The Topeka state journal., 1909-02-19
TIE EVENING STORY
Their Midnight NIeeting.


cautiously to the stairs and down to the
library floor
Her acquaintance with the house
dated back only as far as the day be-
announcing the death of her uncle,
Grover Pelham.
Dreading a stumble over an unchart-
ed piece of furniture, she exercised the
utmost care. As she parted the por-
there's of the library door she became
conscious of another presence.
Waiting until her eyes accustomed
themselves to the darkness, she made
out the faintest suggestion of figure
kneeling at the other side of the room.
and a key turning in an inner lock of
the safe explained the situation well
enough.
Miss Morley remembered that the
electric light button was close to where
she stood. AS one hand Strengthened out
horizontally toward the intruder she
flashed on the light with the other
The burglar turned with whirl ana
Wilted before the eloquence of the out
stretched revolver and Miss Morley's
dominating pose.
Who are your the burglar demand
ed. sullenly. peering intently in his ef-
fort to recognize the figure almost
wholly enveloped by the curtains.
"a guest here,' Miss Morley return
ed. with curious interest in SO much
or so Ittle-of the burglars face as
the mask permitted her to see. who
are you, and what are you doing In
Mr.. Pelham's safer"
Just taking the dimensions, to fill 1t
up with stocks and bonds as a surprise
party for his heirs was the sarcastic
response.
"Ah! You know the old gentleman is
dead, .then?'' Miss Morley asked.
Yes, praise be! And if you had
minded your own business I would
have managed a nice little squaring of
accounts with him.
''what did he ever do to your Miss
Il la av1fH ont
in her voice as she let the curtains fall
away and stood forward in all her
gracious charm before the disguised in
truder.
Instead of answering, the burglar, as
the light fell full upon her, dropped
back a pace in manifest surprise. She
waited and in his turn he startled her.
Helen MorleyT' was all he said, In
the quiet tones Of one who is too great
ly astonished to give way to emotion.
Seeming then to understand the folly
Of a mask, he removed it and crumpled
it into his pocket. The two faced each
other in silence.
The man and the girl had looked for
ward once to a life together He was
cashier OF a bank until some funds
went wrong and the law sent him to
prison for five years. After that he
never came back to her, though she
heard of him drifting about the country.
John Gorham! And this is the way
you come back!" the girl just whisper
you?" she demanded again, mechani-
cally, and as though she were gaining
time.
.T-I never took that money" Cor
ham declared. Grover Pelham hated
me because my mother did not care for
him as he had wished. 1t was he who
managed my undoing, to punish my
dead father, he said. You didn't know
that?'
The girl shook her head. The revol-
yer hand dropped down upon the table
and she half averted her face and fe-
verish ewes
ham went on, ''even though spent so
long a time in prison. began life
over again until Pelham found 1t out.
Then it seemed as If every Tom, Dick
and Harry had learned my story ana
was being paid to tell it over and over
again.
earn a living that way. Besides, L had
that you had lost all faith in me. That
was easy to believe" he added, In
hard tone, "since 1 never received a
letter from you"
1.-The letters were written" she told
him, quickly. many a one"
more of Pelham'S work, then," Cor
ham Ventured. But / had given up
When I heard of the old gentleman's s
death I decided to come around ana
clean out his safe. I thought I would
keep on at that business until 1 had a
competence; then I could retire and
live the independent life possible OF
man of means.
snThat's all there is to the story" the
burglar concluded, except that it was
a pity for you to stumble on to the last
chapter That's the way a girl reads
story, though"
manner that he would make no ad-
vances that he would not even presume
upon their one-tine friendship
TT is strange to find you mere, she
said; 'it is strange to be here myself:
I.learned yesterday that my uncle had
made little or no provision for myself
and my mother in his will. 1t distress
ed me so that 1 could not sleep.
"I came down here to see for my
self, and If it were true that we had
been left to the same old miserable
struggle with poverty, I-oh! / don't
know what | might have Done. am
sure I meant to steal If l found any
thing to steal. 1 wouldn't much care
for myself, but mother-
The girl had almost reached the point
reused herself and turned toward the
burglar, who stood impassively waiting
for developments.
Like yourself" the girl boldly ad-
mitted, ''I meant to fall back on this
safe for help You got there first. Now
can send you back to jafl-but 1
don't know" she unused. as if in doubt.
My conscience would never be clear
if 1 sent you to prison for getting up
earlier than I did myself"
The burglar looked up with light
of grim sympathy in his eyes as the
girl fingered the revolver. He did not
seem to be diSmayed Dy the neartieSs-
ness she evinced.
ssYet it seems to me- Miss Morley
suddenly announced, facing the burg
lar squarely and with little color'
THAT you and I are pair of weak
kneed cry-babies. We have expert
enced a few of the worlds bitterly dis