The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-09
TIE EVENING ST0R Y


ueeps powerful ana mysterious tuSBco.
at the frail little craft. But Harvell
did not heed the call. The darkness
was deep, yet luminous. with the
promise of an early moon, and the
night wind that swept from shoreward
was sweet and heavy with the frag-
rance of blooming rushes.
Harvell stared upwards to the stars,
every sense as keenly alive to the
beauty of the scene as If mind and
heart had not been Gsven over for days
to the problem which he had thrown
himself into the canoe to solve. Final
" he stirred restlessly and said half
aloud:
mo. it's no use; I can't do it.. She is
too fine and thoroughbred for a great,
common born chap like me to marry
And-no, even if she should be willing,
which is an insane thought on my part,
I've no right to let her sacrifice her
self I'll stay until tomorrow and then
plead business and disappear.
There was a little stir near the pier,
as of the underbrush. then a woman's
voice, wonderfully clear and sweet:
Lets sit here and wait for the moon
to rise. The bungalow is so close ana
hot tonight
Harvell caught his breath It was
she. The voice that replied he recog-
nized as that of his married sister, who
was chaperoning the bungalow party.
You haven't been yourself at all
Margaret, during the entire week.
Il know it, Agnes" The voice, with
its tired note, was very touching, and
Harvell stirred restlessly. I'm useless
to myself and every one else-every
one else" she repeated, as If to her
"Oh. nonsense. Peggy. you are too
fine and wholesome to talk SO. wish
'' Agnes stopped as If not daring
to go on.
you to help me to steal off tonight,
Agnes. l want to go home-and may
join the Westburys and go to Paris
The stage goes down at nine, and L am
going to catch it and steal on without
a word to any one. Please, Agnes
The perspiration started to Harvells
face as he strained his ears to catch
Agnes reply. When it came he gasped
Sometimes I think brother Paul is a
fool!"
Margaret's voice was stern. agnes.
I wish you would never mention Paul
Harven's name to me. Il but her
voice was growing too faint for the
man in the canoe to distinguish ner
words, strive as he would.
They've started back to the bunga-
low he thought. Il am a cad to have
listened even this much. But anyhow,
I've lived up to the adage. 1 wonder
why I'm a fool2"
Suddenly a realizing sense of Margar-
cts words came to him. She was going
away Going within an hour, and all
that he had been feeling for a year was
unsaid. For a moment his stern resolve
of the early evening was forgotten.
Then he sat erect, every muscle tense
with stress of feeling.
Its better so,' he said, bitterly. Its
my business to begin to forget II she
never wants TO hear my name again."
He looked off toward the bank, then
gave a startled exclamation. The pier
had disappeared. His canoe was float
ing rapidly down stream, while his pad
die was safely locked in the boat house.
Il must be almost on the rapids" ne
thought With the thought the boat
turned the bend that had shut off the
sound of the falls, and the canoe was IN
the whirlpool. To swim was out Of the
question, for in the river here was a
mass of Jagged rocks hidden in seething
water. Almost instantly the canoe was
broken and capsized. HarTell, dazeo
and bruised, chung to a projecting rock
that had wrecked him. Fight as he
would with all the force of his wonder
fu1 physique. he was dashed again and
again upon the stones. Y ct as he fought
he was conscious of only one thought:
Il must get there. I must have just
one word with Margaret before she
goes
Then he gave cry Of remembrance
He with the other men of the camp
ing party, had been planning foot
bridge across the rapids. The week be-
fore, with infinite toll. they had laid
a single line of heavy planks on the
They were not yet fastened in any way,
their heavy weight serving to balance
them fairly we'll on the stones The
darkness not yet lightened by the moon,
concealed the planks but clinging des-
perately with one hand, Harvell felt
about with the other and by rare
good luck found a plank, wet and
slippery with spray, on a neighboring
self out Of the water, inch by inch,
until at last he crouched on the great
stone and felt the lettering plank.
Then on hands and knees he started
for the shore. Blinded by sprays this
planks half turning so that he could
only pause, struggling with rigid mus
cles for balance, Harvell craWled along
the footwide planks. And with each
pause came new encouragement. Mar
Earet would surely be gone In q panic
of haste he slipped and fought his way,
now half in the boiling water, half on
the Shiny rocks now again on the
plankway gaining toward his goal foot
by foot. At last, one final spring and
he felt again the solid earth beneath
him Without thought Of his dripping
clothing he started on his half mile run
through the woods to the bungalow
IF the moon would only came up
he thought as he tore his way through
the heavy underbrush. Tiff only I
am not too late. am going to tell
I am a fool suppose-oh, here is the
stage road"
On up the sandy road, his clothes half
dry with his rapid pace. then with the
great edge of the summer moon peer
ing over the top of the pines, he per-
cefved a dim figure standing by the
roa dside. The figure shrunk back q
little at the sight of the man stormfng
up the road HarveH paused.
Margaret" he cried.
YES" answered, quietly, the sweet,
clear voice that never failed to thrill
him.
Margaret. why do you go?''
Margaret. too surprised by his sudden
appearance to be startled by his knowl-
edge of her movements, made no reply.
Because" HarveIl plunged on, II an
noy you with attention, because I hang
on your every word and glance, be-
cause am an ordinary chap with no
ar.caztnra nd 1-n11 are the 1aaxanaaiEna-