The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-03
Eocning Story
The Show Place of the Town.

BY LAURA REID MONTGOMERY.
Some nerve, I'd say" came Jim
SINNERS indignant voice. 81 always
expect deposit from strangers, and
you ask me to advance you IS until
the bank is open again. 1 may look
green, stranger. but that's going too
far. Run along and try the next town."
why, man, used to live here.
Any of the old neighbors will tell you
I'm ALL
Daisy had lifted her head as the
well-known voice fell upon her ears.
She sat motionless a moment, then
jumped up and pushed the parlor door
open more widely. The innkeeper had
turned to his register, refusing to give
his attention to the well dressed young
man, who was regarding him with q
mixture of anger and amusement.
George" cried the girl, then step
ped back shyly as she remembered the
years of silence that lay between
them.
The man crossed the dingy floor in
a few rapid strides. How are your"
he said. Il have had a streak of bad
luck, and this hotel man seems to
think I'm a dead beat. 1 intended to
patronize his hotel for a few days
Come up to our house." urged
Daisy, noting with pitiful eyes that, de-
spite the zero weather, he wore no
| overcoat. His suit was of excellent
material and cut, as were his shoes,
but he looked chilled and hungry.
Stay a few days with us until you
get rested up, mother will be delight
ed to zee you again. Have you been
abroad all this timer"
The mans face held an odd ex-
preston as he silently accompanied
her up the snoW-packed path. High
piles of snow on either side intensified
the impression of bitter cold and the
snow creaked and crunched as they
| hurried along. You are sure your
mother won't think I'm intruding?"
| he asked as the coy brown cottage
with it's steep roof, snow-covered,
doomed before him.
''Of course not: it's too cold to talk
| here" returned Daisy, wondering how
he stood che cold without an overcoat
| or gloves. Come right into the sit
! ting room; we have a big fire there"
Mrs. Torrance welcomed him as
placidly as tho she had seen him yes
terday. ''Sit up near the fire" she
smiled, we've got an extra good din
ner today. I'm glad I made deep apple
pies. I remember how you used 10
| like them" she turned the hampers
in the big glowing stove so that a
wave of heat streamed out at the be-
numbed couple, and hustled off to the
kitchen.
Daisy. now that they were alone
was seized with an agony of shyness
What would he think of her for inter-
| fering and dragging him off to her
| homer She glanced up from under
her red-brown lashes only to mee4
fully his gaze which did not waver.
This is mighty pleasant, Daisy, al
tho my homecoming is a trifle differ
| ent than 1 had planned it. On the
train L fell asleep and the man who
had shared my seat got off at Dixon
and stole my overcoat and my bill
| fold. The bank is closed, as it's 4
! holiday, and tomorrow is Sunday. Tha:
| is why"
Don't worry" interrupted Daily
wishing to save him humiliation, "you
can get work here and we'll love to
have you make. US a visit. Perhaps
f 9s5hsr VIZ me- / some some one in til. the
| But broke in George hastily.
! Did you see much fighting?" inter
rupted Daisy. Evidently George had
failed to make good after he had been
mustered out and she felt the age old
urge to comfort the man whom she
had dreamed of thru the years of her
girIhood.
Again the queer expression fitted
over his bronzed face, but a quick
| flashing smile replaced this so swiftly
that she fancied she had imagined it.
Tell me, Daisy, did you wait for me %
| to the rudy stoves altho the forgot
ten hampers were sending out showers
of grateful warmth.
| George, studying her ingenious
blush, felt a sudden warmth in his
| heart. This Homecoming, altho -marred
at first by his encounter with the
sneak thief, was better than die had
pictured it when on the long journey.
! His eyes Travelled from the slim, ring
less left hand and fell upon the old
fashioned man eli nth its sea-
shells and a glass covered cross of
| dim black velvet covered with climb
| ing wax flowers with fragile white
petals. That cross had stood there
since he had been a small chap, and
the sight of IT. in its accustomed place
brought a storm of old, happy memo
rfes back to the man who had seen
some of the finest show places on the
continent There is no place like
home" he said at last bringing his
81 .os9c94l SN