The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-07-25
EDening
At the Crossroads.
By A. w. PEACH.


Barton Ellis looked with somber
eyes thru his office window at the
tall building beyond the square, with
his thoughts on the problem before
him. He knew that he had come TO
the crossroads, and the road that IN
vtted him was not the road that he
wanted to take.
In lire with his gaze was the dark
hair and round cheek of the girl who
was worth far more than the meager
salary he had been able to pay her
from his lawyers income. She had
| been faithful to him; and a quiet COM
radeship had grown up between them
until the thought of losing her had be-
come constant worry to him.
He turned to the papers on his
desk. The estate which had been in
| his care was to be settled. He had
handled it so we'll that 1t had yielded
| SO, 900 more than any one would sus-
pect. BY emitting that account from
his papers, the $4,000 would be his,
and no one in the world would ever be
| the wiser. With that money he could
place himself in a position that would
| bring more opportunity, end his pres
| ent hand-to-mouth struggle and make
possible. perhaps home. and In
spite of himself he glanced at the
| dark head and watched the white,
capable fingers busy over his letters.
He withdrew from the papers in
front of him a set of three, and folded
the others into the envelope. The
Precipitation broke out over him. and
he wayered; then he sealed the en-
velope. His foresight had made pos
sible the thousands. They would be
| his.
The golden glory of the late sunset
| touched the great building beyond the
green square. He closed his desk
with a trembling hand, and turned.
Time to quit, Ruth. Suppose we
go to lunch together" he suggested.
She looked up with a smile from
eyes over which the long lashes laid
lines, please" she said, land I'll be
ready
Outside the building they turned in
the direction of favorite restaurant.
On the way he came to a mail box,
and he held the long envelope ready
to drop it in. For q second he paused,
then he dropped the letter in and
started quickly along.
! Over the shaded table in the quiet
corner of the little restaurant he faced
| her. Never had she seemed so sweet,
wholesome and sincere to him with
the memory of his own guilt upon
him.
Ruth, sometimes wonder why you
are willing to help me when you could
command better conditions and salary
than 1 can give you," he queried.
| She lifted her direct gaze. PLEASE
|
you have a future before you, and
want to be in it, she answered.
| His future" The phrase hurt as
he thought of what lay in the dark
ness of the niailbox. He turned the
conversation, and they chatted of this
and that, the nothings that make up
life" until they parted.
The next day at his office the bot
tom fell out of the sky, for she sent
him word that she would not be at the
office. His own sense of guilt heavy
upon him, he figured frantically on
ways by which she might have dis
| covered his act. But the day after
she appeared the same winsome COM
forting presence that had come to
mean so much to him.
On that day he received his Sec
ond shock. On that day into his office
came the sray-headed Mclean head
of the great investment firm of the
to business.
ELLIS, happen to know of the fine
way you handled the Dartmore estate.
It was a clean ten or twelve thousand
above what was normally expected.
We've decided to make you our legal
agent here and the retainer will be
satisfactory" he added. naming sun,
that made Ellis catch his breath. "Of
course you will accept"
"Why. yes, I'll be proud to-" the
lawyer managed to say. Then, max
ling an appointment for later in the
day, Mr.. Mclean departed.
When the whirling room had settled
Ellis came to with a gasp. He had
not sent the money, and yet the gruff
Scotchman had referred to it. What
could be-
He looked in the direction of Ruth,
to find her dark head turned in his
81 couldn't help hearing. Barton.
What glorious Opportunity" she
said eagerly.
But something in her eyes-a look
beyond his analysis struck thru him
sense of great hurt-of love in
agony.
He sprang to his feet with single
cry. ''Ruth!''
She came to him with a rush, hiding
her face against his coat, while his
arms pressed her tighter and tighter
to him.
"Ruth-you know"
Her head moved on his shoulder.
His heart sank from light down into
shadows that no human plun1met can
ever sound; but the chill that went
over him brought the dead calm of
despair.
Tell me. You saved me, but how ?''
he begged.
papers," she said. and then breath
lessly she told him how she had with
drawn her own small fortune left her
by her father and how making use OF
her experience in his office she had
seen to it that the administrators OF
the estate had the>money. Her abb
sence had been on the errand. Her
work had brought Mclean.
Across the square the sunset thrust
again its farewell glow-he shfvered
a bit. You saved me-and here in
the desk is the meney I planned to
steal" he said with the iron in his
, voice and soul. And now 1 must lose
you, 1 suppose, but God knows-"
She lifted a Swallowed but tender
face to him. But IL don't want to
be-to be LOST"
At the word he caught her again to
him, and with her he knew that
cleansed and strengthened, his feet
were to tread the old. old road of toll