The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-02
THE EVENING STORY
Dignffed Mrs. slade.


steps on the gravel walk below was
distinctly heard
Then it's up to me to do the van
ishing stunt" Warren C1agett de-
clared. ''He simply must not find me
here after having forbidden me the
premises
Like many another poor young
man, Warren C1agett had made bold
to love his employers daughter. with
the usual result-he had brought
down the employers wrath upon his
erring head. He knew that discovery
at the present moment would be as
much as his job was worth, and he
could not afford to lose that while he
was negotiating for, and had almost
secured, a higher salaried position
with the rival firm of Smith e. Tullar,
for these gentlemen would certainly
have nothing more to say to a young
man who had been fred. And
his marriage with Clara depended
upon his becoming independent of her
father.
He was too honorable to ask the
girl to cast in her lot with his, trust
ing to the slight prospect OF her
father forgfving them: But it is one
thing to ray one must get out OF the
way and another thing to do it.
The young couple was having a
stolen interview in the upper story of
a little building in the grounds of Mr..
Horizons suburban home. the lower
less than an open summer house. The
upper room, which Clara, who dab
bled a trf1e in literature, used for
warm weather, study, was reached
only by fight of stairs leading up
through a trapdoor in the floor
It was useless for Warren to at
tempt an exit by way of the stairs un-
less he wished to run into the arms OF
his employer, so he turned his atten-
ton to the windows. The building
/ - I. IL I. - -
able to scramble from some window
to the ground. Alas! One glance re-
vealed the fact that the room con-
tanned no windows which would not
be in full view of the approaching
Mr.. Horton.
Seeing that escape was impossible,
the young man. looked about him
wildly in search of a spot, however
small, in which he could hide until
Mr.. Horton had taken his departure.
But in this direction. too, his hopes
seemed futile. The whole place did
not contain so much a cupboard.
And in the way of furnishings Clara
had affected an almost masculine
simplicity. Across the blank rear
wall of the room were rough shelves
loaded with books and papers, but the
curtains, behind which as slender a
person as Warren might have fiat
tened himself, had been omitted.
The only article of furniture large
enough to have concealed any one
was the roll-top desk. but unfortu
nately this occupied the middle of the
room, and offered no secure protec-
ton.
Warren gave Clara a look of conf |
cal despair.
"Guess I've got to face the music, |
all right" he grinned.
But Clara's wits had been working. |
She knew how much depended upon |
Warren's not being discovered there
by her father.
With a finger on her lips-for Mr..
Horton could be heard ascending the |
steps of the summer house-she tip
toed to the opposite side of the room
and took down some garments of her
own which were hanging upon con-
venient nail
Warren did not refuse to allow |
himself to be helped into the long, |
loose motoring coat and close, gay
little bonnet. Goggles and a thick |
veil wrapped about the lower part of
his lean, smooth shaver face, com |
Warren was a slender youth while
Clara was decidedly tall for a girl,
and the garments were a fair fit.
The task was completed not mo-
ment too soon. The conspirators had |
barely seated themselves when Mr.. |
Horton stepped into the room.
why, father, aren't you home |
early?" Clara asked with well simu-
lated unconcern.
.'Oh, I had to return after some
explained briskly. I'm going right
back Thought I'd run in for mo- |
ment's chat
Then catching sight of the stran-
ger he added, Excuse me. didn't
you had company"
Warren trembled lest his employer |
recognize his daughters apparel when |
he felt that gentleman's keen eyes
fixed upon him; but Mr.. Horton |
proved himself as Indifferent to the |
details of feminine attire as the aver
age man.
sMy friend, Mrs. Milton Slade,"
Clara murmured, realizing what po-
likeness required of her.
Warren could have groaned in |
despair. Why couldn't Clara have
given him some fictitious name in
stead of that of real, though new,
acquaintance? OF course he saw the /
point; the real Mrs. Slade was dig
nified, and he-er-well, he was stiff
There the resemblance ended What
if Mr. Horton had seen the lady. even
though he had not met her 1t was
not at all likely.
But once more Warren's fears
proved groundless.
ssPIeased to meet you, I'm sure"
Mr.. Horton declared heartily, start
ing as if to shake hands. but Warren
only half rose, inclining his head
slightly He had no desire to shake
hands.
Mr. Horton was not one, however,
to be easily daunted.
Zine day for motoring" he con-
tiuued yolubly 81 suppose you mo-
tored out though I didn't see any
car outside
The too digniffed Mrs. Milton Slade
murmured an inaudible reply.
"Eh, what's that?'' queried Mr..
Horton.
ssMrs. Slade says that she sent her
machine back explained Clara men
daciously, suddenly realizing poor
Warren's pIight-he possessed deep
bass voice.
"She has a terrible cold and it's
impossible for her to talk much. She !
intends to return to the Albion
House, where she is living, you know,
L