The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-17
EVENING STORY
Terry's Burglar.
BY JANE OSBORNE.

Terry's Burglar.
BY JANE OSBORNE.
When Terry Brewster took a four
! room apartment in the Harrington
Arms apartment house she described
herself as a business woman" by
which she meant to indicate that she
used her apartment for little more
! than a comfortable roosting place. a
place to eat breakfasts and to keep her
clothes. She did not take the trouble
| to indicate to the real estate agent
that she was not a business woman in
the sense that she earned her own
daily bread. Her business was that of
drinking in as much of city life in one
short year as she could-going to as
many concerts and theaters, attending
as many exhibitions and as many
shows" OF various sorts, lunching at
as many Interesting places" and in
| general seeing as many of the sights
of the city as she conveniently could
without knowing many persons in the
city or wishing to know more. She
seldom went about in the evening. She
| felt somehow that her security in liv-
ing alone at her age-for Terry, tho
adequate to the task of taking care of
herself in almost any circumstances.
!
measure on her not being seen out
after dark. The evenings in her little
| apartment she spent either in mend
| ing and "pottering'' over the clothes
that she wore in the day time or in
reading accounts of things that were
small southern town where she was
brought up had been decidedly cir
cumscribed. She had gradually slipped
into the position of being housewife
fer her older brother in the old home
stead. and the only reason she was
because of her brothers years volun-
teer work in Washington.
| Terfy kept no maid, but like the
other business women in the apart
mont, she was taken care Of by Mrs.
Gray, who had the key to the apart
ments in her care and with lightning
like rapidity tidied them and washed
the breakfast dishes and made them
ready for the return OF their tenants.
Terry had met Mrs. Gray the day she
negotiated with her for her services,
and she needed no further guarantee
of her perfect honesty than her small,
pale face. She knew. too. that she
could dust the ~daintiest of her bric-a-
| brac and wash the fi1miest of laces
that she left for that purpose in her
apartment when she went out in the
morning because it was quite clear to
was a woman who, had circumstances
been different from what they actually
were, might have been wearing the
dainty laces and treading the most
delicate of Oriental rugs herself.
Surely Terry trusted her-that Is
until the day that she came home un-
expectedly at noon in order to get
some matinee tickets that she had for
gotten to take with her in the morn
ing. On that day she CHANGED to be
looking up toward the windows of her
own rooms. when she saw there in
Mrs. Gray, but the figure of a man
Terry was not terrified at the idea OF
having a burglar in her house, but she
did not relish-the idea OF entering that
apartment when she might encounter
him. Her first thought was to report
the incident to the nearest policeman
and it was with this idea in mind that
she turned about and started around
the block in search of such a digni-
tary. She thought better of her idea
and decided to go alone to her apart
ment-but by the time she reached
home the burglar was gone. The
apartment had apparently been visited
by Mrs. Gray earlier In the day. for il
was immaculate and there was fresh
scent of soap and water ABOUT and the
floor looked as If the oil had just beer
wiped up from 1t.
L
possessions. She counted her silver
spoons and knives and forks and sh,
counted the butter spreaders. but ap
parently nothing was taken, ncr die
she miss anything as time went on
She looked under her bed and loung,
and in each of the closets but no on,
did she find. A strange burglar, in
deed. that would take nothing will
him.
Then came the day when she actual
, ly ran into the strange young mar
when she. was coming unexpectedly t.
change her hat because what CAV,
, promise or being a rainy day hat
turned out to be fair. She let herself
in with her latch key and there reall,
was no way for him to escape save ou
the front door. Being at bay the young
man looked as If nothing at all ex
.. traordinary had happened and his ex
cuse was believable enough.
I came in to examine the rad.a
tors" he said. 'That-that's my spe.
cialty," and then going to get hi,
hat and a couple of books that LAY
with it from a chair in the living room
he made hasty exit. In the apart.
ment that day there was the same
very fresh smell of soap and water
and it seemed to Terry that.the young
mans hands had looked water soaked
examined the silver and counted the
spoons and knives and butter spread
, ers Nothing was missing.
One day she crept in stealthily and
Z encountered the young man on his
hands and knees scrubbing the kitcl-
q en- floor.
II thought you were q business wo-
5 man." he confronted her. standing up
with dripping hands and revealing a
ticking apron tied about his manly
young form. You see I thought all
these people were business people. ]
5 didn't know they kept dropping in un-
! expectedly."
Where is Mrs. Gray?" said Terry
j trying to appear very calm, altho she
J had a dreadful feeling that this
} strange young man had spirited Mrs.
Gray away and was hiding his guilt
, by continuing her work.
well, Pm as much Mrs. Gray as
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