The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-08
Eoening Story
A Noble Purpose.
BY MARTHA McCULLOCH
WILLIAMS

WILLIAMS
Its simply atrecious," Mrs. Gray
began, frowing angrily. 1.-THE audac-
ity of that grill What business of
hers is it, I'd like to know. how we
raise meney-when it's as plain as a
pikestaff that we need it so badly?"
I'VE certainly do need it, sister
Nora retorted. Look at thati" stick
ing out her foot in "a ragged white
silk stocking. Five dollars a pair
for anything decent to go with pumps.
I'd like to hang these wicked prof
iteers."
..Shut up, fool.' Mrs. Gray flung
back, coarsely. The more money they
make the easier it is to get our share
extravagantly till this Haywood girl
blows over. 1 wonder who, if any
body, is behind heri"
Maybe she's butting in so as to be
bought out" Nora suggested Mrs
Gray nodded. i've thought of that.
wish dared try her and find out We
| must do something right away, OF she
will queer our game
Suppose we investigate her-ask
| Peterkin about her? We can make out
he's her sponsor; you know he brought
her up from the station in his car
He wouldn't have done it but for
the big rain" Mrs. Gray implanted.
THAT gave her chance at him, if she
had the sense to see it. Phone him to
call here en- his way to headquarters.
Anything is better than this feeling of
sitting on bomb"
Peterkin, otherwise Peter Lin1ey,
Esq, for all his guilelesse counte-
nance, was lawyer enough to know a
cross-examinatien when he met it
square in his path, however skilifully
| it was disguised. The recognition
made him suddenly alert
He had not thought much about
Rena Haywood, except that she was
soft-spoken and decidedly easy to look
at She had asked him single aues-
tien=what place was best and pleas
ATTEST for the housing of a young
woman casual-thus she had found
shelter with Mother Bigby. once
Peters nurse, and still holding him at
| once her conscience keeper and court
of last resort.
Rena sensed as much from the look
in her eyes, the tone of her veice-and
rejoiced silently that things were fall
ing out SO well. She was beginning a
difficult ehterprise-success in 1T
meant more than mere money profit
tho she did not affect to despise that
side. Her managing editor had said:
go after the pair of goshawks in pet
ticoats that are plundering small town
folk in the name of sweet charity: II
you get the goods on them, or even a
promising lead, wire John Smith, care
I
US to do the rest"
Since Peter had given her specially
in charge, Mrs. Bigby had talked to
Rena as a familiar friend. Thus she
had come to know all about the drive
for devastated Mesopotamia that Mrs.
Gray and sister Nora were conducting
at a breathless rate. They had all the
equipments lantern slides
showing ruined villages and starving
peasants, not to name horrors they
slurred over with bare hints.
Both talked well. Nora could cry
beautifully when she begged for the
poor hungry babies. The pair were
effusiveiy grateful for any offering,
money. pledges thereof, trinkets,
Eclothes, household stores. I'VE can
use anything anything, remember,
Mrs Gray's appeals usually ended.
In result she got anything, everything
and nothing. No heed of particulars.
All OF, us know about such ingather-
ings.
Swift and canny workers. the sis
ters banked all money, and almost IN
stantly drew drafts on it, payable to
the home office in distant city. Cash
they explained, was needed for the
shipment away of supplies.
Certainly things contributed Were
sent away quickly, always prepaid,
and variously consigned. Peter had
given them decent check. He never
turned a deaf ear to any appeal. But
after that his contribution was linn
tied to- the use of his car now and
then. He could not be prevailed on to
speak in behalf of the drive. nor to
stand sponsor for its conductors
among his rich friends.
Naturally the ladies were inly furi-
Gus with him, but cream was no simile
for the outer seeming toward him
They bore his chatting beautifully.
were not too grateful for his aid and
in
like they almost overdid it.
He was, in fact, their real objective.
The drive industry was on its last legs.
Even with new wars and devastatlons,
a stated public was not likely to give
UP. Wherefore it beheoved Sister
find a man who would pay roundly
to escape being that person.
Straight Iaatrimony was, of course,
Ipreferable-rosy visions of it had
danced before them until Rena Hay
wood appeared. She had come to
them a volunteer willing werker-but
with such Notwithstanding authenti-
cations, the giving of guarantees and
chartered accountings-so plausible
withal, they had had to listen and even
to temporize.
How could they do otherwise when
she had fetched in by way of introduce
ton fat check from the richest and
stingiest man in town? 1t was open
sesame to their financial methods.
Rena listened. jotting things down in
her notebook. with believing eyes and
an infantine smile.
They moved Mrs. Gray to say ten
tatively at their next eneounter-after
Peterkin had failed to give up any in
formation: My dear girl, we love
your enthusiasm and d:sinterestedness
but you're such a baby, we really
must look out for you. 1t isn't enough
to work for a noble purpose-workers
must get a living same as the rest of
the world. Now it happens you can
help us magnifieently. You see-we
are pressed for time-this town has
done fairly-still it IS way below it's
quota. And we are dated up in a lot
of other tow rs-now if we can only
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