.)
Where are you going. Buster! Hal
vord looked down upon the sturdy NJ
ure Of Dicky Bennington. otherwise
Buster" with a twinkle In the Endiy
''Playin' hockey" explained Buster
promptly. "Wanter comet F1shin'!
For asmoment Brian Halvord regard
ed the boy with judicial gravity:
You know .very well" ns neean.
bourden duty to see that you are oe-
Hvered into the tender clutches OF MISS
Spo6ord." he reminded. And yet here
7 am seriously considering sharing In
your crimes and your pleasures. Buster.
IT'S not only schooIboys who play
hockey. think / shall become your
accomplice and play hockey myself
Buster looked up In surprise. Aai-
word was grown man! Men did not
play hockey. Halvord read the. oues-
There is q report that should get
out today" he explained. Mot to ful-
I'LL business promises is playing hockey,
Just the same as STAYING away from
"The nsh are bitins fne. Jimmy
Buster .defensively. II got two lines. Il
brought one for Bud schsnck. but BUD
was 'fraid."
rciearly. this is the intervention OF.
|
iney. Lead on. my youthful tempter!
But suppose We stop for some iunen
first
Halvord.s boarding place was Just
around the corner. and soon he had an
ample lunch put up to supplemens
Busters well-filled box. Together they
turned their steps from the village
across the fields to where the river
scarcely more than brook, tumpieo
over the rocks in its haste to join the
larger stream beyond.
They found q little nook In the rocky
wall, where the gray rocks wideneo
slightly to form q grassy, lawn, fringed
with trees, Just unfolding their leaves.
There was still sufficient hint OF chill
in the air to lend sparkle to the sunny
warmth. and Ito Halvord, long buried
at his desk and the intricate ANALYSIS
which formed his work. it seemed as
though he had become boy again az
he dug angleworms with DIT OF
broken branch and impaled them In
box.
Never on his fishing trips during va
cation time had he enjoyed half the
sport, with costly rods and reels. that
he found in the grimy length OF rne
which Buster sse,,,rsa soa surTical tall
orine to remove the barb OF the hook
which had fastened itself in the lining,
and Halvord watched, the proceeding
with eyes suddenly grown young.
1t was TOO early IN LAo ScdSOA AOA S.AS
Ash to be finical as to fare, SO the
worms were more eagerly accepted than
the farciest flies would be later In the
season. BY noon the two had caugnt
a goodly string, and Halvord. hnding
suitable piece, of slate IN the stream.
picnic fare, so he built a rude stove
with the, fiat slab OF slate Tor the
Sbroiler.
assisted with a will. and they were go
engrossed with their task that neither
noticed the approach Of q slender. girl
fsh figure until laughing voice De-
manded an explanation OF Busters
presence SO far, from the schoolhouse:
s"We're playing hockey explained
Halv6fd ahaxne1sssiy. Won,ts you Ply
will you may have some OF the hs1.
AS he spoke he pointed to the con-
tents OF the combined lunch boxes
spread upon q stone, ana pronereo a
well-broiled fish upon bit OF caean
birch bark. Margaret Bennington
looked. hesitated and was lost.
at suppose that I should make D1cky
go right to school," she said severely
"but I haven't the heart"
II should be at work" Halvord ad-
mitted, .'but. like Buster, have the
than he. The morning has been well
| worth it, though. and there is still the
| long afternoon"
AS he spoke, he deity lifted other
| fish from the fiat top Of the improvised
stove and announced that lunch was
I served. The salt packed for the hard
boiled eggs also served to season the
| fish. and to two OF the trio, at least,
the exertions of the morning gave add
| ed zest to appetite.
T Margaret, too seemed to fall under
the spell Of the day. and after lunch
Halvord resigned his line to her. well
content to merely superintend her fsh-
| ing.
Ever since he had come to Chester
he had worshiped Margaret Bennington
| from afar, but he had absorbing work
in hand and had not been able to con-
| test with the younger members Of her
/ court. Margaret, on her part, finding
| Halvord at first decidedly entertaining,
had, in piQue, decided that he was an
old man and oblivious to her many
charms. And here she found him al
much a boy as her 10 year old brother.
His unexpected enthusiasm and obvf-
Gus capacity for enjoyment captivated
her. 1t was all SO different from the
affectation of world-weariness which
was the approved pose : among the
wealthy youth Of Chester
! The sun was dropping toward the
/ west before Buster reluctantly wound
up his lines and thrust them all drip
ping, into his long-suffering pockets.
| Even then the trio fingered to gather
| flowers. and It was twilight before they
I reached the road at last and came to q
parting of the ways.
"It has been most pleasant after
noon, said Margaret as she extended
| her slim. cool hand to Halvord. ct am
very grateful to you
lit is who should be grateful" said
| Halvord, softly, forgetting to reIin-
q1ish her hand. MAY I hope that
sometime again-"ss,
at sets a bad example to Dicky." she
| said laughingly, but some Saturday,
| when he does not have to play truant.
we may come again"
| Saturday is long way on: four
| days." Halvord said dismally. But 1t
| will be next Saturday, will It note'
/ Next Saturday" she promised az