The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-11-08
TIE EVENING STORY
A Thousand Dollar Bill.
(By Martha McCulIoch william

| Again the elder woman sighed. Il
have to believe, much as 1 hate to"
she said. Somebody certainly did get
that thousand dollars-and he was
about the only one who had the
chance
ssThat is more than anybody knows"
Margery answered with spirit. Jim
Franklin admits that he went to sleep
with open windows and only the outer
doors shut. Neither he nor Phil heard
sound all night-but that doesn
prove a burglar didn't get in and steal
that thousand dollar bill
lin thought of that first off-but
there wasn't a sign of such thing
Oh, [ tell you he was the worst cut
up-said he'd rather have lost the
money ten times over, i'll as he could
| spare it, than have to believe such a
thing of Phil. And you know he won't
go to law, in spite of what his uncle
| tells him.
TT would be better = and Drawer"
Margery broke in, her eyes swapping.
phil could fight in open court-noW
nobody accuses him directly-but
everybody except me thinks he stole
the money, and he has no chance to
prove he didn't
Jim says he'll be punished enough
if he did take it-losing his job and
his friends and-maybe you?" Mrs
Ellis said the last word interrogatively.
Margery'S head went up. IF he
loses me it will be his own fault she
said. 'I'n marry him tomorrow
only he'll ask me-
''Margeryi Darling!" a shaken voice
cried from the hall.
Phil Ames had come in noiselessly
to say good-by, just in time to hear his
sweetheart's avowal. She rushed into
his open arms and hid her face on his
breast sobbing out:
"Phili DearestI Take mel Let US
go away from all .this=together.'
I,Tox To
face it-with me?'' Phil asked husk-
lily 81 did mean to run await all
seemed so hopeless. Now that have
you I can't do it. 1 must stay here and
prove myself worthy of your trust.
1T is all one to me-" Margery said,
cIinging to him.
Mrs. Ellis bridled. Il have been a
mighty good friend to both of you, !"
she said. But. really-this is too
much. Margery as your guardian,
must forbid you to-tO-act So.
I'm nineteen; you can't forbid my
marrying Phil Margery cried.
Her sweetheart led her toward the
door. In it he stopped, looking back
Ellis, 1 mean-thank you truly. You
you want to save my darling from
herself but love will save US both"
Then they went away to find a min
ister, Margery .snatching down sun
hat as she went along the hall. 1t was
ever so stirred the village. 1t was a
thrifty place, rich and full of family
pride, also family traditions. Margery
Clare embodied alike the pride and the
traditions. Throwing herself thus into
the arms of a thief, almost thief con-
fessed, was a shock, no less nine
days wonder.
Margery knew it; notwithstanding,
she was happy. She and Phil set up
housekeeping very simply in a little
Ia
estate she owned. She had an income
sure but sufficient for one.
Phil showed quickly he did not mean
to stretch it into providing for two.
There was a good bit of ground at
tached to the cottage-he set to work
on it manfully=inside of six months it
was indeed garden spot, returning
scant profits to be sure, but promising
great things in the next growing
season.
The money had been lost in August
he had married Margery at the be-
ginning of September.
Thus he had only his cold frames
and a tiny greenhouse to depend on.
When he had plots of growing things
there would be another and a better
story.
Margery loved the gardening-she |
knew It meant SO much to Phil Work |
made him so healthily tired he slept
instead of brooding half the night over
the stain on his name 1t gave him an
appetite, too, helping thus to normal
mind She knew he was under con- !
sta Mt sllrveiIlance-it was joy to know +
the spying saw only a man doing a
mans work.
When people came to see her she
accepted them as if sure the motive /
were pure kindness. But she made
no visits herself, neither accepted in
vitations to join in church affairs, nor
the dances at the courthouse, where |
formerly she had been a leading spirit. |
Phil wanted her to go-he was willing
to endure martyrdom for her sake. But
she smiled and shook her head-she |
own people until their own people saw
and acknowledged their mistake.
Time went on swiftly; almost before
she realized it came the anniversary |
of their wedding. The garden had been
a modest gold NINE but she would not |
Pomeranian puppy. agreeing, however,
to his proposition that they should |
show themselves that night at the
courthouse.
It was not a dance, but an entertain |
ment by a so-called psychic lecturer t
He was said to have marvellous powers |
Phil had a sort of feeling that the vii |
layers would think he dreaded to face
the seer. That was untrue-he had
even a wild idea of going forward II |
subjects for experiment were called /
Second thought showed him he had
better stay beside Margery-people
had been cordial to them, offering /
fluctuations with no apparent reserves,
He would do nothing to bring up the
old story; in twenty years perhaps he |
could live it down.
He heard little of the lecture, which 1
was a string of p1atitudes. But he was
somehow aware of strange infuencea