The Topeka state journal., 1919-05-26
EVENING STORY
Scraps From the Waste Basket.
BY LILLIAN HALL CROWLEY.

John Armstrong sighed pleasantly
as he dropped INTO the hammock.
His eyes wandered over the lawn
and across the street to the bay be-
yond; the beautiful shimmering water,
the blue sky abo,e and the quantity
charming houses along the street pro-
tected by towering elms.
At last he had come away from the
rush of business; the noise of the city
and the endless engagements to take
much needed rest in the quiet little
| fishing village.
Here he could rest to his hearts
| content. No one was in a hurry. No
one had lofty ambitions. Just to get
| thru each day, one like another, and
for recreation a dance in the town hall
where every one was welcome
He certainly did need the rest, he
thought Why, his nerves were caImer
already. Not at thing here to jar them.
| In a little while he would don a bath
ing suit and go into the delicious salt
water. No big waves even to thrill
| him. Just enough of a swell to make
him keeniy enjoy the trouble of going
| in. Then a deliciouA nap when he be-
came as drowsy as if he were drugged.
| And he would be drugged, too, by the
| restful beauty of it all.
| Oh. yes, life was good again. He
would go back to Wall street a new
man-but now he wouldn't think OF
| business. He would put away all ex-
| element and enjoy the present.
Just then a little, flirting breeze,
one more VIGOROUS than any of her
! companions, waited a piece of paper
right at his feet. He looked q it care
| lessly-then was attracted by the
beauty of the handwriting. He picked
| it up 1t was evidently a letter with
top and bottom torn off the page.
1t certainly was beautiful writing
and he read a few words. 1t was only
/ MAR nna'
letter it could not be important or it
| would mot be blowing about. or
! course, it was anybooys now. Still
admiring the writing. he read on:
| And now, Evangcline, have the kid
be at the house for some practical pur-
pose before he robs aNmurders the
old man; otherwise youf~1ea is good
one Let me know daily how you are
getting on. Good-by. Owen"
Armstrong leaped TO a sitting posi-.
ton What foul plot was this. and
who was Evangeline? The paper was
new. SO some one must be planning
| murder right now-this very minute!
He dropped back in the hammock.
He saw his duty plainly-he must foil
this she devil Evangeline. Evangeline.
What name for murderess! More
suitable for a pure and beautiful wom-
an. What could he do?
Nothing!
Still-he could be on the alert. He
looked about the lawn for more scraps
| of paper land was rewarded in his
search by another torn piece, same
writing, same paper. He read:
Yes, Evangeline, you have done
wisely TO choose such quiet place,
and 1 am sure you will succeed in
your plans No one here suspects"
Evangeline again. The name was
all he had to go on. He would walk
about, talk to people and listen for
His landlady's little daughter came
to sit yith him in the hammock. They
had become good friends in the past
week.
''Tem me-" he said to the child "do
you ever have robberies here, or any
thing of the kind ?"
"Oh, no." she answered, I'VE never
lock our doors. Nobody steals any
thing-ever!
That night he tossed about in bed
he swish of the waves did not soothe
him as it usually did. 1t was his duty
, to uncover this crime and he must
hurry or the murderer would sue
| ceed
"Evangeline, Get up. you idle crea-
ture; here it is high tide and we're all
ready for a swim Come on"
"In a minute" answered a sweet
voice from the window next to his
He leaped from his bed. Evangeline!
Was he dreaming or did he hear thai
name?
why, the creature must be living
in the same house with him. There
were other dodgers, but he had beer
too taken up with his own feelings tC
notice them. Most of them were artists
and were off painting before he arose
He supposed they did as he did in re-
gard to meals-went to different
places.
He. heard a door slam and then sof
pattering down the stairs. He hurried
| To hA xnrfv, GOvry T,d Au1l =Ia do,
> figure enveloped in a cape hurry
across the street and join the othel
| bathers on the beach.
, Hastily he donned his bathing sui
and was soon in the water. Evange
line proved to be a wonderfully beau
: tiful young girl, about 23, he thought
She swan like a mermaid and seemed
full of the joy of living.
Armstrong often read that gang
of thieves chose young and Lowell,
, women to do the most hellish worl
, because they would not be suspected
But why was she SO careless abou
her letters.
Still. the cleverest of'them some
times slipped up on some small bi
of carelessness.
After his swim and breakfast h
again went to the hammock to res
I and think. He heard the landlady il
the distance scolding the new mai,
for her untidiness: You let paper
DAOW dh ONCL Wu6l you empty Tn
\ waste baskets. Please be more care
full in the future"
The little girl came to sit with hin
j again. In her narrow life her moth
e er's dodgers meant the world Sh,
+ spoke of several of the artists an
= their work, then: Have you see1
Evangeline Morton? She's awfu
t pretty. l think"
/, rs she an artist, too?" asked Arm
:, strong, beginning to hate himself TO
tracking down this glorious creature
mo, she doesn't paint. She jus
0 stavs in her loom all day and goe
out nights. She swims on moonligh
nights and goes out in a boat
That's when she meets her confed
A crates" thought Armstrong
e The more he realized it was hi
q duty to uncover the plot and save
9 hafnrnsolnc.- al