The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-13
Euening Story
The Return.
BY CLARIssA MACKIE

emerged from heavy thicket of
| rhododendrons and slipped around to
the rear. A light from a basement
window checked his progress. He
looked cautiously thru the window
Two women servants were putting on
| hats and coats and a chauffeur waited
near the door drinking out of steam
ing glass.
Ready" he asked, setting down
the empty glass.
They all disappeared and in a mo-
ment the basement was deserted and
the door locked. Presently an auto
the drive. The man went around to
the front of the house and thick, OPP
pressive silence settled over the place
Then a shadow separated from the
deeper shade of the shrubbery and
gained the front veranda. A latchkey
turned silently in the lock of the front
door, 1t opened and closed soundlessly,
/ letting into the darkened house a faint
| breath of the June night. The man
/ did not hesitate: with answering feet
| he mounted the fine old staircase,
! gained the upper hall and entered q
large room on the left. He crossed
to the mantel-piece, fumbled along its
| length and put something in his
pocket. As he turned away his foot
struck the brass fender and there
was the faint clang OF metal
He stopped short and waited.
Out of the black void of the quiet
room came a woman's voice.
who is there ?" it asked YEARLY
He pulled out a handkerchief and
| tied it about his face below the eyes.
pulling down his visored cap to com
plete the masking.
! who is there?" repeated the voice
more alertly this time and there was
stirring from the great bed in the cor
ner.
In three leaps the man gained the
door and then she spoke once more. 'I
can see you now-I have you covered
with a revolver can shoot. Don't
move"
what do you warrf?" he munibled
/ behind the handkerchief.
Who are your
"A-Raffles, if you like" he laugh
ed bitterly.
| Il have no money here-or jewels
nothing
II don't want them" then he add
ed hastily, eff you haven't got them
think I'll go"
You will stay!" she threatened.
| very we'll" His tone was sullen.
How did you get in ?" she asked.
the car thought the house was
empty returned for something I
had left behind"
Left behind" she asked quickly.
Who are your
u have been here before" he said
|
leave you alone in the house,
You must be a Observation-Disclosures
to think of that!" she laughed mirth-
lessly
II will go now-if you please"
He slipped to the door and flashed out
into the hall.
''wait-pIease'' she called tremu-
lousy. Are there any more of you
| around ?"
He laughed shortly. mo. I came
alone"
He started down the stairs, and her
little running feet fastened his going.
When he was half way down, she
gained the head of the stairs STOP
she comma nded, but he did not heed
it The automatic in her hand spat
blue flame and he hesitated. .jerked
forward and fell in a huddled heap
on the rich rugs below. He lay quite
still.
The woman-she was a mere girl
crouched on the stop step, her back
against the wall. The MOONLIGHT shin
ing thru a diamond-paned window be-
| trayed her dainty negligee and the
heavy braid of fair hair that fell over
either shoulder. It also cleaned on
the little automatic in her nerveless
hand. She saw the flash and suddenly
tossed the weapon away with shud-
der of adherence. 1t fell Gathering
down the polished stairs and she
bowed her head on her knees, her
voice coming long drawn and pitiful.
| And now-I have killed a man
He would have gone away peacefully
/ but am hard-unrelenting-
said that'when I sent him away to-
day-broke up the house party
broke Dicks heart-and now 1 nave
killed a man-of course Dick would
never want me nova murderess: I
wish dad and mother would come
home." Slowly she crept down the
stairs until she reached the foot Then
she pushed a button and flooded the
place with light.
FearfulIy she turned the body over
and laid her hand on the mans heart
1t was beating regularly. Then she
tore the handkerchief away from his
face and found his dark eyes staring
dizzily at her.
'Dick!" she moaned at last.
! He nodded, a queer smile curving
his lips.
I Are you hurt?" she whispered.
'No-luckily my heel caught on the
stair and it threw me-the fall stun
ned me, that's ALL
What are you doing here?" she
asked TREMENDOUSLY. Il thought you
were in Philadelphia by this time
He sat up and pushed back his hair.
his face darkening. 81 came back
after something 1 had forgotten-I
supposed you were with them The
servants went. too, and SO 1 ventured
the burglar act-and got caught. I
did not expect you we're in my vacated
room"
! TT is quiet there she STAN
mered. She could not tell him her re-
pentant tears had soaked his pillows
And you-you had left something be-
hind-something precious?''
81 risked my life for it, he said
gravely lea ning against the newell post
sTs this It 20 she stopped and picked
up a small case which had fallen
from his pocket
'-Yes-open II. Elsie"
She obeyed. 'My-miniature." she
breathed softly.
That is how much I love you,
dear" he whispered when she was n
his arms once more.
Copyright. 1870. by the Mc91Fe News
paper Syndicate.l