The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-11-21
EVENING STORY
Loves Security.
BY BERTHA R. MCDONALD.

Loves Security.
BY BERTHA R. MCDONALD.
II always told your mother that she,
was little fool to marry a man old
enough to be her father!" exploded
Jane Portsmouth.
But, Aunt Jane, father and mother
were ideally happy" -
Happy enough-yes-but the diff
ference in their ages made him shelter
sponsibility, until now, when he's
gone, the two Of you are left with next
door to nothing and neither Of you
any more fitted to earn a living than
"a butterfly"
please don't say that. I know
going to find some way to keep the
wolf from the door. too"
Don't worry about the wolff You
can sell your house and come and live
right here with me. I'll tell you, Beth.
why don't you set your cap for the
young doctor that's just bought your
fathers Officer"
Don't ever mention such a thing to
me again, auntie! I'm not going to
marry anybody, and besides, If I were
| to set my cap for Doctor Danforth and
he saw fit to be caught, he'd be taxi
! ing me out of sheer pity, I'm sure"
There, little girl, 1 didn't mean to
| be hard, but would SO like to see you
certainly is charming"
Neither of them heard the approach
| OF the visitor who now appeared and
| coughed to attract their attention.
oh; good morning, Doetor Dam
| FORTH" greeted Miss Portsmouth. II
was just congratulating Niece Beth on
| the good hands into which her fathers
business has fallen. WilIyou have a
chair?'
mo. thank you, Miss Portsmouth"
f0d h
| ing Beth; i've only a moment.
| called to ask about Doctor Longstreets
office safe"
What is it you wish to know"
Your fathers safe-do you wish 1t
sent to your homer"
THE safe was included in the pur-
| chase of the office, and 1 went thru
| the contents before l turned it over.
bid you good morning"
I She sailed past the astonished pair
the gate. and DIR. Danforth was about
to speak to Miss Portsmouth, when a
frightened cry caused them to turn
Just as Beth fluttered into a senseless
heap beside the path.
The young doctor flew down the
path and lifting the limp figure in his
strong young arms, bore her tenderly
into the house. Cool water quickly
| revived her, but an examination and
the discovery that her ankle was real
ly broken sent her promptly into an
other faint. which lasted until her
Aunt Jane had made her comfortable
in the little guest chamber off the par
lor. When she regained consciousness
this time DR.. Danforth was sitting be-
side her with one Of her hands in his.
tHome-1 must get home to moth
err" she moaned.
you must lie right here for a few
days Your foot turned on one of the
cobblestones in the walk and your
ankle has been broken. Miss Ports
mouth has teiephoned your mother
and l am going to bring her over this
evening in my runabout."
1T will not be necessary to trouble
you. Mother can come over with Joe
| Mead when he goes to the station for
| the mall" $50. .sA,
please don't be unkind, Miss Long
street. 1t really doesn't seem like you.
and my heartiest wish is to be of some
| service to you and your mother"
II didn't mean to seem migrate
full, or rude, but L"
I In another moment she was sohbing
among the pillows, and, while the man
longed to stay and comfort Her, the
physician knew it was best to leave her
alone just now, so he slipped quietly
thru the door to the porch, just as
Aunt Jane came in to take his place.
While he was drawing on HIS gloves he
heard her cry out Historically:
Hell think I did this purposely-
he'll-he'll think I'm setting my cap
for him, like alLthe rest of the silly
girls in town.
The man on the porch smiled and
thought, How I wish she would"
| Beth's ankle kept her at her aunt's
| for almost a month, and during this
time she was under Doctor Danforth's
constant care and attention. Gradual
ly, day by day, he managed to pene-
trate the reserve behind which she had
| intrenched herself. and then one day
| when he was taking her for little
| spin into the country, he asked her to
marry him.
but, doctor-Ned-I can't marry
anybody. Mother and haven't a cent.
If dear old dad hadn't lost what he
had put by to protect mother and me
things might have been different, for
do like you, Ned"
What did your father lose, and
howe"
"Oh, some papers-stocks-se
ties-bonds and things. I guess. What
ever they were, he had the papers out
on his desk one day when he received
an urgent call, and while he was out
the colored man who took care of the
place Strengthened up.'~When daddy
came back the papers were gone. We
questioned Jackson, but he swore he
put everything back into the safe, and
there you are. Jackson was too ignor-
ant of their value to take them, so
after a fruitless search we decided
they must 6ave blown out the win
dow
You are sure you have examined
, the safe thoroly?"
Absolutely. There's another thing
of dads 1 haven't been able to find
a copy of the first edition of The Vicar
, of Wakefield of which he was very
, fond"
"But-you aren't going to make this
final, are you BETH"
:Please. Ned, don't ask me again
until I We found some way to take care
>of mother"
That night Doctor Danforth sal