The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-07-09
THE EVENING STORY
The Fall Thereof.
(Bv Richard Barker Shelf

|
a hurried conference.
1--WE want that man Crandall for
this job" said Foley, wagging his griz-
zled head and banging his desk with a
doubled fist. "I know what he did
two years ago for Flynn. We've got
to have him at any cost. He's. the only
man in the country to pull US
| through"
Three days later Bob Cranda1 was
| speeding east as fast as a flying
| limited could bring him.
| He went down into the airlocks, had
n look at the treacherous quicksand,
| shook his head, grinned, signed con-
tract and promised to have the work
done on time. Then he went uptown,
! took a furnished suite in an apartment
| house and groaned.
| If there was one thing Bob Gran
dali hated it was the city. He liked
big open spaces, where a man could
| breathe and think and dream. The
city always oppressed him.
His days he spent at the tube; his
| evenings he sat at the open window
of his apartment.
In his wallet where numerous letters
of introduction and numerous cards to
various clubs. In his wallet they
stayed, while Bob Crandall looked out
across the river and complained,
Lord, but this town is lonesome
hole!"
His only caller at the apartments
was a certain young chap named
westford, with whom Cranda1l had
once spent two wholly alluring months
on trails in the far northwest. west
ford, having found some property IN
town, and here he stayed as complain
ing a prisoner as Crandall, and in
Crandall's rooms each night they talk
ed of the open trail and the big clean
woods and walled, each to the other:
Lord, but this town sure is one
lonesome hole!'
Crandall first noticed the balcony
at the windows just beneath his own
when he came home early one sep,
TENDER evening. Things had gone all
askew at the tube that day; he was
tired and hot and worried. He threw
open the window, lighted pipe and
perched himself on the sill.
CHANGING down he noticed for the
first time that balcony. 1t was loaded
with flower pots, palms and geranlums
and heIiotrope and sundry varieties
which Cranda1l, being no botanist, did
not recognize. He only knew that 1t
was a very pretty and attractive and
restful looking balcony.
Then a window scraped. Out on the
balcony, watering pot IN name &C. came d
slim girl in white. And after ner'
hobbled a splendid gray-haired wom-
an, who leaned on a cane.
The girl in white began watering
talked to the older woman in the most
delightful voice imaginable. Once she
looked up. CrandalPs heart stood still
Her face was one that went with that
voice and those ripples of laughter. 1t
was a face Crandall had often pictured
to himself.
After that night he began to watch
for her each evening. And after few
the elevator boy that. her name was
BIanding, that it was her mother who
walked with the cane.
Crandall began to use his letters OF
hi do OF ri g
irving to find some one who would in
troduce him to the B1andings. But
somewhow no one he could find SEEM
ed to know them
When the third week of his search
for a mutual acquaintance had been
fruitless, Crandall came home one
evening, and, having watched Miss
Blanding water the plants, having MS
tened to that wonderful voice of hers
and the mellow ripples of laughter, he |
sat putting away at his pipe, his feet
dangling over the sill. 1t was droWSy |
sort of evening. A purple mist crept
up from the river, softening the harsh |,
outlines of the bridge and the ragged
skyline.
Cranda1l was aware of a dronsiness. |
He seemed to hear again those ripples !
of laughter, the soft GOODNESS of that
voice. Was she on the balcony again? |
Would she water those plants twice the !
same evening? His head bobbed down
ward. He did not know that the pipe |
slipped from his mouth and bounced off !
the balcony just below him.
One leg slipped over the window
ledge Crandall sighed sleepi1y. Fin
aIIay he vented a full and lusty snore.
And then
Some one had struck him a frightful
blow in the face and kicked his knees.
Also some one was screaming.
He was prone on his face and warm
wet earth was damned into both
nostrils.
He scrambled up. Under him was
a jumbled mass of wrecked palms and
geraniums and heliotropes and plants
Or other varieties.
Again came the scream. A slim white
form was close to him in the darkness.
Two hands were clutching at his arm.
"Oh, are you hurt? Are you hurt?"
begged two white lips.
What happened?'' he gurgled.
You fell out of your window onto
this balcony"
And ruined the plants?" gasped
Cranda1l in genuine chagrin.
Never mind the silly plants, Are
you hurt?''
mot nearly as much as 1 deserve to
be- said he contrite1y. picking pieces
of fower-pot out of his pockets
The older woman had hobbled out
Her face was very white, but she was
smiling.
you'd best come in and let us send
for a doctor to look you over" said
she.
Nonsense laughed Cranda1I. 1.-THE
plants saved me. I'm not hurt in the
least Now please let's make an inven-
tory of the damage At least you'll let
me replace the plants I've destroyed"
IF the plants have saved you, we
are quite satisfied. We couldn't let you
think of replacing them, Mr.. -
da11 IN n Y