The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-04-29
EVENING STORY
The Golden Barrier.

| had seen the springs of forty years
| work their magic spell on the gray
! grass left after the recedinG SHOWS. he
was the only lawyer in the town, ana
| the secrets hidden under ms Wnte
| hair were the secrets OF generations
He knew the stories and hves OF MS
people, and their interests were ms.
| so, when he saw a dapper, stylish
! polished man come up the street from
the station, he became suspicious
knowing the type that spread TROUPE
wherever they go. He saw the man
was coming to the office.
| He did enter, greet the lawyer cor
daily. and skillfully state his mission.
He wished to engage stephens TO act
as the local attorney for his firm at
salary that made the old attorney
start.
! Just what do you want in return
for that salary?" Stephens asked.
Mr.. Amiens," the old lawyer said
| quietly, Il have read that in your city
| there is a firm that offered TO sell
postholes, and the proposition you
/ have is worse than that. You should
| be Jailed for representing it. My adj
vice to you is to go on-leave the peo-
pie here alone. You will bring nothing
F, but regret
The other smiled Sorry, but 1
can't accept your invitation. 1 have
other business here. In fact, I was
asked to come"
! stephens watched the well-groomed
figure cross the street and enter
store over which was the sign, will
liam Joslyn.' With grunt of disgust
the lawyer leaned back.
so Will is after another scheme to
get rich fast" he said to himself. and
| lapsed into musing.
| The romance of the village was CEN
! tered in William Joslyn and Emma
Adams. Emma had inherited the
wealth of her father and lived in the
| old mansion on the hill. William had
| loved her, and still did; and she loved
him-of that the old attorney was GER
tain
The one thing that stood between
| Will and her was her money. Whether
| she knew that or not, Stephens did
| not know. He had sighed over the
matter, had chatted with William.
but that firm. quiet, old-fashioned and
set individual could not see how he
could live upon his wife's money and
keep his own respect-and he had lit
| tie money of his own.
Now, so the lawyer musedAhe was
! probably going into a get-rlch- quick
! scheme to get the money he wanted
in order to have the right to speak to
Emma.
IT'S a queer world and there are
} a lot of queer people in it" Stephens
| thought as he rose from his chair.
That evening he met the calm-faced
|
| investing in the Starr Investment COM
pany. Joslyn thanked him for his ad-
i vice, and then went on TO say that he
had invested in it-au he had.
You stand to lose every cent of it,"
| the lawyer said.
IT stand to win. too. I am tired of
waiting for my ship. 1 am going out
to meet it," was the quiet answer.
Tired of waiting" the lawyer said
to himself as he went to his office for
! his evening smoke. He'll have
| longer wait still"
Three months went by, and then
| came the shock. He discovered that
there was a rumor around the village
that Emma had invested all her for
| tune in the Starr company. The old
| lawyer. getting the rumor straight. i'm
| mediately set out for the Adams home
Like some picture of other days
come to life, she came to meet him,
| as simple, honest and beautiful as one
| of her roses.
He asked her anxiously about the
Observation-Disclosures it was true that she
had invested in the firm. She nodded.
Stephens looked at her in despair and
! wrath. Miss Adams. your father and
his father trusted me. Why did you
not come to me for advice? That firm
| is gang of crooks operating within
| the law and just statute or two out
| of Jail. You will Lose every cent-and
1 know it,
eyes, and she said simply, II am not
worrying
He stared at her, wondering. but
when he was on the way home he
guessed the reason behind her mad
ness.
"Of all wild dreams of foolish hearts
in love! She wants to lose the money
so that chump of a Puritan Joslyn will
ask her to marry him; and that fool
to get rich. so he can, has invested in
10 cal fst-e1z cob h
ems" the angry lawyer suffered to
himself
Once more in his office. he slammed
down his hat and stood in thought
to be aroused by his telephone. He
answered it and heard Miss Emma s
sweet voice say, an odd note of pleas
ure in it, Dear old friend, 1 just got
my mail; and they write me that for
several reasons the investment failed,
and my money is gone"
He dropped the receiver with a
! groan- And you want me TO get the
word to Joslyn! Never. I'll get the
money back"
" To plan was to act: and the even
irg train carried the old lawyer to the
city miles away. The next morning he
was hot on the trail of the Starr In
Veetment Co.
He found them. and grimly held on
until he was ushered into the splendid
private office of Amiens who greeted
months a go in the office in the village,
Swiftly the old attorney told his
errand and his purpose-to save for
Miss Emma Adams the fortune her
father had won by hard toll. and as
quietly as ever the lawyer spoke, the
promoter explained why the money
could not be reached
Stephens rose his white hair ruffied,
his eyes affame, knowing himself de-
feated. You and your kind. shielded
by the law tho you are, should be
hanged, YOu-yOu--
Watt saic the other. I'VE have
some sentiment, sir. at least. I was in
love once, myself. Besides, our bust
ness is a big one"
The lawyer stood, puzzled by the
words, and watching the white fingers
! searched thru some papers.
What we have done. my dear sir.