The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-26
EDcning Story
An Incorruptible Thief.
BY MARTHA McC. WILLIAMS.

/
Jane came down the steps. She made
a face at the singer. then gave him
her profile. a creamy camera against
her red sunshade, as she said: why
don't you tell her yourself? Remem-
| Der, procrastination is thief of time
and no time like the present"
please, I'm singin' to my dog
Rough-Neck. trying to train him. You
/ interrupt" the singer returned sadly,
J (which is very bad--for both of US.
| 'Tention, Roughy--you go tell, but
don't say it with floWers-and you
| haven't words enough. That's lucky
she looks at you som'p'n awful when
you venture on candied speech"
Don't you mean candida Jane
broke in. The dog trainer frowned
and shook his head. Il know what 1
mean-Roughy's the one that has to
listen hard. -say-it-with
| flowers. She has all the flowers-and
then some. But she has also fine,
almost athletic appetite-so recall the
time when you fetched home to me a
| three-pound porterhouse steak-and
repeat the performance for her bene-
80 that's how you do it! No won
der you're such pals with Roughly"
Jane cried Joyously. But aren't you
silly-to share such a provider with
anybody"
"Dear girl. there is method in my
madness" Roughy's master explained
airily. "It has suddenly dawned on
me that your offishness. your positive
indifference in me is based on a
craven fear of scant ratiops. Cupid
solus is VIGOROUSLY an Indifferent
commissary-bu Cupid plus Roughly,
once you know what he can do"
81 see," from Jane. st also see that
a prosperous future will depend very
much on a happy choice of neighbors.
LOT 20
where such dissipatPons as porter
house steaks were religiously froWned
on?"
why! We might make out on legs
of lamb-at a pinch-or even a fine
fat fowl. A real chicken L fear
Captain Bledsoe explained. 'At least
he did-one time. 1 suppose his con-
science excused him-real chickens
being such rare birds"
How did you find out ?" Jane
asked. pretending anxiety.
Bledsoe sighed. HE was tracked"
he said. THAT seemed to me feloni-
Demonstrating we were service men.
But the lady, party of the other part,
said we owed her five dollars-two
for the bird and the balance for the
wear and tear on her feelings at doing
without it,"
Jane swept him a courtesy. 'It's
glad am you two got your come-up-
pance one time" she said in the best
manner of Nora the cook. And hope
also it teached ye lesson-three dol
lars of chicken neither of ye ate is
sinful extravaganza"
lit is. You ought to save us from
such things in future" Bledsoe ac-
quiesced,
over her shoulder Jane Lander,
spoiled beauty and heiress flung back
at him: I'm think about it-provided
you don't put it on the ground of pa
triottc philanthropy"
mo danger of that-just pure plain
philanthropy-which means, you
know, love of your fellow man." Bled-
soc called after her, Whistling Roughly
to heel and marching away in the
other direction. He was riotous--
drunken with happiness. Free from
gives that had threatened to hold him
for life. He had laughed in the face
Of them even as he had laughed IN
the face of hideous death, always
leading, tho he might crawl thru a
hail of bullets. spar.ng his men where
and how he might, but never sparing
himself There seemed a magic in
such haraihood-he had come back
without scratch-witheut also the
precious trinkets, orders, crosses,
what not-Which he called hardware
de luxe''-that rewarded other men
of no greater courage nor daring.
Fesolutely refused to tell of his own
exploits. More had begged silence of
the others who might have spoken.
They had obeyed, not too cheerfuily,
until he said to them: II want to go
back myself, and all of you who lived
thru with me, knowing and feeling
that nothing can distinguish us more
than the title of plain American citi-
zen. If any of you don't agree with
me, I'll help you get the hardware
Corn it? Not a bit-just feel that it
doesn't fit my peculiar style of beau
ty"
So he escaped. other things he did
not escape. One of them, sweet and
twenty, piquantly pretty, with an
adorable way of murmuring broken
English, had made him believe him
self fathoms deep in love. They had
him when a doting grandmother could
be prevailed on to let her leave. He
had meant to keep faith-he had kept
it indeed, until Jane had daWned-a
sun putting out all lesser lights.
Now Feiice had written a tear
blotted brief note. She could not have
grandmere - besides there was the
young count. Ever SO grand a family
with a chateau - handsome, and
deep in love with her, tho she had not
yet spoken with him-had seen him
but once. Bledsoe kissed the paper
there. albeit he was normally vain,
murmuring half aloud: s"rhank the
Lord for titles and ehaLeaux and
things. Three rousing cheers, and
then some, to all the aristocracy."
Then only he had set about counting
Jane in earnest. Earlier he had felt
it would be insult. Now in the very
back of his consciousness he wondered
if his scruples might not cost him his
happiness. He was in no fear of
the ruek swarming after her, but
( Tah . la evil 70
once his mind was made up not to be
beaten. He had shown that overseas
no less than Bledsoe himself
When one speaks or even thinks of
the sun, sometimes one beholds his
rays A motor-horn viciously insis-
tent, made Bledsoe turn to face Jane
and Lapsley, reckoning to him and
| laughing hard. "You-you have to
show u.s." Jane painted: 1.-The major
says you're an immortal 1iar-about