The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-18
THE EVENING STORY
when the Sheriff Failed.
(By Clara Inez Deacon

|
Old Slade, who had been a gardener
at the Films for a decade, gashed his
| right hand on an old tomato can hid
den in the grass and had to carry that
arm in a sling. There was work for
MIN to do, but as he couldn't do it
one-handed helper was advertised
for and came down from the city.
The Films was the home of Ashton,
| the broker. There were only two 9TH
/ ers in the family-his wife and his
/ daughter. That Miss Gertrude was
engaged to young Mr.. Davenport, the
novelist, had not excited the country
| to any great extent. He came down
with her father every Saturday noon
remaining over Sunday. He had writ
ten many a tale where the lover was
a hero and the girl a heroine, and
where romance and adventure We're
thicker than rabbit tracks on the first
| winters snow, but the course of their
| true love had been almost monoton-
| Gus.
| They hadn't even been attacked by
a ferocious grasshopper while saun-
ter1ng about the lawn. Theirs was
| gentle, everyday cooling, and neither
party suspected that an old tomato
can was going to introduce thrills and
| throbs.
Old Slade didn't like his helper, who
gave his name as Griggs Griggs knew
his business, but he was vain and con-
| ceited. He thought himself a Don
Juan. He had read novels in which
| chauffeurs, gardeners and stable boys
married the heiress of the family, and
he was on the lookout for just such
/ financial transaction. It was his hint to
| Old Slade that he was going to win the
heart of Miss Gertrude Ashton within
| thirty days that got the old man down
| on him and made him rail out:
You let up on being a conceited
fool and attend to your work, or you
won't last here day longer"
And then what does Miss Gertrude
n n hIT& ffr,1 g..sk -
chief seem to encourage the hopes and
aims of Don Juan? Just like nine girls
out of ten, engaged or not! She pa
raded around; she sighed; she asked
questions; she said she wished,
and then turned her head away. She
twisted Don Juan into knots inside of
four days, and if he ever doubted the
truth of those novels he came to be-
| l1eVe in them now. A shock awaited
him just around the corner.
Griggs came on a Monday morning.
Mr.. Davenport Gid not come down the
following Saturday. Old Slade could
have dropped hint the first day that
Miss Gertrude was engaged, as the
matter was public property, but he
was suffering with his hand, and then
1t wasn't his business to be dropping
hints. By Friday of the following
week he decided to go to a hospital in
the city and have his hand treated.
He would be gone four or five days,
and Griggs would have charge.
That wasn't the shock Griggs was
to get; that was the glad hand. With
old Slade out of the way there must
follow declarations of love and an
elopement and marriage. One of the
first things he would do after the
couple had been forgiven and he had
been installed as the sole and only
son-in-law would be to break SHADES
neck and discharge him with a hal
ha! During Saturday forenoon he was
too busy with the lawn mower to de-
aIa t. -1 n
Mr.. Ashton and the lover arrived. The
lover was greeted with such cordially
that Griggs went to the kitchen and
asked the cook:
"Who is that jaekanapeS that came
down with the boss ?''
WHAT You speak of Mr.. Daven-
port in that manner!'' was exclaimed.
''Then who is Mr.. Davenport
Hes what they call the fi-an-say
of Miss Gertrude, and you'd better
look out what you say about him.
do you mean they are engaged?'
Sure thing. Going to- be married
as soon as her aunt gets back from
Europe. It's a real love match.
Mr.. Grigg's webbing legs wobbled
him to his room to sit down and think
things over. The cook was a liar!
Miss Gertrude was not in love with
Mr.. Davenport. He, Griggs, had met
up with several young ladies who were
in love, and they were not signing and
looking friendleSS. If Miss Gertrude
We're engaged, then she had been fore
ed into it by cruel father, who was
hard up for cash and was selling her
to Davenport. Or the latter young
man had caught on to crime COM
mitted by the broker, and was de-
handing his daughters hand as the
price of silence.
When he left his room Griggs knew
just what he would do if he got the
chance, and he felt that he was a
man to whom chances came.
1 ~ M nj H.
port strolled in the grounds to smoke
q cigar before going to his room. At
about five minutes after the hour,
as was afterward remembered, an
auto stopped for a moment in front
of the gate and then sped onward.
At ten minutes after II an arm was |
thrown around Mr.. Davenports neck, |
a knee was pressed into the small or
his back, and he was garroted as
neatly as the job could have been done |
on the Bowery in it's palmiest days. |
Not a yell for help-not struggle. |
He was gagged and shouldered, and |
when he had got his wits back he was
in the gardeners room.
1t took some time for the victim to |
understand where he was. Griggs
was in no hurry to tell him. He sat
awhile, and then removed the gag and |
asked:
DO you know me?"
ct think 1 saw you cutting the |
grass" was the reply.
ST am Griggs, the second gardener, |
and you have crossed my pathi'
But how?' |:
Through some vi1lainous plot you |
hope to marry Miss Ashton. She does
not love you, and I propose to foil /
you. In fact, I shall marry her my
self"
IF you will unite these cords |
will SMILE" answered the young man.
you can do your smiling after |
Miss Ashton and I have eloped to-i