The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-22
The EVENING STORY
The House That Jack Built.
(By Gerald Prime.l


| SURFACE, a weird prolongation of the air
brake exhaust and then the train came
TO dead stop. Startled, but not espe-
clally alarmed-for she knew PRACTICAL
/ ly nothing of the perilS of railway
traveling-Janet raised the window and
| took an observation.
There was no station or even a sid
ing or water tank in sight. Janet
withdrew her decidedly attractive head
| In time to see that most of her fellow
| passengers were leaving the car, bent
on investigation into the cause of stop
| page. The young man who had been
! sitting across the aisle since the train
left Erie Junction was not among
| them. He still sat motionless. What
| he was actually doing was amusing
/ himself over the evident mystiication
| of his fair neighbor.
Her curiosity was more insistent
than her disapproval Of his conduct, so
| she asked him, in tone that was
meant to be expressive of a profound
| Indifference to his opinion on any SUBJ
| ject other than the business in hand,
| do you hoppen to know what is the
| matter?"
I'm sorry to say I DON'T" he re-
| turned very politely. I'm waiting pa
tiently until some of those who went
to make the usual inquiries return TO
the car. It's quite possible we may
have come in contact with some stray
| animal you know"
| eff were a man"-she began impa-
tiently, but stopped before she had fin
| ished the statement she had been
| tempted to make.
Permit me to congratulate you on
your escape he said, with really eff
| fective bow, but with no attempt to in
| dictate the special good fortune to
which he referred.
IT believe I'll go, anyway" she said,
conscious that he found her amusing.
eff you will permit me-" he said
rising quickly and taking her hat from
the rack, ct will go with you"
His manner was so respectful and SO
entirely what it should be that she
could not run the risk of appearing
prudish by declining. Besides, there
really was no reason why he should
not go with her on this tour of investi-
cation. It was broad daylight, there
were numerous other persons in the
/ company and she was abundantly able
to take care of herself, even though
she were travelling alone.
She nodded a good natured acquies-
cence and they left the car together.
AS soon as they reached the ground
/ thew were told by returning investi-
| gator that it was a case of derailment
| and that a brakeman had been sent
to the nearest telegraph station to
! summon a wrecking outfit from the
city.
Janet's first inspiration.
4 He smiled agreeably. ST don't quite
4 know how to explain it," he said, but
was wondering the same thing
he continued: Suppose we go and
| ask the conductor
The only thing about which the con-
ductor was positive was that it couldn't
be less than three hours. He was too
competent a railroad official to COM
NIT himself to any opinion more def
mite. It was his air of indefiniteness
that made Janet feel a trif1e uncom-
Portable.
"I shouldn't like to get into the city
after dark she said. 81 have never
been there"
at isn't far from here" her new
acquaintance said, reassuringly. eff
you were on the top Of the hill yonder
ICY It7S would have an excellent view of
"Then I believe will go up and get
it," she said. 'I will if you will prom
Use not to go on and leave me-" she
added, addressing the conductor.
IN fear of that, miss" he said, this
time quite positively. Some of the
other passengers are already up there.
When we're ready the engineer will
give warning with the whistle"
"And if you will permit me-" said
her companion, "I will be your guide
and point out some of the interesting
features as they come into view. 1t
is my home, and I'm familiar with
every part of it."
1t was a courteous offer and Janet
} was keen enough, despite her lack of
years and experience, to recognize it's
J honesty. Her firm resolution to risk
no chance acquaintance lost all its pur-
pose in the presence of such transpar-
ent sincerity.
} Its very kind of you" she said,
with a smile which implied acceptance
) OF his offer to accompany her, ''but 1
} should think it wouldn't be much of a
) novelty to you"
} 1T is-under the present conditions"
, he laughed. Besides, it is really worth
while. The city is at it's very best
when viewed from the hilltops."
They started off together. 1t was not
a tiresome ascent, for the path was
we'll defined and made circuitous to
avoid steep climbing. It was shaded
deeply almost the entire distance, and
when the summit was reached Janet
/ felt no fatigue whatever. Along the
way her companion had made most of
the conversation, preparing her, with a
. wealth of interesting detail, for her
! first glimpse of the city beyond
: 1t came suddenly spacious pam
Drama Of low-lying fields and groves
> and water, and, beyond, the glittering
outline of granite and marble that
Ioomed skyWard.
Isn't it glorious?" he asked, but
Janet. under the firm domination of the
! fspell, made no attempt to answer him.
Hat in hand, her cheeks flushed with
: the exercise and the excitement of the
, | situation, her dark hair put into
charming confusion by the hilltop
: breeze with eyes for nothing but thu
: strange, new picture before her, she
: stood and looked her fill of it.
ITS beautiful she said, finally
n but. do you know, feel afraid of it.
!. He fancied that she shivered.
1T won't hurt you; I'm perfectly sure
: it WON'T he said, soberly. You are
y sure to like 1t.
!. They seated themselves on the sid%
: of a huge bowlder and he pointed Out
f to her all the more striking features 0.
) the view. Then, almost before sht
: knew it, and influenced by she hardly
a knew what, she found herself telling
: him all about herself-how she wa
: uas Janet Marion only child of