The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-29
EVENING STORY
The Runaways.
(By Louise Oliver.)

l.
own darkened house and toward the
dim outlines of houses that belonged
to his neighbors, and assuring himself
that his flight was unnOticed, he crept
cautiously down the gravel path to-
ward the street. An eye witness would
have declared he was running away,
and the eyewitness would have been
correct.
John Hobson was running way. He
would stand it no longer, and, hav-
ing been harassed beyond endurance
for the last few days because his wife
had taken it into her head that she
must have an electric motor, he had
taken the count and quit
But, altho John was retreating from
trouble, it was only temporary. He
meant to come back. But not before
he had given Henrietta the scare of
her life. He had been too good to
her, hsl saw it all now. He had spoiled
her when they were married by giving
in to her pouting and curing tears
with new hats and gold mesh bags
Now, deciding that the price of eter-
nal peace came too high, he deter
mined to try another method of re-
storing her amiability.
Besides Bostwick had written that
alumni week was going to be a big af
fair and urged his attendance. So,
after all, he was only doing what he
had a perfect right to do, he argued
to himself, and French leave wasn't
such an awful crime. Anyway, Hen
rietta would have insisted, had she
known, that his car fare and expense
would pay weeks of garage bills for
the new motor she wanted, so he
hadn't dared to cheep.
Just over the hedge, parallel to his
own path, ran the gravel walk of the
Crinkles. And John, picking his way
gingerly to avoid disturbing the tiny
Il
movement that was not of his own
making. Instantly he OWNED it to
be on the Crinkles' walk. Who could
be sneaking around his neighbours
property at O'Clock in the morning?
Not Billy surely, fo- Billy had no cause
to resort to subterfuge so far as his
wife was concerned. John sighed as
he thought of Mrs. Billys perfection
If only Henrietta could or would Gull
tivate her angelic disposition. In fact,
he had suggested such a course once
too often and he no longer dared to
mention the rara avis next door.
Crk. There it was again! John
tiptoed close to the hedge and looked
over Could he believe his eyes?
Billy Crinkle was certainly sneaking
down the path toward the street and
the dim starlight was enough to as
sure his observer that the dark thing
he carried was a travelling bag.
"Great gunsi Billy's running away.
Now what do you suppose he means?
I'm perfectly sure that if Maud Grim
lie knew what he was doing she
would only smile and say: 'Billy's
such an old deari Let him alone.
What he does never worries me-
What Henrietta would have to con-
tribute he dared not think about
He stopped for a minute to let Billy
have the lead. Out on the street he
let his neighbor get half block
The night express did not stop at
their own station. The borough next
to theirs was the stop, and walk OF
a mile.
"Bilrs making for Marshalltown
same as 1 am, by Jove, and he's skip
ping on the 3:45, I'll bet a doughnut.
He walked a little faster and was soon
only a few PAGES behind his friend.
Hello, there, That you, Billy" he
called.
Billy stopped. Hello, John! What
on earth are YOU doing here at this
hour of the night %
Same as you, I guess. Going east
on the 3:45?"
you guessed right
There was silence. Neither dared
to express surprise at his neighbor's
choice of trains when no less than six
expresses stopped there during civil
lied hours. The best train of all stop
ped at 10 p. m.
Decided at the last minute to join
-
$50 did t. laughed Billy nervously.
'I never thought of you going, or 1
might have mentioned it. But I'm
awfully glad, old fellow" heartily
John thought he detected sympathy.
oh returned John, 81 don't sup
pose Id have given in at all only Hen
rietta insisted. She wouldn't give me
a minutes peace last night. She kept
reminding me of how long it had been
since I had seen any of the boys and
how much 1 needed the change and
so on till it kind of got into my head
she was right. And so started pack
ing at midnight and here I am
"Uu hum" Billy acknowledged
doubtfully.
The two men strobe along in silence
for a minute, the houses and trees
looming dark and ghostly in the chill
ing mist of very early morning.
Billy Crinkle found it hard to eX-
plain his surreptitious departure, for
he was only guilty of seeking a sensa-
ton. He knew Maud would not only
have consented to his trip, but would
have driven him mad with affection
ate little attentions prior to his de-
parture. She would have packed his
bag with everything he needed just
when and where he wanted them She
would have forgotten nothing, his
favorite shirts and ties and socks the
magazine he liked, cigars. flash, safety
razor and stomach pills Nothing
would have been wanting But as 1t
was he hefted his bag from one hand
to the other with a sort of savage joy,
knowing that he had packed the con-
sIomeration it contained in two min
utes and a half by his stop watch and
got in everything he didn't need and
nothing that he did
In plain words. Billy was tired of
perfection and affection He hoped
by a few days of anxiety on Maud's
part to receive the thoro rating he de-
served when he came back-anything
Affection