The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-14
TIE EVENING STORY
On a Night of storm.
(By Virginia Blalr.)

| estates on the north shore, felt sort
| or care-free delight in the beating OF
| the storm. 1t was a northeast storm
with the rain striking sharply on the
sodden leaves and with the wind blow
/ ing with f1erceness. The stately drive
| showed no place of haven or harbor
| The big houses were empty and Doug
| las was in no mood to seek the hoSpi-
talitv of the lodge keepers at the gates.
| Yet as the night came on, he turned
| into a by-path. Among the rocks on
the shore he fancied there might be
some protected places-in the old DAYS
snugglers had found caves and had
used them.
His way led him past a silent house
with Iose-shuttered windows and past
] a garden beaten by the storm. The
| late chrysanthemums were bent and
| bruised, the rose bushes stripped Of
their leaves; only the box hedge and
| the stiff short evergreens stood staunch
| before the onslaught. There was T
| whirl of leaves about the top of the sun
dial The shorn summer house echoed
hollowly as he stepped within its shell
ter.
From there he made a survey of the
coast The rocks rose in rugged
masses; beyond them was the tossing
grayness of waves rushing in on
high tide.
His eyes came back to the silent
house. There was south porch pro-
better than the rocks.
Stepping across the intervening space,
he made himself comfortable on a
swinging seat which hung from clank-
ing chains. He lighted his pipe. pulled
his cap over his eyes and gave himself
UP to the comfort of the moment
Presently he dozed. and when he
walked it was dark. The storm was ar
its height. The wind rOaded through
the trees. and he could bear the boom
of the waves, the flashing of the rain
against the rocks.
But he heard something else, step,
the silken swish of skirts, the click of
a key in a lock-
He held his breath as the door was
opened. and a match was struck in the
hall. The light revealed a girl-tall.
slender, with hair that shone like cop
per in the halo of illumination. AS she
called out into the darkness, her voice
lad the decisive accent which belongs
to an imperious nature.
BE careful of the top step, uncle,''
she said 'and don't slip on the leaves
The old man who tottered into view,
wore raincoat and checked cap
''Of all the foolishness!'' he grumbIed.
The girl had lighted a candle and ~he
came out to help him. 1.-THE electricity
has been disconnected she said.
Someone has been smoking. I smell a
pipe"
Douglass sat up quickly. 'T beg par
dom" he said. and came forward. IT
took shelter in your porch from the
storm I fancied the house was empty
I would not have intruded."
She looked at him, taking in the
marks of birth and breeding. "Oh." she
said graciously. ''come in. You can help
me about the fire. Uncle is half frozen
and out of breath
please command me-" murmured !
Douglass. He wondered if he would
wake from this dream. A moment be- |
fore there had been the loneliness and |
silence and darkness of the storm. Now |
there was this wonder woman, and a |
candle throwing its beams over a wide
hallway, cushioned seats and a great |
fireplace seemed like those of a scene |
set in a play.
There's wood in that carved chest in
the corner the girl said. "Dobbs al |
ways keeps it there. Usually he-hes~ the
fire laid. but he's away. He didn't |
dream we would come here while he
was gone. He's the caretaker, you
know"
Presently the old man was warming
himself before a roaring fire. while
Douglass helped his hostess provide an
i'm promptu supper
"I brought bread with u.s." she ex-
planned, land We can have toast, and |
there's everything in cans and glasses,
from sardines to salad dressing Dobbs
always keeps them for an emergency"
They drew a table to the front of the
fire and sat down presently to what !
seemed to this half famished Douglass
a feast for the gods.
Now and then I get terribly home
sick for the old place." the girl ex-
planned. but I'm so busy in the city
I've opened a little millinery shop, you
know. And We let this house during
the summer-we simply won't sell, be-
cause 1t would be like selling part Of
ourselves. Our tenants left last week
and l told Dobbs to go and get a rest
and we'd wait until he came back for
our little visit here But when the
storm started this morning was crazy
to get sight of the sea and we just
came-away from the noise of the CITY
into the noise of the storm. Don't you
love it?''
II love it," Douglass stammered
He had searched the world for such
heauty-and now to find it herei
Perhaps I'd better explain. too" he
said.
The girl put out a deprecatine hand.
I'm Thelma Towne.' she said. INV
uncle is Cyrus Towne-vou remember
his faf1ure-the papers told about it"
The old man was asleep in his big
chair Douglass. STUDYING the wrinISle.7
face. saw a likeness to the countenance
that had graced the first page of the
dailies during recent sensa tionaI trial
And so I'm as Door as the proverbiaI
church mouse the Girl went on tightly
''If it wasn't for the fear that we'd have
TO give ND the old house I'd he glad
7 hate the stiffness and incinserity OF
society"
Douglass stood up like a man ready
to receive sentence. 'T must tell Won
nv name" he said. IT am John Doug
lass.''
She gasped. "The man who ruined my
uncIe''
''The world said that said Douglass.
6rn'lv. do you believe it?''
Please she begged and glanced at
the sleeping man Then she flushed and ,