The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-26
EVENING STORY
Enemies.

the newly Matched chicks. What was
that noise she heard down on the road
below the house? She pushed the ket-
tie back on the stove where it couldn't
burn and went to the window.
Get up!" man yelled to morse
stuck knee-deep in a mud hole. The
wheels of the buggy were almost COM
pletely submerged and the whole thing
seemed to be settling deeper by the
minute.
"Get up, your he cried again, this
time laying on the whip. Get up, you
blamed fool. What do you s'pose I'm
feedin' you for, to get me into mess
like this?"
Rebecca's lips Strengthened as they
always did when AL Barker was in
sight, and a little spot of red sprang
onto each cheek. She opened the
screen door, went down the back steps,
and strobe down the hill to tn. fence.
What do you mean by abusin' that
creature, AL Barker?'
I'm not abusin' him.
"You are-by word an deed, an
I'll thank you to stop
Il don't want none o your thanks,
Reba Deevers. an I'll not stop till I'm
good an ready. He always was a
fool an he could get me out o this in
jiffy if he had the spunk OF cat"
well, you quit hittin' him. I'd like
to know who's the fool drivin' along
a road like this when the new state
highways open up yonder. 1t wouldn I
taken you fifteen minutes more TO
go round. No one comes TINS way
any more. What brought your"
.''TiSn't any of your business, Reba-
well, don't think I'm carin'. l
didn't come down here to inquire for
you. 1 felt sorry for the horse. Now
you take my advice an leave him be.
Ben's gone to town an taken Pete or
they could help maybe"
But it was her first words that cut
We'll, don't think 1 drove around this
way to see you." he returned. reach
| ing for the whip again; then he
| thought of better of it and dropped
| his hand.
Rebecca did not reply, but turned
and went up the hill, holding her
skirt away from the grass, still satur-
ated with dew. The spring morning
was only a couple of hours old, and
the sun was casting long shadows over
| hill and valley. The air was full OF
wonderful promise. and Rebecca felt
strangely out of tune with her sur
roundings. To be quarreling on such
heaven-sent day But what right
and whip a horse? OF course, he'd
only hit him a few times, but he knew
| of old her horror of abusing animals
She went back to stirring the meal
and when it was cooked, poured the
steaming mass into a crock and set
| the pan IN the SINK.
I'll declare, if he isn't there yet.
Why doesn't he get out, L wonder
That poor creature might be able to
move the buggy without him in it.
Rebecca went about her work, and
the morning wore away, with Al
Barker, buggy, horse and all, still
stuck in the mud hole. She was past
Indignation now and all curiosity
With it soon was a certain compass
q Sha OIL
impossible for this man of all men.
Years ago they had beens sweet
hearts. But the whole countryside
| had predicted disaster, knowing the
! temperaments of the two quick tenn
pers and stubborn unwillingness to
acknowledge wrong. They were alike
| to a IT. So when the break did
come neither would admit there had
| been one. Rebecca settled down tic
| housekeeping for her brother with a
| sort of cold pride, and AL developed
| into taciturn, moody person, attend
| ing to his farm and giving his entire
attention to accommodating money. He
| was rich now, it was understood.
The years rolled by slowly. AL and
Rebecca had ceased ignoring each 9TH
err 1t was perhaps the better way,
| for when they did have occasion to
talk to each other, it was always a
wrangle. Probably they were afraid
| Cnat-DuL we are only guessing. IL
was their own affair.
Noon approached. Il wish Ben
were home today. It's just luck that
| he had to go and take Pete along, and
not a soul here to help. There's one
thing sure-he can't starve!
Contrary to her intention of eating
piece herself and taking the ex-
ira time to arranging bureau drawers
preliminary to housekeeping. she
opened her best spiced pears and hur-
riedly mixed up some raisin cakes.
''Al used to like spiced pears and
raisin cakes better than anything, an6
he gave me credit for making the best
| omelet in Beacon county"
| Then she made another trip dowr
the hill.
| what are you waitin' for?'' she de.
manded. There won't be rig come
along this way to help you out. They
all go by the highway now"
| I'm not botherin' you now, am I
I've been sittin' here all mornin' askin
| the horses pardon!'
| while he's thinkin' about it, yoJ
can't starve, an I've dinner ready
| You'd better come up an eat
| Il don't want anything, thanks"
I've raisin cakes and spiced pears,
mo, thanks."
Look here, AL, what's wrong with
you? You're actin like a crazy mani
And then she saw his feet as her eve:
travelled appraisingly over him. Ont
was incased in a loose slipper, and
above it his ankle was knobby ant
ridged with bandages under the sock
''Why-why, you've hurt your foo
and can't get out. Why didn't you sa,
SOP
Il don't want sympathy
We'll, you want your dinner, or
miss my guess, and you're going t.
have it,"
Back up the hill she went, regard
less of his protests that he "wouldn'
eat if she did bring it,
In a few minutes she returned
bringing a basket and tray laid TO
a meal. She had gone around by tn,
tgate this time, and came as close tt
the buggy as the mud would permit.
But he didn't move.
'A1 Baker, look here Down in TIL
bottom of my heart I've always known
you weren't a fool, and l think yol
have the same idea about me But /