The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-05
THE EVENING STORY
Fair EXCHANGE.

ding vigorously as he spoke.
Miss Minton stared. "Impossible!'
she said. CLARA Estes has not seen a
man, except through double Grape.
since poor, dear Charley died"
Him! That proves nothing" Ell
bridge commented. Were they happy
together? 1t struck me always he was
never quite easy about her."
you never liked Clara" Miss Min
ton answered slowly. mo more than
you did, Eldridge broke in. BE hon
est, Mary! You know we have this in
common: We knew all along Charley
had married the wrong girl.
] "Jessie was the wife for hin--if he
only could have seen it. Well, it's my
belief he might be living still. But 1
she has behaved admirably-the
deepest black after two whole years,
no company at all, nor going out, ex
cept for charity. Then, even you
must admit she's been liberal"
TOO liberal-it shows to me she has
something on her conscience Ell
bridge growled "a woman who had
not, wouldn't have validated those I'M
signed codicils. Why, they gave away
a third of the money! And under the
will she took everything"
| 81 don't see how you make that out"
Miss Minton said, shaking her head.
Eldridge laughed sourly. eff she
/ had fought us we might have looked
TITO nGr past, ne Sdlu. D6DCnQ upon
it, she has a history. The man is in
it-she is thinking of him, pining for
him, the nights she walks up and down
! the halls
II don't know but what you are
right. Still there's nothing we can
do" Miss Minton began tentatively.
Eldridge nodded again. Except to
wait-and watch,'' he said. Let me
know if the least thing happens-for
Charleys sake Fand your own"
| int nm
apostrophized as he went down the
walk.
She was a good woman, churchly,
charitable, given to mercies and clean
minded; but for ten years she had
| been under Eldridge's SPELL held by the
hope of being one day his wife They
were not betrothed-it was merely an
understanding. Lately she had had an
/ uneasy sense that he was FESTIVE under
| even that slight bond. AS manager of
| the Estes estate, he was brought much
in contact with the widow, a woman
much younger and more charming
| than herself, withal very rich in spite
of her foolish generosity.
I Eldridge was intensely ambitious,
| also not a little grasping. He had held
to his disappearing attitude toward his
| clients wife, rather in spite of himself.
Perhaps it was because of her reserve,
the yelled distrust in her eyes.
she's keeping back something
! had told himself over and over. If he
could but find it out she would be in
! his power-he did not let himself meas
ure what excuse he would make of the
power. Something in her tempted him
! as much as even this other thing re-
| PEELED him. Mary Minton? Mary was
a good creature-but a fool, therefore
safely to be left out of the count.
He had sense that Clara had de-
frauded him-but for her, Charley
h n
Eldridge thus bringing into the family
the necessary money. Plus money
| Eldridge felt he could half rule the
state. He had the instinct of domi-
nance which made such ruling precious
Now that Jessie was sacrificed upon
a struggling doctor, he felt more than
ever bound to uplift the family for
tunes Miss Minton's revelations APP
peared to him to point the way
Clara Estes had a secret-once let him
come upon it, and she would be deliv-
cred into his hand.
Therefore his heart leaped when,
| three days after. Miss Minton called
guardedly over the phone: I'VE have
a strange visitor rather mysterious. If
you care to see him come quickly"
Exactly an hour later he stepped
| through the door of the library 1T
| Estwold. Clara sat at the table, in
| front of the fire, her head in her hands.
| her eyes downcast. The visitor stood
| beside the mantel, thus almost directly
beneath the portrait of the dead owner
Of Estwold. Eldridge started at sight
of the stranger-who was not after all
strange. A likeness, subtle, elusive. in
a sense ghostly, to the pictured face
made him feel that here was the be-
| ginning of possible tragedy.
| Clara looked up at his entrance. Els
! this telepathy?'' she asked, smiling
family. Il was on the point of send
ing for you-yet could not quite decide
/ to do it."
well, I am here" ElG-idge said
stiffly.
The stranger glowered at him. Meth
er man had made the least acknowl-
| edgment of the others presence.
Clara rose. You are in time" she
said, her head high, "to help me in
the righting of a wrong"
| ct don't understand" Eldridge be-
gan.
She held up her hand. saying: Wait.
You viii. Let me present you to-Mr.
Marshall Estes, owner of this house
of everything-as soon as you can
legally transfer it to him"
Are you mad-1ove mad?" Eldridce
wildly remarriage you forfeit control
of the state. 1t vests instead in me
be sure I shall assert my rights"
You have none-because I have
| none,'' Clara said, her head still high.
Let me explain. You know how the
fortune came to my husband-from his
| fathers half sister, Maria, who died
unmarried
-, Her mother vas a great heiregs."
son rightfully inherits the money
whatever the law may be-"
Clara said: YES, Marshall Estes IS
her son, ten years older than his
cousin. my husband. His mother never
knew that he Hved-they told her
cruelty that she had borne a dead child.