The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-16
TIE EVENING STORY
Fifty Dollars Reward.
(By Harriet Lummis Smith

| Fifty Dollars Reward.
| (By Harriet Lummis Smith.)
There was a crowd at the money or
der window of the postoff1ce- Della
waiting with her application in her
hand, looked about her idly for some
thing to occupy her attention till her
turn should come. She found it not
two feet away. in black, staring letters
which formed the words, Fifty Dol
| lars Reward"
Della did not look like a mercenary
young woman, but her eyes fingered
| long on the headline, as a hungry child
| might look outside a bakers window
viewing all sorts of gastronomic
| temptations, with only pane Of glass
| between. Fifty dollars" Della said
to herself, and figuratively she smack
ed her lips.
At the best of times, fifty dollars
seemed like a great deal of money to
Della Just now her need had magni-
fed it far beyond its usual proportions.
She was on the point of sending q
money order for $3.50 to her brotner
Jack, stranded out in western state
sick, forlorn and unable to help him
self. The three dollars and half
represented numberless little sacrifices
on Delia's part. She walked to and
from her work to save car fare. she
wore shoes whose soles were replaced
each morning by new ones of paste
board, deftly fitted into place by
Delia's own fingers. She had reduced
her midday meal to rolls and glass
of milk, and she grudged the dime
she spent for that modest fare. Fifty
dollars would bring Jack home. Della
turned her eyes to the poster and READ
oni
asFifty dollars reward will be paid
for information leading TO the appre.
hension of Leonard Bunting, last seen
near the village of Porter Fails, IA.
He is five feet eleven in height, weighs
about a hundred and sixty, and has
h
of the little finger of the right hand is
| missing. When last seen ne wore q
} closely cropped brown moustache. HIS
J manner is gentlemanly.
Accompanying this description was
| a likeness of Mr.. Leonard Bunting,
which Della studied with a fascinated
curiosity. He was a rather cookbook
; ing young man for an eV1ldoer, she
decided. as far as it was possible to
} Judge from his counterfeit present
? ment, which was somewhat blurred
= and indistinct. But this thought was
I Immediately lost sight of in the pleas
: urable pretense that she was about tc
send Jack a money order for $5o
: gained by surrendering Leonard Bunt-
! ling to justice. Then Jack would De
home by the first of the week. 1t cosi
l her a pang when she came back &c
t reality, and slipped the blue slip which
: stood for exactly $3.50 into the enve'
, LOPEZ
] dow that she would not have had time
l for much in the way of luncheon, ever
e if her funds had been ample. She gave
her order, Rolls and milk" Della
was young and healthy, ana palo IN Ihe
e penalty in a clamorous appetite She
4 shifted hungrily and felt a little faint
sIf I get that $50 reward" thought
Della, with a whimsical smile. IT Il
save enough of it out for good sir
! Ioin with plenty of gravy Then she
/ that the Young mar
/ next her was holding the menu care
Il in her direction. Have you seer
> this?" he asked courteously.
1--WE given my order, thanks" Deiis
p enough, but jumped before she finish
g ed. For the hand extended toward
/. her was slightly mutilated. The enc
- of the little finger was missing:
y The young man did not notice he
a start. He resumed his study of tn
S card, and a moment later gave hi
order Apparently an uneasy con
s science had not decreased his appetite
= Meanwhile, over her rolls and milk
II Della was stealing glances in his dl
It rection. No; there could be no mis-
d take. Dark, with heavy eyebrows
e and gentlemanly manners, and NOR
y significant than all, the missing til
e of the little finger. The DISAPPEARING
= of the brown mustache changed hi
W appearance slightly, yet he bore suf
Il ficient resemblance to the rough Gu
n in the postoffice to be easily identified
Delia's heart thumped as she mad
l. her plans.
l. It would not do to arouse his sus
,e picions. And then she would slip GU
g quietly and lay the case before the BIZ
1t policeman at the crossing He was
n blue-eyed policeman: She would te
would do the rest, and presently tn
$50 would put in an appearance, an
IT Jack would come home. It was extra
d ordinarily simple.
l. The red-haired waitress introduced
Z new factor. Della had felt strong in
y, terest in the red-haired waitress eve
d since the morning when her swolle'
" eyelids were eloquent of long weeping
10 and Della had asked her If anythin
a was the matter. The waitress had eX
m | pIained that she had dropped a ira
z that morning, and the manager haI
, threatened to discharge her. He say
N I'll have to go next time" shifted tn
t. red-haired waitress. And I've got
mother to take care of. 1t makes m
IT feel like drowning myself"
Il Della had tried to encourage her b
n suggesting that perhaps there woul
l. not be any next time, and her sym
re pathy had won the red-haired girls at
&c fections. AS she passed now, with
ID bowl of SOUP she smiled in Delia's di
" rection and paid the penalty for tn
IS lmomentary distraction of her attention
1T the poW1 OF soup lurcHeu- 1Is coAte4'
rt distributed themselves over the perso
IN of the young man next Della.
e. "Helloi'' said the young man. For
ne criminal with reward offered for nj
10 apprehension, he had his nerves undo
excellent control He turned to see tn
face of the red-haired girl go a dead!
J. white while behind her lowered tt
figure of the manager whose scov
needed no explanation. The youn
re man emptied his pocket of soup an
.,v addressed the manager. "An my fault
- he said.