The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-15
THE EVENING STORY
Dan Walters Heart.
BY Stacy E. Bakery

After twenty years of harsh bat
ting In the marts of the world, Dan
simple people of his early years.
| Wayville held out no allurements. He
did not want to go back. Neverthe-
less his valet was, even then, packing
the careful selection of clothes that
he had decided to take with him. All
this was in answer to the imperious
demand of frank spoken physician.
go back" the specialist had told
him. IF you care to live forget that
such place as Wall street exists.
and go back to the village
Dan Waller was thirty eight years
old, but his face was the hard. mex
pressive face of the professional stock
gambler. He looked older.
Save for pal1or Dan Waller did
not have the appearance of a sick
man. His every movement was preg-
nant with vitality. and his broad
shoulders were carried proudly thrown
back. as became the shoulders Of one
who had conqered in his every tilt
with the world.
| It was the heart of the man that
had at last rebelled-but before this
! Waller had accumulated over million
| dollars.
An orphan, brought up with
| frugal farmer who had taken him
out of an orphans home with a cal
the boy. Waller couldn't look back
| over the experience of his youth in
Wayville with thrifty little quivers
/ of joy. Martin, his master, had been
He had given the lad whatever the
law had compelled him to give in the
way of clothes and education. but he
had always striven to impress upon
! Dan with each gift-if gifts they
could be called-that whatever came
from Observation-Disclosures charity.
All this could result in one thing.
There came time when the boy be-
came young man--and the young
man was conspicuously absent from
the Martin house one morning when
the misery farmer attempted to call
his chattel from his attic room.
Dan Waller, his belongings on his
| back and in a cotton handkerchief.
had responded to the reckoning fin
gers of the city.
And now he wondered how Way
vile would receive him. He-wonder-
| would say. Responsive to a sudden
vagary, he went across to the massive
| writing desk in the corner of his
1uxuriant library, and serawied one
line across a sheet of the heavy linen
paper bearing his monogram.
Am coming back. Meet me at af-
ternoon train tomorrow. L want to
talk with you"
The bell brought the valet. stHere,' -
came from the man at the desk, mail
this, and. by the way. you are not to
go with me to Wayville. You will re-
main here. subject to my orders"
"As the Honorable Waller wishes, ="
came in stilted English from the
japanese. He bowed low and silently
left the room.
The only afternoon train from the
East came to an impatient stop at
Wayville just long enough to allow
} it's passenger for this point to a1ight.
Waller, dressed in unassuming black,
pushed back the broad hat from his
brow, and stared about him for the
well remembered figure of Martin. A
trim, daintily clad girl tripped toward
him.
"You don't know me-" came in a
soft voice.
: 'You do have the advantage of me, -
, acknowledged the broker, politely.
Withal, there was something about
the sunny hair, the great blue eyes
! that touched some dim chord of mem
Dry.
"And yet" laughed the girl, 81
knew you, but of course, your note
} told me that you would come. and, as
/ you were the only passenger, can't
. claim much credit
you are not-Ethel?" queried WAL
, Ter, in amazement.
) "Just sol"
In Walters pleasureless years with
the Martins, Ethel, the daughter OF
his master, was the one member OF
J the family who, in all his futile re-
+ volts, won him clemencv- from her
, wrathful father. and gave him cause
to believe in such a thing as human
T ity. He had not forgotten, 60
: Waller remembered Ethel Martin
, as an earnest eyed little girl with
stiff, tawny braids sticking out on
, each side of her head, and in prin1
pinafores on week days. He had been
a good ten years older than she
Waller found himself puzzIing as tc
why plain white duck dress could
make maid appear so positively
t Eyes, I am Ethel the girl was
? saying. 1--WE received your letter, but
: but papa is dead He died seven
remember-mother, and myself are
: living. in the. old home. and-and we
! would like to have you stop with
t us while you are in town
Ell In this invitation Waller detected
) the personal wish of Ethel. He knew
t well enough that the mother of the
Y girl, broken spirited woman, had
: long since ceased to take interest II
: regular. Fred, who had been an In
f FAINT in arms at the. time he, Waller
had gone away, would hardly en-
= thuse over the coming of his fathers
2 runaway boy.
at will be pleased to accept YOU
: kind invitation came from Waller
The New Yorker had intended to sta1
at the old tavern; In accepting Ethe
Marlln'S hospitality. MS READY lip
: had taken the wish from his heart
Y and his methodical brain dumbly an
I a1yzed the reason as he ploddet
7 along.
: How does it happen. Ethel HI
e asked, that you are so-er-differ
I ent from these other women of YOU
e town ?" He waved discreet finger
I toward a slovenly pair in nearb,
e yard.
: Ethel laughed. dad sent me ava.
to school, she said