The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-03
EVENING STORY
Her Tramp.
BY C. b. LEWIS

beings.
Partly sheltered by the vines climb
reading or thinking. On the contrary,
she was doing. She had so nearly
fallen into actual sleep that she had
begun to dream, when sudden noise
aroused her.
1t was the click of the gate latch,
and man was walking up the grav-
eled path toward her. He was young
but not of the hero type. On the con-
trary, her first glance convinced her
that he was probably tramp. He was
making- his way around toward the
kitchen when she rose and called out:
What do you WANT"
Excuse me, miss, but L want to
speak to the cook a moment" h. re-
piled, as he DOTTED tattered cap.
The cook is out this afternot H." she
said
He turned around to retrace his
steps to the highway.
= lis the cook a relative of yours:''
she called after him.
Not exactly, ma am he answered
without turning.
eat:"
He nodded his head
Il think L can give you a sandwich
if you will go around to the kitchen
door"
At which she disappeared into the
house, reappearing a little later at the
kitchen door with a liberal sandwich,
which she handed to him. He received
| it with a shamefaced smile and a pro-
test.
Sorry to have disturbed you, but I
| haven't had anything to eat since
! pulled a raw turnip at daylight this
morning. he said.
You are a tramp, aren't you" she
asked, s she stood in the doorway.
Directness was one of Miss Barry's
| strong points.
| IT suppose I do fall under that
classification" he admitted.
| How was it that you took up the
profession SO early in life:" she per-
sisted.
I've never been able to decide
whether it was misfortune or a love
of adventure" he said soberly enough,
but with a quizzical twinkle in his
eyes. TT really don't matter. At any
rate, that was a mighty good sand
wfeh, and l propose to pay for it.
Your supply of firewood seems a bit
low. l will increase it."
The AK and the woodpile were near
| and he picked up the former and was
soon at work. The girl went back to
| her seat on the veranda and for half
an hour she heard the sounds of the
AK. She had left the kitchen unguard-
ed, but some how she was not afraid
of the tramp yielding to temptation.
/ By and by the tramp appeared on
i his way out and with lift of his cap
| walked down to the gate and passed
down the hill and out of sight. Miss
| May had seen many a tramp, but of all
the number, this one interested her
| most. He was respectable and willing
to work for his food.
why she said to herself, IF he
| was washed up, had shave and a hair
cut and business suit on. he would
! pass for a pretty od-looking young
| man. L wonder if there is not some
| roma nee connected with his career as
q tramp.
She was still sitting in the big chair.
| a quarter of an hour later. when a
buggy with three men in it drove up.
! One she recognized as the constable,
another as the tramp who had just
left, and the third was a farmer. who
lives a couple of miles away. From
where she sat she could see the
handouts on the wrists of the tramp.
The officer jumped down and with a
| proud air came up the path and said
to her:
You see I have got him. Miss.
Bot what has he done?' she asked.
Let me first ask you if he stole
anything here?'
why, no."
well, he's a horse thief, anyway.
He stole horse from this farmer last
night and he is good for about five
years in state prison. am glad he
did not rob your house or scare you
|
Il do not believe he stole a horse!'
protested the girl, with considerable
spirit IF he stole the horse, where
is to horse" asked Miss May.
THAT is wha- 1 am going to try
land find out after / have. landed him
in Jail 1 believe that 1 have got a
straight case against him"
/ "And~I don't"
And as the officer walked down to
the gate, the girl walked with him.
The tramp smiled she approached
and his smile broadened she asked:
Did YOU steal ahorse last night?
i Lord, miss, you might as we'll ask
me if stole the bridge over the river
back here
The farmer and the conSta BILE
r Ighed as they drove off and May
returned to the vSFanda- There she
passed up and down for an hour until
her father and mother came home.
When they asked the cause of her
perturbation she told them about her
tramp.
!. We'll" said the father, tits quite
likely >the charge is true"
Il don't believe it, protested the
girl. He didn't look a bit like a
horse thief"
"H.w many horse thieves have you
; seen in your life?"
Father, see here a moment II
he stole horse last night would not
he hide him away to some distant
point to dispose of him?
Very likely he would" the father
: repli ID.
. But he didn't. He is right here,
within two miles of where the horse
was stolen, and he wasn't in hiding
. either Does that look as Il he were
| a forse thief?'
|, We'll. what is it to u.s." asked the
father.
1T is this much.' replied the girl
with flashing ewes "Cousfab HE Ga rl
has sent men to Jail who were inno-
cent of crime, but he isn't going to
send this one. if I can't help it,
'Oh. he isn't. Ell? What are yor
going to do about it:''
You are going with me to learn al
about the case aud help me to show
that he didn't steal a horse, OF any.
thing else"