The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-09-25


At Aemory's 0ata.
-E. 7. Sanford. in the Lendoa Spectator.
The Eoenine Story
Gretchen and tho Eramn
fBy Laura Baker Barnea)
Gretchen was playing. Cinderella
and. Ike her, was thinking OF other
things besides polishing stoves ana
scrubbing oilcloth.
At last she was done. She started
to remove her straight gingiam
apron and the cap that covered her
thick golden braids.I when she heard
q knock at the kitchen door.
She opened 1t impatienfly. What Q
nuisance peddlersr werel But the
man who stood there had neither
brooms, baking powder. nor patent
dust pans to sell "A trampl" 0ret-
chen labeled him mentally. Then she
caught = glimpse Of n very clean
edge OF hi thin coet and changed her
mind. -. -
He lifted his hat That settled, it!
He was NO tramp II he did wear q
heavy beard. and had come to tho
back door. But his first words were.
= 0AA4 VOL y CVA0 8ka4 Auu&Eys W IA
You please give me something to eat"
It was an inopportune time. Break
fast was over and the stove was cold.
Besides, she wanted to dress and 20
ont.
Just then an icy gust swept the cor
she said impulsively. But tho kitch-
en- II cold. Come into the dining
room"
The stranger held his hands crate
fully over the blaze while Gretchen
busted herself In the kitchen. Then
she spread lunch cloth upon the Ia
BILE in the dining room, laying out .
clean napkin. silver and dishes She
even eet q little vase Of flowers near
his plate. She could not have told
why she did It.
91t il too bad to trouble you" He
spoke slowly and with an effort But
have been i'll and have been unable
to obtain work since leaving the hos
pital yesterday"
ut il no trouble at all, ana I am
very glad to do what can. am
sorry you have been sick. It IL q bad
time Of year to be out OF work. too.
She brought in the generous dishes
Of hot food from tho kitchen. and q
| pot Of coffee. Then she left him to
himself while he ate. 81 suppose II
4mother were 1ope Shef thiek
| me crazy for not staying to watch the
silver" she thought. ''but the poor
fellow certainly acts like a gentleman.
ana am sure he 10 honest. People
with eyes like his don't steal"
When she had given him enough
time. as she supposed. to finish his
meal. she returned to the diningroom
without her cap and apron Gretchen
was very pretty and looked well in her
plain blue dress.
The stranger had finished and was
standing before = dim old portrait
easihe at It that he did not hear her
come in. She was surprised at his
evident interest and watched him
quietly. As he examined 1t more mi
nutely. touching 1t here and there with
his finger, he became very much ex-
cited.
To her astonishment he staggered to
. chair muttering. AT last! At last!
After all these years have found it.
man become suddenly insane? Had
his mind given way from sickness and
troubles? What should she dor She
wished her mother would come home.
and close. It was all right now. She
flew into the hall with her finger on
breathIessly, Mother. am 30 glad
you Then she stopped. A man
had his back against the front door.
and the stubby black thing he had In
his hand was a gun. Then he deliber-
ately raised it and pointed 1t ut her.
She saw it all. now! There were two
to try to think what their game was
She made a violent effort to keep hel
senses. She must not faint! what dc
you Want?" she painted.
~. want sst.. every darn Ia , thing = in the
tween shut teeth. ct don't care wheth-
er It's 3ewelry, money or silver, but ]
want # quick and you're goin' to show
mo where 1t Is. You're all alone
know that-an' want"
Gretchen had not heard the door
between the dining room and library
open softly, nor had she noticed 8
scarcely perceptible movement Of the
hangings between tho library and hall.
Suddenly q figure fung itself furious
was a sharp report and both men
went down with q crash.
Then she quickly slid to the floor
in q dead faint.
When she came to her senses on
the hall floor, there was q pillow un-
der her head. Her mother was at the
telephone calling for the police, and
her tramp with the gun in his own
hand was daring the would-be burglar
to move.
}, Gretchen ashamed Of her weakness
sprang to her feet. "Oh. mother
my darling"
There was little time for explana-
} ton, except that hearing the shot and
} finding the door locked, her mother
} had run to the back door.
When the two policemen had gone
with the burglar between them,
/ Gretchen turned gratefully to her res
cuer, and held out her hand. ''You
are q very brave man I cannot thank
you enough Tor what you have done
Mother. this gentleman has been III
and unfortunate. Won't you ask him
to stay awhile? It II very cold out