The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-09-20
EVENING STORY
Sackett's Girl.
BY IZOLA FORRESTER,

!
white sand along the curving. wide
shore you found skeletons of schoon-
ers. and all manner of ancient wreck
age. Even 200 years had failed to
wipe away the shadow of responsible
ity in the eyes of the harbor. and Polly
| Sackett always walked across Foun-
tain Square to the general store with
her head just a trifle higher than was
] necessary, on account of the old blot
on the family honor.
But Benny Sackett, her father, was
] genial, and rotund, and far too fond
/ of spending his leisure hours at the
| Three Kittens to worry over what the
! harbor thought about his ancestors
| Polly would come from the village
| along the narrow board walk that
| guided the wayfarer over shifting
sands until the dunes were reached.
| And half way from the square there
was the hollow, natural bowl
| scooped out by nature to form a shell
/ ter for the old ramshackle yellow
tavern known as the Three Kittens.
Here Polly would pause and look
| inquiringly over at the open, hospita-
Bile side door, wondering if her father
] were inside. But never would she
| herself cross the stretch of clover and
sorrel-strewn sand to find out. If
| Rod Kennedy happened to come to
| the door to look out at her, she would
and go on to the dunes. And Rod
would stroll back into his fathers
place and persuade Benny it was time
to go home.
He had been sent away from the
| island to school for years, and had
| lost the memory of Polly as she grew
up. Somehow, it had become settled
fact that when the day came, the
Three Kittens was to be dismantled,
and sold to Peter Gaffney as a general
feed and supply store. Peter waited
the day patiently, passing the time
| down along the docks in daily con-
ference with the ex-captains who sat
there in the sun.
Rod had planned after the sale to
leave the island and go away some
where. Anything rather than spend
his life like the rest of the islanders,
content to wait for the weekly boat
and live by the turn of the tides. But
Polly had upset his plans. altho all
she did was to pause on her way from
the village to look up at the yellow
house and wait for her father. And
for her sake he kept an eye on old
Benny Sackett.
Benjys principal Indulgence had
been cribbage until the Flying Squirrel
put into the harbor from a Jersey
port. That night poker was intro
duced to the little company up at the
yellow tavern, and before Benny
Sackett managed to navigate home,
he had not only lost every cent he
possessed, but had also signed a paper
giving lin consideration of the sum
OF one dollar" a deed of sale to his
forty acres along the shore.
Rod had been over to the glee club
in the yacht club house. When he
returned ne met the two men from
the Flying Squirrel coming from the
yellow house. and they were laughing
harbor knew what Benny had done
and that the paper would hold in law.
because it was signed in the presence
of witnesses. Only Rod thought deep
er than the surface of things. Why
had two strangers put into the har-
Dor from a Jersey port, come delib-
erately to the island, and laid for
Benny instead of others? There was
many piece of land richer and better
cultivated than the forty acres along
the shore and the hill where the old
false beacon had been. And in his
own mind, he did not believe the pa
per would hold in law. 1t was signed
while Benny was not himself.
Polly heard the news in silence that
afternoon, when the two strangers
paid a call to the old white house on
the hill. Her father listened, too, So
Der and suspicious, but the paper was
there, and his name was signed to it,
He avoided Polly's eyes, pursuing his
lips, and meditating And while he
listened to the two tell when they
wanted possession, Rod came up the
narrow. graveled walk, bordered in
clam shells. Someway, Polly's whole
heart turned to him for help at that
moment. he looked so resourcetul and
Fearless.
Good day. Mr.. Sackett," he called
cheerily. Thought you might need a
little help on this deal. Did Polly
sign that deed. too?"
only the owners name is neces-
sary," said futile, the older man.
CURLY. Mr.. Sackett's willing to abide
by what he did. Is it your business to
interfere ?"
IT think So" answered Rod quietly.
Were all neighbors here on the is
land, yoI see. and my fathers taken a
good deal of Mr.. Sackett's money the
past twenty odd years. 1 cant stand
by and see him lose everything now
Mr.. Sackett, I've taken the liberty of
! looking up the old deed, and your
wife's name was on it as part owner
since her dover money went into the
purchase of it. Under our law here
you are not sole owner now. since 1
had found on record her will, leaving
all she possessed to her daughter,
Mary Elizabeth Sackett. Polly's name
would have to go on that paper to
make 1t legal. and the place is still
1 your ana ROXY s.
You talk just like a real lawyer"
sneered futile.
II am a real lawyer" Rod smiled
"Only 1 hadn't had a chance to prac-
tice here. 1 think that's ALL gentle
men, only this" His eyes narrowed
keenly. I'VE have constable here
I've given him your record from the
police at New Jersey ports. You've
played this trick at a good many viii
lage ports along the shore and you've
set a record for quick sales. You'll
find our Mr.. Gaffney is waiting for
you down at the dock where your boat
| lies. That's about all"
Benny walked after the two, chuck
ling and happy. but Polly stood by the
pink and red hollyhocks, looking down
at the little oval flower beds along the
walk, her heart beating fast as she
| listened to Rod.
You know 1 did it most of all for
Nnu- Polly he said IT cnllIdr,,t s.tar,d