The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-16
THE EVENING STORY
The Silent Witness.
(By Temple Bailey.)

By Temple Bailey.)
No one knew just where the white |
kitten belonged. The chances were
that she came from one Of the low gray
cottages along the line of the beach.
She could generally be found on sandy
hillocks at the remote end Of the
peninsula where she dug sunny nests
for herself and basked laZily watching
| the sandpipers between half-closcd
eyes, There were traces of distin-
| guished ancestors in the length of her
hair, the business of her tail and the
| blueness of her eyes. Now and then
she drifted down close to the waters
edge and played with the foam, of
| which she seemed almost a part, with
/ her snowy fur and her light move
| mentS.
There were two persons who came
often to that end of the peninsula and
who played with the white kitten. The
| girl who came wore white gowns, so
| that when the kitten lay on her lap
| they seemed merged one into the other.
"She is a beauty" the girl said one
day in late summer. 81 am going to
steal her and take her home With
me, Richard
The man laughed lazily. eff you
| find out to whom she belongs. III
buy her for you, and save the sin of
| stealing
The kitten blinked and yawned.
She had ALWAYS lived by the sea ana
| she loved it. She did not know that,
| over her head they were planning TO
carry her to the city where she would
| be shut in from the wind and wave.
! After that they talked sweet moth
| ings over her head, but finally they
disagreed. The loud noises startled
resting place and flew down the
1 sands But they did not notice her.
The girls face was as white as her
| dress st can't give all of my time
4 d S1I,o Oh
after our engagement is announced"
"Then announce it, he demanded.
"Why is it necessary to keep it Sc
cret, Elizabeth"
| stated. that until mother returns from
abroad and ratifies it I must not let
the world know
Il am $50 afraid of losing you he
said. that perhaps I en- unreasonanie.
But you danced so often with Rad
cliff last night that my heart was heavy
as 1 watched you"
ooh, Radcliff!" She threw out her
hands IN a gesture of scorn. AS II
! any woman would look at him twice
when you are around, Richard"
His face cleared at that and they be-
gan their walk back toward the hotel,
talking peacefully as they went. The
white kitten trailed along behind.
and, at, length, rushing on ahead
of them, she landed on ledge hol-
! lowed out by the waves. There was
hole in the ledge where q pird mao
, examined it. IT'S like little mail
box" she said. "Sone day I am go
ing to leave a letter for you here,
Richard
declared ardently.
After that the kitten stood guard
often over letters which came to the
strange hiding place Some OF the
! 1O
and addressed in a feminine hand,
|. others were big and spare with a
! masculine scrawl. One day strange
, man left a letter and when Eliza beth
) opened it she gasped, How did ne
'fWhat is it ?" Richard demanded.
How did Radcliffe know that we
mailed our letters here?"
You must have told him, R1ch-
, acd said. "You have been with him
!. often enough lately"
"Oh, jealousy"
: Her eyes blazed. will you never
friend? Why, 1 have known him
why should he write you letters?'
ITS just some foolishness." She
tore open the envelope and gasped:
what does he say?" her lover de-
: But she would not tell him, and
jealousy getting the better OF MIN ne
). Insisted that she should. The quar-
rel that followed made the white KIT
Z. ten cringc and then fly down the
: beach toward the gray cottages. Late
frat night however, she Scuttled PACK
Z to the ledge. 1t was moonlight. Inc
! waves seemed crested with silver Ine
l white kitten stretched her snowy length
S along the ledge, half closing the open
ing to the mail box. The man whc
came later moved her gently. When
| he had gone there peeped from the
hole the edge of white envelope.
I The spring breeze blowing from tne
< ocean beat against the bit of paper
!. and the cracking made the white kit
I ten sit ND and take notice. She patteo
the paper with her. paw. 1t gave 8
, little and came half out from the hid
= ing place Helped by the Kitten
| eager paw and by The wind it lay fiut-
tering ON the ledge. Then the vino
: took it again, down the beach. Once
lit went sailing over the tops OF the
= waves, like some strange bird, only te
! be brought back for the kittens play
: thing.
The next morning the kitten was
3 again on the ledge when the girl came
! She was alone, and when she had look
q ed and found no letter she sat dowr
on the sands and cried. Presently &
= man came along the beach, and see
: ing her came toward her.
"Radcliff' she looked up startled
II thought it was Richard"
: Did you get my note yesterday
, , he asked. Perhaps 1 should not havs
y written, nor have put it here. But
4 had seen you two people exchangtnt
: notes. and it seemed Interesting to SET
4 THAT would happen"
+ She looked at him reproachfully
\ Your Joke has made me very unhap
. n.y." she stated. You know how jeal
: Gus Richard is He wanted to see tn,
o note, and made so much out of tri
II fie that I would not let him-just Il
II, f<ld q mi