The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-01
THE EVENING STORY
Paul's Scarab.

taDiecloth and slipped from the room
10 obtain a magnifying glass.
I'm glad that there is something
about me that he likes" said DIR. Paul
Harper grimly. II asked him last night
for permission to marry you. and he
told me that he had determined that
you should marry a man who would
not only appreciate his collection, but
| would add to it,
Lena Cation nodded sagely Already
she had received more than a hint of
her fathers plans for her future hap
| piness.
| He means Professor Katzinger," she
explained. He IL here SO much and I
grow so tired of him."
Paul stroke the little hand that rest
ed on the table.
IT'S shame" he declared. "Katz-
| niger cares more for mummies than he
does for f1esh-and-blood people. The
idea OF asking you to marry man
like that; won't let you..'
Lena gently. One must obey ones
| father"
Not in any such arrangement as
that" cried Paul fercely. Let him
| leave his collection to the museum.
Katzy.'
The return of Professor Cation put
a stop to the conversation, and Paul
| sat glowering upon the Psychologist.
while the old man studied the odd
scarab with wondrous eyes.
At last, with reluctant fingers, he re-
turned the scarab to Paul and went to
his study, while Paul and Lena slipped
out for walk. Every since Paul had
been an undergraduate at the college
he had loved Lena, and now that he
had come back to demand her hand
| in marriage it was a shock to find that
the scientist had determined to sacrifice
his daughter-aS he had everything else
to his beloved collection.
1t was the finest private collection of
| scarabS extant, and it was the profess
| sor's wish that the work might be car
ried on by his son-in-law. To this end
he had looked with favor upon Profess
| sor Katzinger. who shared his enthusi-
| asm for the collection.
Lena did not share her fathers lik-
ing for the German professor, and she
| was very much in love with Paul, but
the habit of obedience was strong with
| in her, and even with Paul pleading
his case In person, he could not in.
duce her to agree to a runaway match,
| though she did promise to make every
| effort to evade a marriage with Kat
| Finger.
With this promise Paul had to rest
| content. but it was with little of the
| elation which had marked his coming
| that he took his departure. 1t was
plain to be seen that the professor
| cared more for the advancement of his
! collection than he did for his daugh-
| ter's happiness. or, more correctly, he
| COHNluCeQ nlIuSeI tuat tne TWO inter-
| ests were Identical In the eyes OF
| Professor Cation. a man who did not
| care for scarabs was no man at all
and not fit to marry his daughter.
His only interest in Paul lay in the
| latter's possession of the odd scarab,
the like of which he had not seen be-
! fore in his vast experience. He was
| shocked at the careless fashion in
| which Paul carried it about in his
waistcoat pocket, and when, just be-
4 NJ dan
| found the precious scarab on the stairs
| he told himself that 1t served Paul
right II he lost the treasure.
At the moment he had no thought Of
retaining 1t, but when Paul. missing
| the scarab, made inquiry, the professor,
why he would not say, denied having
seen it, and the mischief was done. He
| told himself that he would pretend to
| find 1t before Paul left. but now Paul
was gone and the scarab still reposed
in the private compartment of the pro-
fessor's safe, while the finder went
| about with heavy sense Of guilt.
Not by any chance would 1t be pos
sible now to find the missing treas
ure, and the impulse for a moment had
made him thief.
| The thought gave him quite an odd
sense of anger. He blamed not alone
himself. but Paul. whose carelessness
| he had argued that 1t served Paul
! right, but now the tiny scarab had
grown to the weight Of a milestone
| about his neck.
He did not dare take 1t out and place
| it in his collection; he did not even
dare to look at it himself, lest Lena,
coming in suddenly, as was her wont.
| should discover him with the evidence
| of guilt in his hand.
The evil he had done preyed upon his
| health. He suddenly grew very old
and feeble. and his enthusiasm for his
collection waned. The thought that his
hobby had made of him thief was
bitter indeed, and In the long silence
of the night he tossed sleepless on his
! bed and cursed the day he had seen the
scarab on the stairs.
| Paul had taken his loss as slight
thing, and after a casual inquiry had
| let the matter drop, but the professor
knew how priceless was the find, and
| the thought that he had betrayed the
confidence of a guest was an additional
source Of pain to the sensitive old man.
At last his condition became so grave
| that Lena was alarmed. The professor
would not consent to see a physician.
He knew well enough that no medical
man could bring him relief, and as a
| last resort Lena wrote Paul asking
| him to come and see them. Already
Paul had gained reputation as
specialist, and since her father would
not go to see a physician. the only
thing to be done was to bring the spec
| ialist to him.
| She said nothing OF PauPs visit to
| her father, and she arranged with Paul
to pretend that he had dropped of over
| one train to pay short visit. They
met only at the table, and Pauls first
| glance told him that his host was
| laboring under some great mental
| strain, and that nothing could be done
until that strain was relieved. With
the idea Of diverting the professors
attention from his cares he thought
| out a scarab.
| At the sight of It the professor half
rose from the table and uttered a
hoarse cry of surprise. The scarab was