The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-02-04
The Evening Story
Her Splendid Offer.
(By Annie Hinrichsen.)

(By Annie Hinrichsen.)
The raucous cry of q chicken broke
the midnight stiffness.
Lillian Brand caught up an electric
flashlight, ran down the stairs and out
, of the house.
| AS she reached the chicken house
a hand took the flashlight from her
fingers. A dark figure. flashing the
stolen light. ran toward the fence.
| Lillian followed.
| The man climbed the fence and ran
rapidly down the road. For q quarter
of a mile he ran with the girl not far
behind him. At the edge Of the wood
he stopped.
Are you a light thief as well as a
chicken theft" Lillian asked.
The man flashed the light toward
her. Are you Miss Brandt" he asked.
II owe you an apology for
where are the chickens you took
AS she flashed the light over his
face she gave a sharp exclamation.
You are Robert haywood. And rob-
bling my chicken house,
| IT was not robbing your chicken
perhaps you were only trying to
carry away the house, the land 1t
stood on and enough OF my land for
the railroad you wish built through
my property"
Il was not. I was"
1.-The chicken house stands on the
line which you had surveyed for the
| railroad that you say must be cut
through my farm. Were you trying to
house away tonight in order to clear
| the land for the railroad? Were you
trying to take the land, too?"
AS she spoke she kept the light on
the mans face. It was a strong young
face. In the bright glare laughing
lines wrinkled around his eyes and al
the corners of his mouth.
Miss Brand he expostulated, 81
was not trying to steal anything.
was trying to protect you from thieves
My farm adjoins yours-although you
and I are strangers. There are no
chickens on my farm. I have q large
force of men-rather a harum-scarum
set. have suspected them OF raidlne
chicken houses in order to have chick
en- roasts in the night. Tonight I fol-
lowed two of them here, heard them
catch one of your chickens. They
were too quick for me and escaped.
them more rapidly and to find out
which two they were. But they have
gone through the timber and I ar
held as a thief.
"a most improbable story"
81 know it, he said, humbly. "A
most ridiculous tale; not 30 reason
able a one as your story that 1 wal
trying to steal chickens. henhouse and
land"
"But you do want to take my land.
II shall pay you several times it.
value"
You own nearly all the land in this
neighborh0od except mine which Is
not for sale. You decide that spul
land in order to carry away your
enormous grain crops. If the spur Il
built it must go through my land. com.
plctely running my farm"
Your farm Is to you only bust
"You live with relatives in the city
and come here only once a year to see
that your manager Is taking good care
Of the property. 1 shall pay you more
for a right of way through your land
My offer is splendid one"
st shall not even consider it.
} The next day a woman came to see
! Lillian. The woman was old Hell
gown was worn and shabby.
Miss Brand" she said timidly, 81
hope you will sell your land for the
railroad. The survey runs through my
! property" she went on encouraget
by the friendiinesS ws in h.t the y your
acre, my husband and 1, just enough
for our cottage and garden. 1t Is oul
only means of existence. My husband
is a cripple. Mr.. haywood has Offered
) us SO much for our acre that II we
sell it we can buy another little homs
, and have a good nest egg in the banl
besides. You and are the only per
> sons whose land will be crossed by thu
railroad If they cannot get your.
they will not take mine-and I an
r very poor"
An hour later haywood received q
brief note from Lillian informing him
THAT she had withdrawn her objection.
to the sale Of her land.
: During the necessary formalities con
: nected with the sale OF the land, Rob
ert haywood came often to the Brane
farm. But in Lillian's manner there
! was a restraint which seldom relaxed
) into friendliness.
t AS soon as the right OF way through
the Brand farm was secured haywood
. began the erection of an immense ele-
. vator. This elevator was to shelter
4 the crops Of the great haywood es
> tate. The spur Of the railroad was II
: he built from the main line to the ele
e vator.
haywood and Lillian stood In thu
window of the living room OF the Brant
Icome up. The wind was blowing ter
rifie gale, and each moment the blasts
grew f1ercer.
, II hope the workmen have left thu
elevator" haywood said. 1T is no
I safe for them to be in it in this storm.
AS he spoke. the towering frame O
4 the elevator, half a mile away. sud
denly disappeared.
3 haywood rushed cut OF the house t.
the barn. where his horse was tied
: while he was untying It Lillian has
thrown saddle and bride on her horse
They raced their horses across tn
fields over fences and ditches- Occa
Isfonally Lillian looked at haywood. Hi
= face was CHASTITY and his lips wer'