The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-06-06
Et'ening Story
Thru the Skylight.
BY RUBY DOUGLAS.

pers in the pocket of another suit and
had been forced to return home from
the office to get them
He stepped back in amazement at
/ what greeted his eyes. Then he closed
the door behind him and looked about
the little room that served jointly as
his sisters bedroom and their living
room. Almost every drawer had been
pulled inside out and the contents
were lying all about the room.
Burglars he said to himself. "And
can't tell what is what in Hazers
belongings. / wouldn't know if any
thing were stolen. I'll take a look at
| my own things" Yes-his own chif-
fonier drawers had been rummaged
also, but not to such an extent.
Looks like the work of women
| thieves" he said.
He looked about for other signs of
the burglars work, but everything else
Seemed to be in good shape. There
were bits of bric-a-brac. a good small
| rug or two and some silver in the side
board, but evidently the thieves had
not cared for that sort of loot.
There was skylight in the room;
| it was a studio apartment in a build
| ing adjoining other edifices of the
same character.
Tom got out the little stepIadder
| that he and Hazel used as chair
when they had extra guests. He
climbed up and out onto the roof to
see if he could get trace of the thieves.
He decided that they must have been
! in the rooms within a couple of hours,
since Hazel always remained to have
breakfast before going out to teach.
| On the roof he came upon a. start
ling picture A very lovely young wo-
man was drying a mass of gold
bronze, shining hair in the sunlight
! She held book on her lap under the
| curtain of hair and she evidently had
| not heard him come up thru the sky
| light.
| I'm sorry Tom began.
"oh." the girl cried, startled. 81 did
| not hear you come up"
'tAnd I did not dream there was any
| one out here. ! am loking for
| thieves" announced Tom.
Thieves" The girl threw back the
clouds of hair and looked inquiringly
| at thel intruder.
Eyes; I happened to return home
and have found the drawers in our
perhaps, seen any strangers on the
roof?''
| The girl. shook her head. "No. 1
| have been here for an hour drying my
hair, but I have seen no one" She
| told him how sorry she was and he
| found himself telling her all about his
sister and incidentally about himself.
| He had forgotten all about the burg
lars and was observing the wonderful
| lights in the girls hair and the same
| tones IN I1er large, sou Drown eyes.
| Gould I, perhaps, give you a little
| assistance in divining reason-find-
ing a clew?" she asked. when they
| had returned to the subject OF the
sneak thieves. ~
would you-come down the ladder
and see?" he asked.
| 'tOf course" she said promptly. ST
| am visiting my aunt in the apartment
| below and am almost dying of ennui.
Out west where live there is some.
jump at the chance to have even so
| little excitement as this" She laughed
as she followed Tom down thru the
| skylight.
ut does look like sneak-thieves
looking for something in PARTICULAR
! the girl said when she had viewed the
contents of the efnptied drawers.
Just then they heard footsteps on
the stairs outside.
''Sh-' said Tom, his fingers on his
lips
They stood motionless while the
| footsteps drew nearer.
Presently a key was inserted in the
| lock and Hazel stood before them, her
arms full of packages, bag in one
hand.
"Tom," she cried.
| Hazel" her brother replied, There
have been burglars here!''
i Hazel looked at the girl with her
hair all about her. "Oh,'' she said. =
'.No-no,' Tom began, seeing her
mistake. This is young lady I
found drying her hair ON the roof
when I went up to look for the
J thieves"
.Helen Rogers" the girl explained
81 stepped down with your brother to
offer my assistance
Then, to the amazement of both
Tom and his companion, Hazel Foster
threw herself on the couch and
emitted peal after peal of merry
laughter.
Tom.
"Yes-what amuses your" Helen
added
"Oh, It is too funny for words I
; suddenly got an invitation from Mrs.
George Sanders to go with them for a
d week to the shore to brush up little
Grace's music and dashed home to
. put some clothes together. I never
realized that the room would look like
| a cyclone or that Tom would bes at
home before I could explain I even
searched in his drawers for some odds
and ends of things I keep in there"
Hazel began to laugh again, and
this time she was Joined by the other
; two.
"And there are no burglars after
| all ?" said Helen, disconsolately.
, Hazel looked at her, astonished at
! her tone. You regret it?" he asked
! Helen shook her head. s'No-of
course not. But I was just telling
your brother how deadly dull it. is
here visiting my aunt and this had
given me hope of little diversion al
least"
''Why don't you-but oh, I'm going
. away on the afternoon train. / was
/ going to ask you to come in to see
, u.s. Hazel told her.
at is good of you. I'd love &c
come
e Tom quickly came to the subject
: Hazel won't be gone long. Miss Rog-
E ers, and perhaps, IL you don't mind
Y you could happen up on the roof after
f dinner in the evening and-wel,
i could be looking for further burglars
he laughed.
Q Hazel looked at her brother. It wa.
. unusual for him to have so resourcefu
mind He given much II