The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-17
THE EVENING STORY
His Alarming Part.
(By M. M. Smith. }

an0 Keys.
"oh.. Alice. as if any woman deserv-
form the landlady.'
And have her tell us to mind our
business or move" urged the wiser.
elder sister.
brute!' exclaimed Tillie, making a We
| hement exit.
Rushing downstairs, two steps at a
time, she bolted into the apartment
by herself and sister At the farther
end of the room stood tall, finely
formed man, coatless and with hair
awry. He looked up, dazed and as
tonished at the unexpected entrance.
Pardon, one moment" he said,
hastily DOMINIC his coat and smooth
ing his hair with his hands.
Where is she?" gasped Tillie, Wis
| IDLY embarrassed.
who is it you wish to see?" he
asked.
Your wife," was the faint reply.
| My wife? Alas, I am not the for
tunate posSeSsor-but you are per-
! haps in trouble and need the counsel
of woman! Wait a moment
Title stood aghast as he left the
| room in haste. She heard him talking
| in the hall below to one of the gossip
fed women. Their voices drew near
er. Evidently he was bringing assist
ance. Desperately she flew to the room
opposite, and opened the door, which
she boIted after her entrance.
| It proved to be another case of the
frying pan and the fire. Comfortably
| ensconced in an armchair sat an eld-
erly man, who looked up in astonish-
ment from his paper.
''Where-where is Miss Rush ?"
asked Tillie, breathing hard
| "Oh, the former occupant? The
young LADY, presume the lady was
young. judging from the hat she for
got to take with her-who gave up
the rooms yesterday"
A knock at the door prevented
further explanations. The man went
to open the door, and Tillie retreated
behind the SCREEN To her delight,
she heard her friend, Miss Rushs
voice.
oh. Eleanor she exclaimed, en-
crying from retirement. "How did
you come to move yesterday? L
thought tomorrow was your da to
move, and L, bolted right in hereto
this strangers apartment"
i Poor Tillie!" laughed her friend.
please" turning to the astonished
man, 81 forgot my hat--one of my
hats
While he was getting the hat from
the next room, TiHie whispered her
troubles to Miss Rush. She promptly
removed her veil and long coat and
gave them to Tfllie, who donned them
with the man who had gone to sum-
mon assistance for her.
The girls reached Titles apart
ments without any mishaps.
Well" asked Alice. looking up in
amusement. did you rescue the
abused wife, or were your ordered
out ?"
ooh, Alice" was the hysterical
laugh. HE hasn't any wifen'
Il Whose wife was he beating?" de-
manded the indignant sister.
Il HE must have killed her, or hid
i den her. could see no one, and he
thought was In trouble, and went to
summon aid. He was bringing that
glib-tongued Mrs. Hunt as first aid to
the injured when I ducked and ran
into Eleanor's room, or the room she
vacated yesterday, and which is now
occupied by an elderly man who evil
IDENTIFY thinks I have escaped from an
asylum"
1.-THE plot thickens, Maybe you will
learn to have no ears after you have
lived in apartments while longer"
"I must co. said Eleanor, land
would thank you for my coat, Tillie.
really think you should keep the
veil. You will need it in your detec-
tive work
"I am afraid one of those men or
that awful Mrs. Hunt will ind me-
sighed Alice.
Move! Tomorrow" urged Eleanor.
'"The fiat next to mine is empty, and
it is much more desirable place than
this. Better location and the rent is
cheaper, too.'
Early the next morning moving
van carried away their effects to an
other part Of the city and Tfllie
breathed more freely.
One morning, a few weeks later,
she was invited to join a box party at
one of the theaters. When the party
entered the play had begun. A con-
tinued applause caused Tillie to direct
her attention to the stage before TAX
ing her seat.
/ There was the man whose apart
ment she had entered in defense Of
his wife!
For full minute she stood gazing
into his eyes. The audience noticed
his attention to the party, but con-
strued it a rebuke for their late en-
trance
At the end of the act a note was
handed to one Of the men in the par
ty, who Immediately withdrew for.
moment. When he returned he in
vited everybody to join him at a sup
per after the play. His casual remark
that he had invited the young actor,
Reginald Montague, to join them,
gave thrill of mixed delight and ap-
prehension to Tillie.
81 shall have to explain, and what
can I say?' she thought.
| She was the last to meet the pop
ular young actor, who said. with a
whimsical look, Miss Monroe and
don't need an Introduction. We have
met before"
so II naturally happened that lille
was left to his charge en- route to the
supper.
miss Monroe he began the dread
ed interview, Twill you not tell me
I why you appealed to me for aid, and
then vanished in so mysterious man
ner? I have haunted the halls of the
apartment since that night for one
more glimpse of you, and I have look
ed my audiences over every night, h op-
ing to see you. I brought one of the
dodgers up to my room, but you were
gone. We looked everywhere, and I
believe she thinks the incident a de-
fusion of my senses"
| 1-well. you see, lived there then
IL had the apartment over yours"
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