The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-21
The Euening Story
Circumstantial Evidence.

of prowess and skill which varied ac
cording to age and circumstances from
| Mr.. Witherspoon, the president, to
Johnny Doubleday, who ran errands.
| Barrymore was last. But not least,
| thought Virginia Dale with amuse-
ment. Back in her wire cage, strum-
ming the keys on an adding machine,
she had heard the wonderful bits of
Nimrod history. These men-how
like overgrown boys they are! And
now we shall see how Dick Barrymore
turns the world around while he is
| away.
Dick departed to the Canadian
woods, and returned, as Virginia had
predicted, with a story of two won
| derful buck and moose. The heads
were at a taxidermist's and when they
were ready the moose was to hang in
the bank.
1 thought he would" Virginia COM
mented obviously. ct doubt if he ever
| even saw a moose in his life
| In due time the head arrived. 1t
really was wonderful, with antlers like
the boughs of an old oak. Barrymore
was voted the pride and joy of the Sec
ond National and the trophy was given
a place of honor near the door
! Virginia stopped her work minute
to watch the hanging. Dick turned at
the same instant and their eyes met.
Something in the girls expression
made Dick flush. After that, she was
doubly sure she was right, for Dick
had all the appearance of guilt.
A few weeks later she went into a
| hardware store to buy pair of scis-
sors. AS she entered, the window dis
| play held her, for as background for
lot of firearms. cartridges and hunt
| ing knives, were hung the heads of al
kinds of animals.
THAT is a fine collection of ami
mails she said to the salesman.
The old man scratched his head.
''Yes-'tis. Mr.. MONEYS been a heap
| o. years collectin' them things. An it
was ? dern sight finer before he sold
the moose. 1 didn't want him to do
| it,"
1.-THE moose? Was there a moose,
did you say?"
sYes'm. That's what I said. The
finest head of a bull moose you ever
saw in your life
could you-do you know who
| bought it %
''why, yes. I suppose it's down in
After a rummage in the safe. Eyes,
here it's. November twenty-ninth. One
hundred and seventy-five dollars.
Richard q. Barrymore"
THANK you very much. 1 agree
with you, it was too bad to break the
collection. Good afternoon And Vir-
ginia departed.
The next day was Thursday and Vir-
ginia had asked for the day off to shop
ed an interurban car to return in the
afternoon when she saw Dick Barry
more just ahead. The only vacant seat
was right behind him and she took it.
Dick occupied a seat alone and Vir-
ginia knew that the buckled bag be-
side him contained twenty thousand
dollars. Dick brought the bag over
every Thursday and put in the vault
| upon his return.
81 can't understand it at ALL" she
/
course, Dick likes to talk, but who
wouldn't get the habit among all those
donkeys braying their heads off, She
flushed suddenly and looked out of
the widow, realizing she was trying to
defend him to herself. Then defiantly:
But he lied about the moose head to
all of us. There's no getting over
that
The trolley ate up miles of flat coun-
try, stopping at stations now and then
to take on or let off ruralites. Air in
the car was close and hot. Dicks eyes
closed; then his head rolled sideways
and Virginia heard a gentle snore.
By twos and threes along the road,
the car was discharging its passengers,
but Dick slept on. Virginia became
indignant. IF a bank was trusting me
to carry all that money I'd deserve the
confidence a little better than that
I'd stay awake if had to pinch myself
black and blue
Hardly any one was left but them
selves. Virginia discovered that even
, the conductor had disappeared some
where up front. If I were dishonest
could easily appropriate that bag and
get off at the next stop"
The little imp of mischief perched
} on curl just over her ear. DO it
anyway" Ell whispered and give him
a scarce" Another imp moved her
arm over the back of Dicks seat and
closed her fingers around the thick
: leather handle of the bag. Shaking.
she lifted it over the back and when
the car stopped at Truesdale to let a
woman on, Virginia got off with Dick S
satchel and twenty thousand dollars.
Nothing happened that evening. and
her WEAKNESS was as keen as her nerv-
l BUSINESS. for she sat up all night with
|. one hand on the telephone and the
2 other on the bag in case of thieves.
Y Early the next day, she set out for
the bank, arriving before any of the
e men, She locked the bag in her own
closet and waited. But, to her per-
Y plexity, there was no commotion, moth
ing in any way unusual about the rou-
r tine of business. Dick was his usual
assured self and acted as though moth
ing in the world had happened.
S Virginia felt that she must be losing
her mind. But, determined to carry
! her point, she took the bag home
! against that night.
The bell rang at eight, and she fair
r ly gasped with relief wnen Dick Barry
: more came in
t Good evening, Miss Dale, I've
e come, if you don't mind, for my bag"
i She started. $50 you knew I took
r it,"
e Yes, 1 saw youi"
e 'But-how could you?'
r 81 was only pretending sleep. There
n was rumor L was to be robbed, so 1
Y took that way of finding out The guilty
t one
But, if you saw, why did you let
n me?"
= He laughed THE joke was too
= good There wasn't anything in the
bag but few stones 1 thought you