The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-02-11
Eoening Story
Episode Two.
BY H. LOUIS RAYBOLD.

/
with all the speed which had, in days
gone by, made him a frequent victor
in college meets. This time, how
ever, he was running for something
more valuable than a loving cup or
his name engraved on a bronze tab
1 let Quite possibly he was running
4 for his life.
He had been walking unconcernedly
down a street crowded with idle strik-
| ers when some one with pointing finger
! had indicated him as<'the man who
done the trick" The hundred or SO
| morose looking men, seeking for trou-
| BILE and glad of an outlet for energy
accumulated from several days with
out work, had started in pursuit.
| There was no time to stop and eX-
plain that it, was a case of mistaken
| identity. Bradley as former superin-
| tendent of the largest wooden mill in
the state, had handled men sufficient
ly to understand the strange vagaries
| of mob psychology. He recognized in
stinctiyely that his cue was flight first
and explanations afterward.
So far he had eluded his pursuers.
But an approaching murmur, I'M
doubtedly hostile, warned him of the
than standing in the center of a large
treeless lawn. II he could only get
| inside the house. There was no time
to ring the bell and wait on the pos
sible delay of the people within.
Suddenly, easily accessible from the
veranda roof, an open window up
stairs caught his attention. He wasted
no time in reflecting that he was
about to assume the character of a
| second-story man, but climbed the
| veranda pillar, ,crawled thru the win
dow and closed it behind him. AS he
did SO an evil-faced man parted the
hedge and looked thru. Then the
| crowd swept by.
| Obviously Warren might now de-
| scend by the way he had come in
Yet, once safely in. he shrank from
being detected in the act of coming
forth. Furthermore, there was no
| guarantee that the baffled mob would
not swing back and pick him up on
| its return.
! Deciding that to remain in the fry
ing pan was preferable to jumping
Into the fire. he turned to hunt up the
occupants of the house and tender
his explanations.
The room in which he found him
self was evidently a lady's bedroom,
meta4norphosed for the time being
into the likeness of an anteroom of a
modiste. Over the cfetonned, cush-
Toned chairs, across the bed, and even
dressing table were feminine garments
of every description.
But Warren did not stop to admire
the elaborate display. Finding the
stairway. he descended and parted the
heavy draperies which apparently cur
tanned the living room. Three women
uttered screams The fourth, superb
ly decked in a bridal gown, paused in
the act of slowly circling before a
| huge pier glass and looked at him in
establishment. Even as he told his
| story, Warren decided that she was
| the loveliest girl he had ever seen.
Two of the women were evidently
| seamstresses. the third her aunt. Mu-
| tuai acquaintance was presently estab-
! lished and Warren's explanations ac-
copied without question. Also, it was
g., suggested that he summon a taxicab
and avoid any possible meeting with
| the incensed men.
| AS Warren turned to go, the auut
said as one who proclaims a fact
which all the world should know,
f"We'Fe all upset, because my niece IS
to ne married tomorrow"
| Indeed said Warren, mentally
congratulating the wonderfully blessed
bridegroom, Il wish her every hap
| piness'''
ITO William r. BRISTOL" added the
aunt in evident pride.
| William Bristol! That beautiful
radiant girl! Why. he supposed ev-
erybody in town knew who and what
Billy Bristol was. Could it be that in
this secluded spinsterly home there
| had never penetrated tales of the
devious ways in which that dissolute
man squandered his fabulous fortune {?
! He hesitated. The two seamstresses
! had gone to another room whence is
| sued the dull purr of a sewing ma
chine. He looked graveiy into the
girls clear eyes.
Miss Stoddard." he began until a
minute ago I did not know your name
1 shall never see you again. for to-
morrow ] leave for the west In a
way. YOU have been the means of very
possibly saving nv life today. I'm re-
turn. I am going to be very presump-
your future happiness. wait, I know
the man you are planning to marry
have known him all my life. Don't
marry that mani"
! F'orestalling the Explanations he
saw rising on the indignant lips of
an unforgettable picture of the girls
lifted eyebrows and affronted look.
Warren Bradley turned on his heel
and left the house.
It was on the surf-washed beach at
/ SANTA Barbara that they met again
wondering what the years held in
store besides the golden fortune they
seemed bent on bestowing
Startled at the sound OF his name
! spoken in soft contralto unwestern ac-
cents. he turned abruptly Before him
stood. as radiantly beautiful as he re-
called her five years aro. Made1aine
Stoddard-or was she Mrs Bristol?
NO" she said, shaking her hea d
in answer to his inquiry IT didn'tNd do
it I was furiouslv angry with you.
but I made Investigations I didn't
have far to go-my own lawyer told
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Faffheuy Adams 9