The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-12
THE EVENING STORY
Love and Literature.
(By Martha Mcculloch Williams

| (By Martha McCulloch Williams.)
| If Clarisse had been an ordinary
screamed at what the opening door
revealed. Two men, one short and
gruff of countenance, the other tall,
dark and sinister, stood at her desk,
wrenching at the top of it.
For wonder, she had locked it
before going out, even though the
thought of burglars had not entered
her mind. She knew other bungalow
folk had suffered from them-but
| being by nature unapprehensive.
moreover just then supremacy occu-
| pied with her own concerns, she had
not taken time to be afraid. Instead
of screaming, she stepped briskly for
ward, saying in her quietest voice:
Don't spoil my lock-
''Then hunt us up the key. And be
quick" the tall man answered, not
turning his head.
| The other rumbled out: young
lose tenants
'rWho are you? I have no boss.
And this place is mine. I won't have
tenants--not even if they let them
selves in with jimmies," Clarisse
flung at him too angry to think of
| risk.
At her words the tall man wheeled.
isn't this Sandslope?" he de-
manded.
Clarisse shook her head. DO you
keep rogues' directory" she asked
with whitening emphasis. eff ysu
do, get map as well. Sandslope is
| no doubt worth your attention. I
hear the man who furnished and ran
| away from it had the most beautiful
things
$50! We're in the wrong box-the
wrong bungalow, madame. We beg
| pardon-at least thousand times,
| the tall man said.
The gruff fellow gasped: Lady
could you-would you-show us-that
beast of a placer
| Clarisse shook her head. Against
! the rules of good neighborhood," she
said. but the policeman may be
more obliging-possibly he'll take you
by it on the way to prison"
! PRISON. the short man exploded.
The tall one touched his arm. RE
member, appearances are all against
u.s." he said "Still, I hope these
| quilting cards and letters from his
pocket) will convince our 1nvolun-
tary hostess we are not the burglars
We SEEM
| Clarisse looked up from the cards.
/ her eyes dancing.
| s"To think an editor, real live one,
was trying. to break into my desk!
| Oh. dear. Mr.. Dare, you've had trials
| inside it. You don't know my pen
name-I shan't tell you. But if you
are really going to live in Sandslope,
you may as we'll know just row that
/
Miss May-we won't forget you
not while life lasts. This nodding to
the short man, sis John Dreyer-'
mot the artist 1 never, never will
| believe iti'' Clarisse murmured, fling
ing up her hands.
| Dreyer grinned. 'I know I'm a lot
better looking than my pictures-still
they ought to have saved me from
Suspicion
| "But YOU see, I got just a glimpse
| oP IarnfiJaC-9nd
YOU were doing" Clarisse expostu-
| lated.
Dreyer nodded. ST know" he said.
'sBut we we're hunting for keys
everything was locked up-and that
| idiot who let us Sandslope told us
we'd find all sorts of keys-in the
DESK
I'll show you Sandslope now-in
fact, I'll take you to it, Clarisse cried,
exultantly. Its right across from
here, but on the avenue. not the
j street. They have the same name
Linden. No wonder you mistook the
house. Until you learn the distinc-
ton. I make you free to my habi-
tation.''
you don't live here all alone p"
Dare said, judicially.
Clarisse shook her head. Except
sometimes she said. This is one
of the times-Lee Ventress, my house
mate is subject to social alterations.
Went for a house party last Friday
week, and hasn't got back"
Meantime you?" Dreyer asked,
"why, I just stay at home with my
murgly ink and pen folk-and have
good times" Clarisse expounded
there is the policeman. You'll laugh
to see him-he's most eighty and looks
, like Father Time himself
you left your door on the latch!
! Isn't that rather hazardous-in spite
of Father Time?" Dare asked.
Clarisse looked at him with twin
king eyes.
Everybody down here knows
write for a living she said. THAT is
why sight of you amazed me so. I'm
like the man who said when the bur-
| glar came: Waltz If he finds any
thing I'll get up and take it away from
| him.
HIN! This must be seen to-at
once" Dare said severely.
| Dreyer half whispered to Clarisse:
''How many stories can you write in
six weeks? We are here for that long.
Make hay. while the sun Shines
i ct shan'ti' Clarisse said, with a
pout that became her wonderfully.
| whats the use of writing stories,
new stories, when you have in hand
several varieties-none of them mar
ketable? ?"
'Sav. what do you live on? Crabs
and moonshine?'' Dreyer demanded.
| Clarisse answered promptly: "Oh,
bread and cheese and kisses mostly
my banty rooster supplies the kisses,
besides being a general guardian"
Then with a subtle change of man
ner she added: you see. I have just
i enough to starve on if I do nothing
at all. So please don't put me in the
mendicant class, which says: Buy my
| wares else I Starve.'"
"Contrariwise-you belong among
bloated capitalists Dreyer said teas
ingly.
| C1arisse waved her hand. There
is Sandslope-and a frantic agent in
/ the door looking for you" she said.
/ Nov I can leave you with a quiet
i mind
Thus was it all begun. After such