The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-07-05
EDening Story
A Freebooter.
By MARTHA INC. WILLIAMS.

d u w 1lAl1A11o.
Upon a lovely. languid June after
noon Hopley Dean suffered suffocat-
ing sense of newness. His clothes
were fire new, his car likewise; he
had driven it along a new street in a
town that, old on the map, was wholly
new to his experience. Moreover, he
had in his pocket many new business
make new acquaintance promising
much profit.
The first of these potential acquain-
tances were however ancient, indeed
almost venerable, in the eyes of their
neighbors. This partly from age.
partly also from the fact that they had
owned a farm where now the street
ran, and had been too canny to sell a
foot of it-all the new homes were
leaseholds. on long and easy terms, to
be sure, but inalienabie without a
by-your-leave to the first owners.
Hopley had gone straight from col
lege into real estate-and with great
success, Send Hop o. My Thumb
he'll fetch EN- had grown to be an
office jest when things kinked or
had surely a way. Yet he was not a
bit spoiled-all the witchcraft he ever
used was a CHEEKY manner, a pleasant,
soft voice, breathing Difference before
it could be spoken. and a spirit of
genuine fairness, exc of kindlinesS-he
would go a mile to do pyramids that
could profit him nothing.
Naturally Hay & Hawkins cherished
him, gave him the cream of their
business never batted an eye over ex-
stretched weekend leave a day or so.
The firm was, happily, daughterless-
else it is safe to guess there would
have been a battle royal for the
Hopley prize.
A power in the big city, the firm yet
ran strongly to developments. Hence
Hopleys presence here. where still the
scent of roses and the tang of ripe
fruit haunted the summer air. Today
his quarry was to be the Finley sis
ters-three single ladies-no whit IN
certain either, as to their ages or their
business. He stepped inside their
gate, smiling a little at the house front
lit was of the solidest red brick and
was redeemed from forbiddingness
only by a brick penthouse above the
entrance that was as humorous as a
gargoyle.
Hopley grinned ingratiatingly at it
before lifting the big brass knocker.
Three times he knocked in vain. AS
he turned to leave he heard faint
singing from somewhere back, so
picked his way along a reRrward path
| that brought him presently into a
wilderness of trees, shrubs and vines,
then ran on to a prim kitchen garden
that ended lower down in a tangle of
PAAAAA c1hN DI4CI lA14ChSlS. AL JULIA w
cherry tree rose tall and slim from
the middle of the thickets. 1t was
loaded with dead ripe fruit-so
darkly red it was black. And up in
the very tip there was a boy in over
ais singing and swinging perilously by
| one hand and foot, the while the
other hand plundered the twigs
| farthest out of reach.
Again Hop1ey grinned-cherries,
dead ripe ones, were his special weak
| calling as he went: Throw down a
| hatful, sonny-Tn pay you all right.
I'd climb for 'em myself if the tree
had room for us both"
Sonny started yisibly-swung too
far out and over. lost foothold, chung
by both hands to the trunk. which
branched a little below, and brought
half of it down with a. crash upon
Hopley's head. The overalled one lay
prone upon the plum boughs, but
rolled from them to earth, and
| crawled out, saying angrily: I'D like
| to know what you are here for?''
"Cherriesi The same as you"
Hopley began-then stopped short,
blushing crimson. Inside the overalls
| there was no boy. but a. girl, pretty in
spite of a scratched face. a snub nose,
and sleeve ripped out of the dress
| underneath her disguise.
you're a ninny!' she said sue
cinctly. I'm a freebooter Just that.
did want cherries-less to eat than to
gather them so-offered those three
| old cats ten dollars to let me do it
they turned me down cold-any way
they hate Granny and all her works
so when saw them go off in their
old chariot I put on these" looking
proudly at her outer integument,
land came-for the good of their
SOULS,
How happened it you had 'em ?'
Hopley asked with twinkling eyes.
"Lou-thats the other one OF us,