The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-10-08
The Euenirg Story
The IreSpaSSer.
(By Emily Fontaine.)

there, dad ?"
Janeway stood up to get a line on
the camps situation. The stranger
was a good picker. He had taken up
his quarters just above the trout pool
under some huge hemlocks, with a
break in the hill on the far side to
give him a fair view.
81 passed him yesterday coming
from the postoffice," went on Lau-
rette. Hes tall and looks entirely
guileless dad; not bit as if he had
done it on purpose to annoy anybody
Are you going to send Philips down
to warn him off ?''
Have to before Warrington arrives.
He couldn't put up with anything of
that sort. I've promised him abso-
Lutte seclusion and privacy. Nobody
even to know that he's here"
1T must be horrible, being so cele-
brated that you can't even take a va
cation in comfort or let anybody else.
L dread to have him come at all.
No need, my dear. Very nice sort
of chap, very. You'd never think he d
been governor to look at him Cad,
I've seen him get up myself in the
senate, when they put him over in
Washington, and he looked like a boy
beside the rest there, but he could
hand it to them just the same.
That night a telegram came to the
big country house calling Col. Jane
way back to Boston. Laurette and
her mother watched him leave with
misgivings. Mrs. Janeway felt her
responsibility heavily, but Laurette
was amused.
Mother dear. he can't be very
formidable. Well just be very charm
ing to him and leave him to himself
till dad gets back
The following morning she took her
own little French roadster and went
for spin up Mount Ratanac, the SOM
Der cone of forestland that lifted itself
behind Meadowdale and its valley
beauties. 1t was a new car and 1t
misbehaved. Perhaps her hands were
unaccustomed to the new levers, per-
haps the sudden sight in the road OF
the stranger unnerved her, but her
sight seemed blurred as the car sped
downhill toward the ravine on the re-
turn trip. She saw the figure OF a
man and pressed the wrong lever. In
stead of the brake, the car clipped into
high speed; and, before she knew 1t
she had struck him
The car swerved, but she had her
foot on the brake now and stopped
short He lay face downward at the
side of the road-the trespasser- She
knew him even before she knelt beside
him and lifted his head to her knee
afraid to look upon its deathlike calm
But he opened his eyes and looked up
at her.
THE irresponsible SEX" he muir
INJURED. you may lay me down, If you
please. It's the shoulder and collar
bone"
Under his orders she went for help
to the nearest house in the machine.
Somehow it seemed quite natural TOR
her to take his orders. She never ques-
toned him, but when she returned
with two of her fathers men from the
lower farm they took her orders. He
was taken straight up to the great
house and put to bed, and a surgeon
was called over the long distance wire
Mrs. Janeway lowered around nerv-
ously.
MY dear. my dear, what will your
father say?'' she said. And the sena-
tor expected any time"
We'll tell the senator the truth and
he'll help keep him unused" answered
Laurette blithely. Really, mother,
he's very nice. The doctor tells me he
is a college man..
Did he also tell you why he has
chosen to camp out on your fathers
land without permission 2?
Laurette coaXed, and
won Mrs. Janeway had been a Carl
ton, of Georgia. She would gladly
have entertained Lucifer rather than
So the stranger stayed, well cared
for, for three days, and on the fourth
Col. Janeway returned with Senator
Warrington. The senator was worn
out and thoroughly glad to have es-
caped a pursuit, as he put it. He was
sure of a perfect rest for at least a
week. I4aurette told the stranger
when she carried up his afternoon
papers to him. He seemed to live on
the PAPERS and had told them his
ting up, leaning on his good elbow,
when she came in, and his face was
eager.
HAS he Gomez" he asked.
my father? Yes, he just got IN
"Ob T.ordI;' he dropped back weak
Iy. and looked up at her with implor-
ing eyes. st hate to be beaten in
thing like this. If you had known
enough to press the right brake it
tell the senator I've got to see him p
you have?'
please, please" he begged. eff
you don't, I'll get up and go to him
die on your hands. I'd love to die
here, Laurette. Why didn't you make
q perfect deal of it and kill me out
right?''
Il think you're horribly ungrateful-',
Laurette tried to be grieved and
rather aloof 1t was hard when ones
hand is held prisoner, pressed closer to
another's lips. You were tres
passer in the first place"
land the last. I'm a trespasser now.
Probably as soon as your father AMI
the senator hear why 1 came they II
call an ambulance and hustle me of
to the nearest hospital. Listen, dear
do you mind awfully much if 1 call
you dear just once or twice Fl came
deliberately and camped deliberately
to get a personal interview with Sen
ator Warrington. He lodged every
man on t. way up from
and even l lost his trail
after we left Boston. Thought he was
coming straight on and he sidetracked
to some relative in Keene- VIII you
bring him up here to see me?'
Laurette'S brown eyes ShOne with
1t was just the sort of lark
she loved. Indeed, she would bring the
senator up to see her invalid. md
when he came and Edwards lay back
on the pillows. boyish and white, Snd
pleaded for what he had come for, she
added her own argument until the
senator handed over his own pencil
and sat down by the bed Willingly.