The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-01
THE EVENING STORY
A Solitary Picnic.
(BY Clarissa Mackie. !

(By Clarissa Mackie.)
| The wide piazza of the farm house
was deserted save for Helen Rogers
swaying gently in the hammock near
the door. The entire household had
gone to a clambake three miles dis
tant; buxom Mrs. Blake, the farm
er's wife; her maid servant, and all
the summer boarders had rumbled
| away in two large hay wagons at
IL o'clock.
Helen had stoutly refused sacrifice
on the part of her mother and sister.
If her sprained ankle forbade her to
take the joltipg ride to the clambake
she could enjoy herself quite as well
in the hammock with her books and
| needle work. She was not afraid.
Ponto, the big collie, was her slave
| and the day would soon pass.
| When the last wagon had rumbled
away and she had cheerfully waved
her handkerchief as long as the pic
nickers remained in sight, Helen
picked up her book. But her eyes
strayed from the open page to the
cool shadows on the grass under the
dropping eln1s; to the distant sunlit
fields where the men were garnering
a belated hay crop, and with a little
preparations that had been made for
her comfort.
A small table at her elbow held
water pitcher and glass and a bottle
| Oh lime juice, VN0Q FT6ST IldQ QIOppcO
a tempting box of chocolates within
her reach, someone else had, brought
magazines, her mother had laid
gray shawl across her pretty little
beyond belief. Farmer Blake had
propped his cane against the door
jamb and Mrs. Blake had packed a
little basket of lunch in order that
the invalid might enjoy the flavor Of
picnicking If nothing more.
An h0llr naSS6d. The night before
had been a painful one with many
wakeful hours. Helen's book dropped
from her fingers, her lips closed. In
her white gown, there was no color
about her-just a tinge of rose in the
delicate lips and the blue-black luster
of her hair.
The tall clock in the dining room
chimed noon and the long hands
tumbled in and out of the hollyhocks,
a humming bird poised trembling
above the honeysuckles. These were
all the sounds save cautious step on
the grass.
Ponto lifted his nose and shifted as
a young man approached the house,
scanning the many windows with
swift, searching glance. He muir
INJURED some words to the aroused
dog and Ponto'S head went down on
it's toWSy paws.
The man paused on the top step
and stared at Helen Rogers. asleep
in the hammock. With a sharp in
drawn breath the stranger turned his
eyes away from the sleeping girl and
laid his hand on the knob of the
screen door.
Ponto growled, the clock struck the
half hour. and as If watching for
these signals, Helen's dark eyes
opened suddenly on the vision of
dusty, travel stained youth about to
enter the empty farmhouse.
She sat upright with sti1ed cry,
~, hi frA he
knob. He faced her.
What do you want?" she de-
manded.
"Ler-really, must explain my
errand?"
"Of course" Helen's voice was
crisp and did not harmonic with
her soft eyes and winsome face. "Of
Course you must explain whom you
enter the house."
ct won't argue that question with
you," he said firmly. "As mat
ter of fact. I shall enter the house
ward" He stretched forth q hand to
Helen tossed aside the shawl and
swung out of the hammock. Her left
and held it across the door. bracing
her self against it. Her injured foot
barely touched the floor.
Don't you dare to touch that
cane,' she crled.
His low laugh defied her. Sort
of ENTER if you must. but it will be
across my dead body'-is it really
worth ali this fuss % A little angry
light cleaned in his blue eyes and
he took the cane and very gently
withdrew it from her grasp.
With a cry of pain Helen tottered.
and her weight falling on her Spra1n-
ed ankle crumpled her into white.
motionIess heap or the floor.
ooh. by 1ove! What have done
now didn't guess the child was
hurt! Plucky little grill" He bent
down and lifted her carefully into
ankle-no wonder she tainted away"
He picked up the bottle of lime Juice.
eyed it critically and then poured
some on a handkerchief.
He mopped her forehead with the
sticky mess and some of its pungent
Juice trickled into her eye and brought
her to consciousness. He poured out
a glass of water and held 1t to her
lips.
I'm very sorry-you see, I didn't
know you had a bad foot. Do you
feel better now?" He replaced the
glass on the table and leaned against
the porch pillar, looking down at her
with friendly eyes. Helen with a
swift upward glance noted that the
intruder's face was not a villainous
one; indeed, there was an air of en-
gaging frankness about the dark blue
what makes you do it?'' she asked
suddenly.
do what?'' /
"Burgle for a living. It's So
wrong, you know. A man as big and
strong as you are should work.
A quiet smile curved his lips. But
you see / do work. AS a matter of
fact I'm a jolly old grind-you see
I'm doctor-interne at the the Civic
hospital and"
You must know Mrs. Blake's SON,
oh, dear, of course you are Jack
Blakei'' Helen's face was crimson