The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-07-25
EUening Story
At the Crossroads.

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
vited him was not the road that he
wanted to take.
In line with his gaze was the dark
hair and round cheek OF the girl VINO
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 a 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 well that it had yielded
$4,000 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 position that would
bring more opportunity, end his pres
ent hand-to-mouth struggle and make
possible, perhapS-a 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
perspiration broke out over him. and
he wavered; 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, cuth- Suppose we
go to lunch together" he suggested.
She looked up with a smile from
eyes over which the long lashes laid
their darkness. Just three more
lines, please she said, ''and I'll be
| ready"
Outside the building they turned in
the direction of a favorite restaurant.
| On the way he came to a mail box,
and he held the long envelope ready
to drop it in. Fer a 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.
are willing to help me when you could
command better conditions and salary
than I can give you" he queried.
| She lifted her direct gaze. PLEASE
don't talk shop. IL LIKE think
you have 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 mailbox. 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
III - -I,. = l.
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 gray-headed Mclean head
of the great investment firm of the
north of the state. Quickly he came
to business.
Ellis. I happen to know of the fine
way you handled the Dartmore estate
1t 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 a sum
that made Ellis catch his breath. lot
course you will accept %
I w N.Y. yes, IL De PROUD the
lawyer managed to say. Then, max
ing 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 grufi
Scotchman had referred to it. What
He looked IN the direction of Ruth,
to find her dark head turned in hi.
direction.
/ ST couldn't help hearing. Barton
What glorious opportunity" she
said eagerly.
But something in her eyes-a look
beyond his analysis struck thru him
a sense of great hurt-of love in
agony.
He sprang to his feet with a single
cry. ''Ruthi't
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 plummet car
ever sound; but the chill that went
over him brought the dead calm OF
despair.
TELL me. You saved me. but how? p
he begged.
"You forgot that I had seen the
papers," she said, and then breath.
lessly she told him how she had with.
drawn her own small fortune left hel
by her father and how making use Of
her experience in his office she had
seen to 1t that the administrators o.
the estate had the money. Her alb
sence had been on the errand. Hel
work had brought Mclean.
Across the square the sunset thrus
again its farewell glow-he shiveret
|, a bit. You saved me-and here il
, the desk is the money I planned Il
steal" he said with the iron in hi
, voice and soul. "And now I must los,
you, suppose, but God Knows
, face to him. But IL don't want t.
. be-to be Iosti''
At the word he caught her again t,
/ him. and with her he knew tina
cleansed and strengthened, his fee
. ...o-.a -. nId nid IL a,i