The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-28
EDening Story
Gas a Thief in the NIGHT.
BY MARTHA Mcc. WILLIAMS.

half way up the clean brick walk
who could be following SO close be-
hind? Turning square about she saw
a man, tall and thinnish, STOPPING a
little from the weight of things swung
over his shoulders. who halted as she
faced him, asking uncertainty, Are
you Mrs. Dancy? And did you get my
letter."
7 am mott did not. Janet an
swered imperatively. My name is
Ross, but live here with Mrs Dancy.
! No letter has come from anybody
within the last three days. I know,
because Z take the mail from the
box"
The nan gasped fainty-he was
breathing hard. as tho spent. 81
might have guessed as much" he said.
There was nobody to meet me, but
l blundered On; tell me, please, what
had better do
"Sit down first-anything else de-
had burdens enough already without
taking on those of a stranger. She
noted amid the heterogeneous burden
he thankfully dropped a folding easel.
a sketchbook and Sundry odd-shaped
parcels, in addition TO a fine leather
bag, much scuffed and plastered half
over with vari-colored labels. He
slumped palpably on the bench placed
in the curve of the path where the
Grape myrtle shaded it. Before she
had settled what to say he went on:
Il was advised to come here-ciimate
and quiet and that sort of thing. you
know. I'm not exactly a tramp. but
when you're just out after six weeks
in hospital you're pretty much all in"
Naturally" Janet commented
You would like to stay here a
while?"
las long as my money will let me-"
the newcomer broke in. MY name is
ILoudon-not that it matters-I sketch
and draw things, for illustrations you
| know. Jimmy Burton sent me- here;
he is kin to Mrs. Dancy-
Il know" Janet in turn interrupted
THAT being the case, I am sure you
can stay. At least until you are
strong again-she is very hospitable
Wait here, L will send her to you; YOU
can set things straight quicker face
to face"
By such means fate set Joseph
Loudon down in the softly scented
summer foothills, where every day
had its own Communications un-
| like all other days. The sun was the
miracle worker helpec by clouds and
followed others OF tbs ciearest azure,
| stormy sunsets, riotously coIored, SUI
pervened after mornings so perfect
the weatherwise foreknew their
treachery. Pine scent came in hot
| gusheS from the background noun
tains, ever looming enchanted. And
all about was the still yet pulsing life
OF the countryside, inhabited fully but
nowhere crowded. An oasis of con-
tentment it seemed TO Loudon-he
was so wearied of strange tongues,
strange cities, the stir and clash of
changing human tides. Here there
was neither poverty nor riches.
Rather spare yet thrifty plenty, ex-
mailing the wholesome perfume of rest
| after labor and joy in morning light.
| DanRV sill -I,oi ,-aI
| motherly, had taken him almost liter
| ally to her heart. He bettered magi-
cally under her cher1sning, accepting
at so gratefully he could but wonder
| how Janet Ross managed to hold it
| aloof- A queer girl, he decided; not
handsome, nor brilliant, yet with po-
| tentialities. At first he had set her
| down as chine-made-the type
ground out in rnyriads by the mill of
| school and college. But presently he
] had surprised something of reality
that showed him depths almost tragic
heights that might be dangerously
11luring. But these discoveries neither
explained nor justified her civilly re-
pressed antagonism to the older wo-
man. He gathered casually that she
had grown up in the aouse; she was
evidently free of it, yet ne had some
how sense that her position was
| something anomalous. When the rare
| visitors came she almost immediately
vanished, making never an excuse
But that was less surprising than hss
solitary vigils; she occupied the Sc
cluded east wing, whose windows
were always lighted long after mid
night.
! Back to working strength, sLoudon
ceased to speculate about her He
was still the fair-haired boy of his
kind hostess-she thought nothing a
trouble that added to his comfort
Her low-swung carriage and easy-go-
ing ponies took him far and wide, up
hill, down dale, seeking out beauty
spots and trying to preserve some OF
their charm. Commonly Nose, the
black house boy, drove, lettering
afterward to wait upon the painter
serving sometimes as model, ofteneT
as messenger or man of all work
Loudon was mighty tempted to gos-
sip with the lad, but held his curl
osity in check-it would be dastardly
to pry into things the woman who
was SO kind evidently cared to keep
hidden.
1ate-August morning of lowering
nists and growing thunder. Mrs.
| Dancy reused him saying, fushedly,
her face ashen: wake up! You
you must take Janet-she won't go
with me and she must not go
alone" falling there into choking
silence. In daze Loudon obeyed.
Presently he was driving thru the
1 stormy dawn. furiously, toward the
station Janet crouched beside him,
here eyes burning in a stony face. A
mile from the house she broke out,
You ought not to be here. Go back.
| Nobody should go with me upon such
an errand.">
Let me Judge for both of u.s.
| Loudon answered: 'I do not ask what
it is-only know there is great need"
| But you must know" Janet said:
! 'T go, God be thanked. to see nv
mother die. She had life sentence
for murder. Now wiz you turn
| back?"
mot If an army tried to stop me-
Loudon said, looking away from her.
"She-she killed my father-when
1 was six weeks old. She was not his
wife. You know his wife-the excel
lently compassionate Mrs. Dancy.
and Mrs. Dancy knew everything.
| She was rich and madly in love, and