The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-30
EVENING STORY
What IL Night!
BY LINCOLN ROTHBLUM.

sweeping down from Newfoundland,
had buried the entire city in a heavy
blanket of white. 1t was but nine
o'clock this Saturday night and the
elements, unrestrained, played at will
in the empty streets. Main thoro-
fares were strangely soundless. for
even the street cars which prowi on
their monotonous rounds night in and
night out, had been locked in the
baras like children forbidden to go
out and play in untoward weather.
Dorchester, that beautiful suburb of
the blue-blooded city. seemed to have
shrunk within itself, and but for the
mad wind. the all-embracing inactivity
cast the ha1lowness Of death about the
snow-coated homes with their frozen
windows rejecting in CHASTITY fashion
the lights and shadows within. Against
the paneS the wind whiStled wildly,
hurting it's force with loud complaint
at such resistance.
What night!
Doris, wrapped up in a bathrobe of
carmine-colored corduroy, pushed the
hassock closer to the fire and snuggled
in the comfortable warmth OF the
burning logs. which sent up myriads of
asterisks and creScents as the flames
ate into their piney hardness. Doris
was an unusually pretty girl. But hers
some girls asset, for her sparkling
| eyes and weli-turned features gave
patent testimony that she possessed
! those fundamentals of character which
| appeal to men who count.
| Just a year ago tonight" she muir
INJURED dreamily, but it was not SO
| cold
| Come. Sis" demonstrated comedy
| lad of sixteen, who squatted, Indian
fashion, close by her, you mustn't al
ways figure how long it is since that
| day. I'm big enough to know what
men do. and I'll bet my new rifle Stan
ley Chalmers amt no coward. What'n
you bet?"
double negative" Doris corrected as if
| by rote. ''and tho you may be big
enough to know what men do, surely
my judgment is not altogether wrong
She was silent for moment and
then exclaimed: "Oh, Bobsie, I've
thought about it and thought about it.
until 1t seems my brai,. can never hold
| another thought"
The boy extended his cramped legs.
and cooking them up before him,
clasped his hands about his knees. He
| knew he would again hear the entire
| account of why his sister broke her
engagement with Stanley Chalmers,
and he wanted to be comfortable dur
ing the recital.
at was not SO cold as it is tonight. y
Doris began, as if reciting q we'll
learned lesson, when we turned the
j corner of Dorchester and Saxton
streets. He had just been telling me
he would protect me from all i'll, when
a horrible-looking fellow bumped into
| me and swore out a terrible oath
surely expected Stanley would knock
him down. but all he did was grab
my arm and hustle me off,
She paused as the wind, shrieking
| insanefy, tore around the house
When we got home" she continued,
| pulling the bathrobe closer about her,
you were in the hall and heard ME
tell him, I could never marry a
coward"
Yes" Interrupted the boy, when
you handed him your ring. he walked
| Gee. he was sore
But 1t could not have hurt him
| more than 1t did me-
law, guess I'll get some more wood
Bob answered practically. and in an
| effort to change the subject ''the
fires dying down." The crisp cracking
OF the blaze did not seem to warrant
| replenishing and Doris attributed the
| boys impatience to her family's lack
| of sympathetic understanding"
In few moments Bob returned
from the fitcken. his arms laden with
roughly chopped pine boughs. AS he
crossed the threshold between the two
rooms anu stopped to adjust his bur-
den. from the upper regions of the
house a terrific crash reverberated
he dashed across the room swiftly to
his sister.
What is it?" his lips formed the
words his voice refused TO utter.
Doris jumped up from the hassock.
The fire. suddenly diverted by the
changeable gale. threw out flaming
tongues which seemed to find an af-
finity of color in her scarlet bath
robe.
, Someone has broken in" Doris re-
I I-A
. could muster in her effort to conceal
her fear. Crossing the room to tho
telephone. she raised the receiver. bu;
central did not answer. The storm
had broken the wires.
I'VE must see w it is" she whis-
pered. thoroly frightened, and grasocd
the rod used stir up the embers.
The boy had broom in his quaking
arms. and as he fol- wed at a very
respectful distance. encouragingly an
swered, Yes, of course, we must see
You go ahead. Sis, don't be afraid
I'm right behind you"
! Doris walked into the hall on lip
toe and as she assembled the first three
steps. the house again resounded with
crash seldom heard this side u
his Satanic majesty's realm. Terror.
stricken, they chung to one another 70:
, support. For Doris was but a girl
and Bobsfe, so lately affirming his ma
turity. was but a young boy.
They must get help. With a dash
thru the short hall, they threw oper
the porch door, and as they stood OF
| the piazza shiv"-ing in the nippins
; cold. their quivering shadows mingled
: with the .ancing arms of the gian
, elm reflected in the snow. The din
! light fror7 the street light revealed
not soul-no help from any quar-
, ter. What should they do? Doris's
shrill cali was lost in the shrieks OF
the wind.
t What went there? Was that a mar
| bucking the gale? Was that figure
> enveloped in a great coat. a real mar
sent by Providence to help them ir
their predicament? Would he pas.
? their house? Did he not hear them?
Help! delp!" they called out ir
> unison. "ye're being robbed There,
E murderer upstairs! Help"