The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-05
TIE EVENING STORY
That Peculiar Perkins.
(By Stacy q, Bakerl

(By Stacy E. Bakery
Wnen margaret Owen dropped hel
glove tall, athletic youth detached him.
self from the group in front of the Par.
mellon club, and swooped down upon it.
Enough Margaret was cIoyed with
IaVors' sense OF appreciation permeated
her being as she turned her face
Inc young man who was brushing the
dust from the rescued chamois was OF
the tall, self-confident type of youth, the
type the maid delighted most to tease.
! Unfortunately for the little maids care
| fuI plan of campaign, the rescuer of the
glove, approaching with a smile on his
ups suddenly stopped and, turning
Abruptly handed the glove to a friend
Jo4neo the group of clubmen and entered
| ooor OF the institution without a
e4anoe Dehlho MIN at the Wide-eyed girl
| NHlsS owen, her cheeks now ruddy with
an emotion foreign to her usuai a,,a,
| temperament, gave her head a haueb+1,
nosS ana hurried around the corner. NOT
MA4ung Tor the man who was annroacb|
rasctl eI WIN the glove Before he could
reach her she had stepped into a con-
| home. eiHs "hlrleo
ev dhere was a trace of tears in the girls
eyes as she gazed into the mirror of her
3 wv room. For the first time in her
stt o4ous career Margaret Owen felt the
sung HunS Oh oe1eat. Her fists clenched reso-
|
Souln come within her precinct of power.
nnany members of the Parheion club
were friends of hers. She. felt that an
INTRODUCTION could be arranged
1T was a week after this incident that
ts . q CT met the young man again. Step
Ping from her car in front of the Riggs
store she stopped to stare in amazement
at a youth holding in his great hands a
palr OF sIoves-lady's gloves-her gloves
AS she gazed-the light Of mockery in
Her eyes-the sentimental youth turned
ana, with a look of positive fear in his
eyes, thrust the gloves into his pocket
and started at a running gait down Broad
a hardware store.
well of all things!' said the girl.
He 1s-he must be!-afraid of meI''
None OF the members of the ParheIion
club, whom Margaret knew, seemed to
be able to identify the young man
.o mere are always a number of out-of-
Gates when the matter was brought to
his attention. 1T is possible that this
person whom you are so interested in
Danny was fearfully jealous-"is one of
these. Again he may be a town member
don't know half of them"
Margarets pride would not allow her
ties.
An automobile accident three weeks af-
ter the club adventure brought the man
to her notice again.
Danny GaGtes, swarthy, keen-eyed, had
seen fit to do away with his driver and
officiate at the wheel himself. Margaret
rode beside him. In the rear seat was a
staid chaperon and girl friend of Mar
garet's.
Suddenly and without warning green
car swerved around a curve in the road
just outside of the town of Hudson and
smashed into them. Fortunately, both
cars were going slowly.
The machine of the stranger, occupied
only by its goggled owner, was overturn-
pact and the frightened women speedily
climbed out.
The overturned car of the stranger
blocked the road ahead. Gates had been
compelled to throw on the emergency
brake.
There was something vaguely familiar
about the broad shoulders and the light
hair of the owner of the damaged car
In instant he had pulled off the dis |
figuring goggles, and without word to
the recent occupants of the other machine |
he fell to examining his own car.
TT IS he, gasped Margaret, clutching
the arm OF Gates. The two were standing
The stranger lifted startled eyes and |
gazed for a second at the girl whose |
he flung down the wrench that he had
taken up, and, jumping into the bushes |
beside the road, rushed frantically down
''Weil, I'll be dashed" calculated the
surprised Gates. What do you know |
about that? Ho, Perkins, he called loud |
blamed old rattIetrap out of the way
crunching of distant bushes was the |
only answer.
''That accident must have sprung his
brain out of gear" growled Gates. Now |
what in the name of old father trouble |
are we going to do? This contraption OF
his is too large for me to handle alone
I'VE might go back the same way we
came,'' suggested Margaret, softly:
But" objected the other, The will GER
tainly need help"
HE will never come back as long as
am here" assured the girl. who is hep
Gates eyed the girl curiously. Perkins
John Perkins. from Lexington, KY. He
is a prince of good fellows, but l certain
ly can't account for his actions today"
A very surprised Margaret descended
the stairs of her own home with a paste
board bearing the name, John Perkins,
in her hand.
1t was very unconventional but Mar
garet was interested. She wished to meet
this man-and she knew intuiuvely that,
despite his actions, he wished to meet
her.
Tn. youth arose hurried1y the girl
entered the room. He began an embar-
raised explanation |
II simply had to come, Miss owen, ne
said I'm sure you must think am
" hen I went to pick up your gloves,
forgot enc thing, and that-to pc Abruptly
explicit-was a fool bet had maze De-
fore leaving home.
in Lexington had said that I couldn't
come to New York and be here four weeks
without speaking to a woman Inc argu.
ment Waxed strong, and Wagereo $l,oVO
that it could be done.
Now do you see the difficulty in my
returning the gloves? I tried to have one
you wouldn't wait for him" The youth
paused a second. "And that accounts for
my run on Broadway and also explains
the incident of the deserted automobile
1T is all right" said the girl, and you