The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1913-05-09

and wicked streets to find Blank
street! Then two block down to reach
426! 1t was an old tenement with brok
en- windows and rickety stairs, and
there was not a tenant on any floor
A policeman would not have mounted
the stairs without first making sure
that his revolver was in order, but
Miss Converse scarcely noticed any
thing and certainly felt no fear,
Up the dirty stairs to tho dirty
fourth floor, and there was the chalk
mark on the door. Her knuckles
had scracely touched the panel when
the door was opened by "Toff." 1t was
back room and the windows were
boarded up, and the light came from a
lamp on a table. AS for furniture,
there were only two chairs.
rs this the placer" asked Miss Con-
verse as she peered about her.
1T is, Miss" was the reply of the
young man as he locked the door and
pocketed the key.
But where's the dying burglar?"
He's put off dying till after the
Panama canal has been finished!"
Sir, | want to leave. this place in
stantly!" exclaimed the girl as she
realized that she had been lured into
trap.
Take chair and make yourself at
home. | want to talk to you bit"
Unlock that door or I'll scream!"
Go ahead"
She cried "murder" and help" a
dozen times, and "Toff' only grinned
at her and replied
You'll crack your voice and do no
good"
But what do you want with mel"
was demanded.
That's more sensible. want to ask
you, first if you can't see the silly side
of this thing? You and others come
down to the slums and pose as reform
ers. Reform nothing! All of us re-
gard you as bug-house and easy-marks.
We live as we live and do as we do,
and thousand like you couldn't
change us in hundred years. We
prefer this sort Of life to any other.
The idea of reform makes us laugh,
Do you get that?"
Il don't know" stammered Miss
Converse as she looked around md
shivered.
Then take my word for it. It's
throwing time and money away. If
you pull anybody out of this sort of
life it's somebody that wants to make
a stake out of you. You'll simply
make liar and hypocrite of him"
But you will please let me out of
here!" appealed the girl.
"Oh, certainly. Got any money with
your"
Two or three dollars"
mo good, want your check for
thousand dollars!"
'But-but-"
Talk business. You've got an &C.
count at the Third National bank.
Here's blank check, and here's pen
and ink"
And then may go?"
Yes, at IL o'clock tomorrow fore
noon. I've got to draw the cash first.
We don't take any chances on you
swell people. You'd beat us as quick
as we'd beat you"
But can't stay here all night"
walled Miss Converse.
You'll just have to-"
but my parents!"
oh the flunky will tell them that
you are out on the reforming hush
ness"
The girl stood up and scream ed.
Then she went over and beat with ler
fists ON the door. Then she realized
her helplessness and sat down and
began to sob. "Tof" turned to ciga-
rettes and had nothing more to say.
There was no further appeal to him.
The time drifted to close on mid
night. Then key was so softly In
serted in the lock Of the door that no
sound was heard till the door was
flung open. A young man appeared
and pointed revolver at the guardian
and quietly said:
Get out of this!"
Just as you say" replied the false
"Toff" as he went.
"Oh, sir-oh-" began the girl; but
the man interrupted her with:
Let's get out Of this!"
They were within block Of her
home when she asked:
Won't you come in and help me to
explain?"
1t was in the explaining that he had
to give his true name and non de
plume, and to admit that he was no
longer bored young man. He was in
love.
Mr.. Jack Ashton has now dropped
his "Toff" articles, and the late Miss
Clara Converse is no longer a slum-
mer or reformer.
Copyright, 1913, by the Mcclure News.
paper Syndicate.)