The Topeka state journal., 1914-01-29
The Euening Story
After the Years.
(By Arthur Wallace Peach-)

.
smiled across at his friend and part
ner.
1T was the queerest sort Of q hole
just q village, you know. and there
thought could rest there for q while
until the smoke blew over and they
began to forget about that bank deal
Of ours" he was explaining.
But. coming to the point. I ran on
to the strangest deal you ever heard
of. got In with the preacher there. q
kind, good natured old fellow. and got
wise to the whole thing. A woman
came there: she was about .. they
guessed, and settled down. She was
alone most Of the time and no one
knew anything about her. The minis
ter got into her ways, however. and
they grew to be chummy. She died five
years later and left with the old min
lister a box-a small box. made Of
| steel, and gave him the key. She said
1t was to be given to q man who would
come for 1t, and she described him. and
| the old man gave me the description.
But the chap never came! She had
, quite a little money, and the old fellow
from the people who might know, she
had it put in the box. If she did. it's
worth trying for. It's funny all around
when you come to think it over"
What's your gamer" inquired Freed
ley.
Simple enough. You're about 60.
and with that phix of yours and your
gray hair, you'll get by after I'VE put
you wise. It's easy for the woman was
tight as a drumhead, SO heard. You'd
have to make up the rest of it-be her
lover. you know, returning after the
years, having traced her where she is
i-no. you'd have to dope 1t out diff
ferent way" Shafner said, thoughfully.
Here you have it: She wrote you
to come, but; she wrote to wrong
place or a place where you had been,
and no word reached, you. eee? Final
~, going back one day, SOME one had
kept the letter for you. and you learned
there you have It; ANYTHING will get
and talk stiff on the sorrowfui side how
Eyou and she parted-with-''
Enough! Enough! It's worth the
chance. if you're sure Of the money
enc? ?'
sT'n swear to it. Trust me-"
| Fully prepared to carry out the part
of the long-absent and returning lover.
John b. Trakner, Ereedley left for the
northern village.
| A month passed.
reading the evening paper, was aroused
by familiar step on the landing. The
next moment Freedley, looking lit
tie travel worn and weary. entered.
shafner welcomed him with open
arms. BILLY. old boy. what luck?"
Freedley unstrapped his suit case
| and held out the strong box. It was
answer enough.
| Looked into it?' Shafner asked.
| Freedley's face sobered and he shook
his head as he handed the key to Shaf-
ner. "The devil Of 1t is, Shaf," he went
on, II couldn't do 1t. was curious as
the very deuce, but things got me up
there. That old white headed fellow
and got to be pretty good friends be-
fore got through; he made me stay
at his house. and was the first man
ever met, not counting you out. Shat,
who acted as IL he thought was the
man!
He took me out to the grave Of
of her-how good she was to the kids
| in the village. and the sick. and SO
forth; and the upshot and end of 1t
was-I couldn't monkey with that bOx!
BILLY, you're getting to be cracked
with age. This looks good to me; I'll
open it,"
II may be getting cracked, but I'd
hate to have that old fellow know the
job put on him.
shafner inserted the key and
opened the box. In view came q thick,
tight large roll of bills. all of large
denominations.
/ with a muttered word of astonished
joy Shafner lifted the roll: it was
heavy and solid. Cad. man. there's
q bunch OF money!"
From the bottom Of the box Shaf-
ner draw two pictures and = letter.
yellow with age, addressed to 'Mr.
John b. Trakner."
Here's love sletter. b'gum," said
Shafner. opening It up.
1t was written in fine, dainty hand
and every line showed the care with
which It had been written 50 as always
to be plain. 1t was q woman's regret
for hasty decision. hope that he
would come back to her. despair that
he had mt and her dreaming that ne