The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-29
The EVENING STORY
Stenhen Burns's Rival.
By Arthur Wallace Peach.)
-+onl,or, RnrraS and tall John E.Srnt

and the contest for Stephen was a los
ing one, though he did not give up UNI
til the engagement of John and Lydia
was announced. TLen came the
changes.
Esmond was of a restless nature, and
an impetuous friend coming from the
West with tales of money made in real
estate speculation, carried John back
with him when he returned. So eager
was John to go where fortune could
| be made in a day by expert methods
| that he did not stop to wed Lydia, but
! planned to come back for her that year.
Stephen remained, and after the
| death of his father took charge of the
| garruIous old grist mill. He and Lydia
were the best of friends, and it was his
/ habit to call upon her.
| Letters came regularly from John for
! a while; then, one morning, a man
drove up to the mill door and asked
/ Stephen where Lydia lived. Stephen
gave the directions and the man drove
/ on.
At 6 O'Clock Stephen closed the mill
and went to the village postoffice for
his mail.
! Postmaster Graves, white of head
| and snowy of beard. called him aside.
t stephen, bad news came today, from
. the west. John was killed in a drunken
| fight-that hot head O. hisn. I allus
feared it would get in it's work The
stranger told Lydy, but 1 got him 20
promise he wouldn't tell it round. II
| tell you, Stephen, because you have
been good to her all these years and
/ should know"
| Stephen stood long time on the end
| of the porch. thinking; then he walked
slowly down to Lydia's home. He
raped gently on the door, and Moth
! err Mclean, the village nurse, came.
He asked if there was anything he
could do.
Nothing, Stephen. nothing she an
swered; hurts like these only God can
heal with the balm of time. But may
, be you can speak word O. cheer"
l. She padded away in her soft felt
shoes, and he followed.
In the quantity furnished room,
Stephen knelt beside the cot where
Lydia lay. She put one slim hand into
his. /
stephen, do you think it's true? 1t
can't be! No! 1t isn't true, is it, |
Stephen" she begged.
In her, eyes was the hectic fire that
shows a mind on the danger brink of
insanity. He saw that she was seek
ing some ray of hope-anchorage that
would hold her from that plunge
He steadied her hot, trembling
hand between his cool ones.
mo, Lydia, 1 don't believe it Hasty
news often comes, and it's so many
miles away that message could be |
may be no system for sending accur- |
ate information. Be brave; I will find !
out, myself
AS he talked on, confidently build |
ing his theories, he saw the light of !
fever fade from her eyes, and he was
rewarded.
In a few days the answer to the spe-
cial message that he had sent came; |
and it was from John himself a real |
living John. There had been a blunder. |
In fight John had tried to separate
the men and had been slightly hurt A
bra wi had Resulted in Ixhi oh n
of men were killed. and he. by mistake
had been counted in the number Re
had been taken care of by a friend
and neither knew that he had been re-
ported dead until the message came
from Stephen.
She told him of the good news, and
it seemed to him that she had never
looked beautiful, even in the days
of her girlhood. Happiness and relief
and come to her, and Stephen was re-
warded for his faith.
Months passed and John sent word f.
regularly that he would soon come.
But the fortune that he wanted was
always a little way ahead.
The old mill grumbled and mum
bled to itself like equity old gentle
man, but worked faithfully and so
did Stephen. That is, he did, until
the accident. Both of his hands were
caught in the machinery and man
gled.
DR.. Hesper shook mis- gray head as
he looked at the hands To heal
them would take long days of COM
had to lay down no rules for Stephen.
Patiently. uncomplainingly, he settled
himself for long wait. That after
noon, as he was dreaming on the wide
porch, he was aroused by light step.
Lydia stepped upon the porch her
face was flushed, as if from hurried
walking. !
oh: stephen!' She said swiftly.
Nothing very serious-jammed my
hands, that's ALL"
I'm SO glad it wasn't serious; I, I
thought she stopped. startled by I
should miss you if you were to be i'll, I
long
A f1utter of pain went over his face. {
81 am glad there are those who would S
miss me- he said quietly.
After she had gone and he was lin
gering in thought over her few words,
he, heard some one come slowly up the
gravel walk. 1t was the old post {
master.
.'Howdy, lad? 1 heered You was t
hurt an 1 thought I'd come up. s
Your hands, I heered? It might a-ben {
worseEyes, it might The boys down
be, an I thought Ed run up an see a
But got somethin' else on my mind I
He fumb1ed awkwardly with his cane. I
Lad. I'm goin' to tell heri'' c
Stephen turned pale from chin to t
brow. What do you mean?' a
The old man shut his jaws tightly.
I'm goin' to tell her-Iydy-how a
John was RELY killed in a drunk, an t
how you, when Doc said she'd go c
crazy. fixed up that letter an had it c
sent to her from out there, an how q
you've been sendin' 'em ever sencet" /
Don't you dare,"
st be. You ought to a-had Lydy q
long ago. An mind-there amt no a
letter comm this month, You can't c