The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-28
EVENING STORY
The Stacker.

pay you the rent. Father is still sick.
but mother and / are working as hard
as we can. And it is so hard to take
care of father and work besides"
The girl. while speaking, covered
more and more under the glance OF
the man. Every look of scorn went
straight to her soul like a thrust OF
lance Finally she fell on her knees
before him and burst into tears
Gomez" her tormentor snapped,
sneer distorting his face. This is no
place for dramatics. That sob stuft
doesn't fool me a bit you've got
money to pay your rent and l know
it. If it's not paid by this noon out
you go. Get me?"
After this outburst the young mill
lionaire turned to his desk ana paio
no more attention to his visitor, soon
she staggered out, her eyes blinded
with tears.
Chester Randolph was not hard
hearted man naturally. From his
father, who died a few months before,
he had inherited successful real
estate business an da square jaw. He
had been brought up to worship Bust
ness, to let nothing interfere with
Business. Chester managed the blocks
of tenements which he owned with
the same heartless, business-like man
ner with which his father before him
had managed them. He was no bet
On the day after his argument with
the girl about the rent another girl
entered his office. She walked
haughtily up to his desk and glanced
at him with an imperious, not timor-
Gus, light flashing in her eyes. From
her card he saw that she was Eleanor
Malette, the daughter of prominent
state official. For moment Chester
sat stunned at her Queenly> beauty.
Then he arose and courteously offered
her a chair.
mo, thank you. / came on bust
ness, not pleasure The girl looked
him straight in the eye and spoke in
low, even tones. II came to ask you
how large a subscription you Will
! make to the liberty loan"
An angry CLEAN came into the
mans eyes. Another charity seeker
he thought
IT am very sorry" he answered.
But l do not think will be able to
donate anything
What The girl looked puzzled.
Donate But this is not a donation.
| It's an Investment, the safest one you
| can make. You get 8 " per cent in
! terest ana no taxes Every other bust
| ness man in the block has subscribed.
You certainly want to do something
! for your country just think of the
i honor! You'll be helping Uncle Sam
win democracy for the world. The
/ whole world will be your debtor
| Miss Malette became more enthusi-
astic as she spoke. But the man grew
nettled.
| II said did not want any, and that
is all there is to it. Good-day." His
voice was a little too sharp.
Slowly the red stained Eleanor's
| face more and more deeply. Then
| suddenly it dawned upon her that he
| had refused, for he turned his back
and sat down. The color dropped
from her face like curtain.
"You-you Stacker" she said an
grily.
! He sprang to his feet in fury.
Leave this office at once" he COM
manded.
| "Oh, yes, because I tell you your
duty you order me to leave. I'll leave
| when / get ready" Defiance sprang
She pointed an accusing finger at him.
You, you're a Stacker and a coward.
You're tearing your money out of the
very souls of the people and then you
| refuse to give up cent to your gov
eminent. The government protects you
and gives you officers to put out your
penniless tenants. Then you even lie
about your property to escape taxa
| ton. Yet you dare to call yourself a
man. l despise you, you Stacker,
Eleanor stared at him q moment
then turned and went out
1 SncSloG ran u the uOOT ana
slammed it shut. He paced the floor
| rapidly until his rage cooled from q
white to a red heat. Then he went TO
the telephone and called up his law
yer.
| 1T want to bring suit against EIean-
or Malette," he said. "She called me
a Stacker and a coward right mere
before my stenographer when / re-
fused to buy a bond"
| TT would do no good to sue her."
yxyn0 O q "a Inn ara1x
"Why?" snapped Randolph.
Because she spoke the truth"
The telephone dropped to the floor
with a crash.
not wink. The next morning he did
not go to his office, but remained at
home. There he had the biggest fight
! he had ever fought in his life and he
fought with his biggest enemy-him-
self. All day long he struggled, while
the sweat poured from his brow IN
! streams. Toward evening he called
| Eleanor Malette on the telephone and
she refused to speak with him. Every
time the servants offered him food he
| turned on them SO savagely that>they
shrank from him in terror. Another
night passed in wakefulness and rest
less tossing. At dawn Chester was
completely exhausted. The struggle
/ After breakfast as Chester sat in the
| library, a thought suddenly came 60
| him.
by George. I'll do it," he cried,
and throwing on his hat. he literally
! ran down the street
| Two days later Eleanor's maid in
| formed her that visitor wished to
see her, but would not give his name.
| She hurried down into the reception
| room. Here she found a man in the
uniform of the United States marines.
As he turned toward her she gasped.
Chester mean Mr.. Randolph.
are you AZ?
"Yes. I am" He spoke in a low.
appealing tone. II finally plucked up
nerve enough to join. / came to ask
you to take my subscription of ST.
| 100000 to the liberty loan. And I'd
like to have you watch over my peo-
pie in the tenements, to see that they
come to no need while I'm gone. Will
YOU say good-by to me ?"