The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-26
THE EVENING STORY
Her Little Mistake.
(By Stacy E. Baker. }

(By Stacy e. Bakery
II am the" began the young
man, after an appreciative glance at
the radiant Mrs. Collins.
The slim, youthful matron in the
doorway had waited long. She had
no time for introductions.
II know" she interrupted impa-
tiently. Mr.. Collins telephoned to ex-
pect you.'
mr.. Collins" reiterated the wife
of that eStimable person. "And, really,
haven't time to talk further. AS you
see, am gowned for the street. These
are the trees-these naples and pop
lars just in front of the house. Do not
thin them too much; a branch off here
and there, If you willard strive to
strike an even balance. / will return
by o'clock, and If you are finished
before then, you may go, and come
back for your pay later"
The youth stared long after the de-
parting Mrs. Collins, his fingers ruff
| fling the hair of a puzzled head. At
last he heaved a heavy sigh and
| strobe off in the opposite direction to
that taken by the LADY, curious
smile on his lips.
Lee Forester was tall and broad
unusually tall and broad-and this
may have accounted for the heaviness
of the sigh in question. Also, he was
QI0SSSu very anu III the
! height of the autumn fashion. His
| own eyes could detect no flaw in his
clothes or bearing, and yet this woman
the sister of the girl whom he in
| tended to make his wife-had prompt
ly and on first sight assigned him to
manual labor, evidently mistaking
him for some outdoor worker hired by
| her husband.
Nothing like favoring the idiosyn-
crasies Of relatives-to- be- unused the
youth, as he STROBE into the first hard
ware store he came to and ordered
the parphernalia essential for tree
clipping.
Lee Forester was an observing stu
dent of the things that took place
about him. Otherwise 1t might have
been difficult to have essayed the role
given over to him by the mistaken
Mrs. Collins.
Forester, the son Of Battle" For
roster, amalgamator of dozen rail-
roads, had no reason to know the
| technique Of tree clipping, but he did.
| Therefore, the naples and poplars Of
| the absent Mrs. Collins were safe.
Limbs fell before the ruthless on
slaught of the strenuous young man.
Me for this line of work. If I'm
ine1egantly, as he blithely sawed and
| clipped. Now 1 can understand where
my august ancestors got the family
name, and some inherited cunning has
| certainty Q0SC0nQeO TO me. ike the
game"
Forrester's Righteousness was due
sudden jolt.
Say, you, what are you doing in
| that tree?"
Having a brain, my friend, and
what might be termed a pair Of fairly
intelligent eyes, I shall suggest that
you Sherlock Holmes your own prob
lem
Fresh, amt your" asked the other.
nj %a drNxxyr
Sorry I can't oblige you" answered
| Forester. This is my busy day.
The man below was a bulky fellow
| heavy of face, and huskily framed. He
ed, as he pushed back the SLOUGH hat
shading his dull ensemble of features,
to be about 45 years of age.
/ You're on my job" he groaned, land
| want you to get out Of here. This
Is the Collins bunch of trees, this is,
and I'm here to grab down all the
graft"
You're a little late" came sarcas-
tically from the younger man. "I've been
working several hours, and as you see.
1 am nearly DONE"
That's nothing to me. I'm the one
who's got the contract for the job
1t was a new sensation-this argu-
ing for the paltry sum due the youth
for tree doctoring. 1t amused him.
Cant we COMPROMISED" asked the
son of Battle Forester, earnestly.
I've done everything. If, as you say,
the job is yours, will you split even,
considering that the work is all done?'
mo split" roared the other Justify.
And by what hook or crook did you
get next to this and come here to beat
me out?''
Mrs. Collins hired me-
"You liei Mr.. Collins hired me-"
The strong jaw of the youth showed
itself out 81 don't allow people to tell
me I lie."
There was a cold chill to the words
that brought a sense of the earnest
ness of the other to the last arrival
''Well, I'll say I don't know any
!, thing about that" he compromised,
but 1 do know that I collect for this
and I don't divvy a blamed cent,
Mr.. Fresh. If the missus put you on
the job, then it's up to the missus to
pay you.''
Unseen by either. slim young fell
low in a neat business suit had
stopped to hear the argument.
4 whats the matter here?" he asked
authoritatively. He turned to the
disputed your job, Nankins?'
The one addressed whiried. as on
pivot. "Ah! Mr.. Collinsi' he tri-
umphed. Yes, there's a young swell
in that tree who claims to have been
| put on the work by your Wife
Forester was now completely hid
den in a cluster of leaves.
"Come down." ordered Collins, push
! ing a straw hat back fror- his fore
head. Come down here, you man up
there, and we'll talk it over"
"PIl not came gruf1y from the
boughs It'll stick up here until the
: lady comes. I'm on the job now, and
intend to stay on
. lment he could not see. but the frou-