The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-07
THE EVENING STORY
The Light of the Moon.
IBy Stacy Z. Baker.l


The Light of the Moon.
[By Stacy E. Baker.]
Annie Hartwell, behind the curtains
of her chamber, saw the strange young
man deliberately pull up her cherished
pansies and throw them away. All this
happened in the dim light of the wan
ing moon.
At breakfast the next morning she
stared CIR ously at her mothers guest.
Her anger was gone. She merely Won
dered at the mania possessing the
youth.
Folwell was gt cd looking He did iict
look like a monomaniac. He seemed
unusually we'll balanced and thorough
~ rostei. His gray eyes we're frank
to point of positive candor, and they
did not belle him. The youthful, well
proportioned frame of Eolwer WIS call
cula.ted to appeal to any normal-mind-
ed maid Annie had been quite won to
this visitor from the city.
Even now, after having caught him
in the very act of vandalism, she mere.
~ wondered at the motive. Had one of
her local admirers attempted this sac
r:lege he would have been properly
grilled at the first opportunity and ban
ished.
Felix Folwell was an entire stranger
to the Hartwells. He had come to them
in their dainty Fairview home with
letters Of introduction from mutual
friends in the city, and he had conse-
o'leIItly been accorded all the privileges
OF an old acquaintance.
The brow Of Annie wrinkled into
thoughtful frown as she reviewed the
events of the several days that this
youth had been with them. Reflective
ly. she eyed the ravished panSy bed.
DO I intruder"
The girl turned calm eyes to the Ques
toner.
mot at ALL 1 am in somewhat of
ra, Ao,~ N a
AS you see, some p erson, or ANIMAL, has
ruthlessly destroyed MY flower bed l
am inclined to think it the former. See
the footprints
preston on the mans face as he bent
above the ruined plot
"Beastly joke" he CALCULATED at last,
and raised his frank eyes to meet her
own. I'm sure 1 can't understand
Nor l." came from the girl. but
she wondered greatly that she still
felt no anger against this youth. The
subject was dropped.
Felix Folwell seemed to have no
mission in the town. His introduce
tory letters intimated that he was
young man of fortune, and that this
country trip-Griggsville was small
town-was advised by a physician
who had decreed quiet for the young
man.
Folwen looked the very antithesis
suspicion concealed behind the calm
of her eyes, noted this.
Did you sleep well last EVENING""
she probed some time after the pansy
dialogue was over.
The visitor favored her with a
keen, almost analytical glance. Pretty
WE'LL he answered smoothly. Why"
"Oh, nothing"
That night, by the light of the
moon, the girl was again the silent
"a to- VIC az
on the part of the New Yorker.
Her eyes were focused on a great
lilac bush when it suddenly crashed
heavily to the ground. Startled, she
stared at its destroyer, Folwell who
was now disclosed with spade in his
hand on the other side of the fallen
shrub. AS she gazed, the guest
shouldered his implement and march
ed serenely away.
Annie Hartwell was angry-terribly,
furiously angry. The perfect contour
of her face was distorted by the mad
tumult of suppressed feelings. She felt
that she could not wait until morning
to tell this man what she thought of
him.
But in the morning she did nothing
of the kind, for the explanation of
this mans strange behavior had sud
denly come to her, Folwell-how sim
pie, and how surprising that she had
not thought of it sooner-was SOM
nambulist, sleep walker. She did
not attempt to define the feeling of
relief that came to her with the
thought.
Annie, at the breakfast table, cast
a compassionate glance across at the
visitor. Doubtless. the youth was on
the very verge of a nervous break
down. She reproached herself for
having been suspicious of him.
On this day the youth vanished from
the house and did not reappear until
evening. Annie had no chance to talk
with him The house seemed strange
" lonely and deserted during the alb
sence of their guest.
Folwell at last returned, hot, tired
and dusty. He offered no excuse for
having absented himself without ex-l
planning to his hostess that he would
not return to lunch-and none was de-
manded.
That night Annie again took up her
vigil behind the curtains of her bou-
doir. Presently, through the murk of
the dim night, she discovered her
guest strolling leisurely up and down
the lawn.
Annie HartweH. prepared for just
this had not disrobed. Hurriedly she
tripped out through the French win
dow into the night, fiinging a gauzy
scarf about her as she did SO. She
Joined the youth. Somewhere she had
read that sleep walkers were always
unconscious of others in their imme-
date proximity. and also that it was
not safe to wake them.
The youth quickly proved the fall
knowledge. 'wh-why." he gasped,
suddenly turning as the girl Joined