Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-10-04

Dy MS evil SplrllS!
So l walked through the tiny garden
of the house had leased. l. threaded
the maze OF miniature flower beds,
stepped over baby streams, brushed
past dwarfed trees. until came to the
bamboo fence that had gate in it.
Through the gate l passed into a
back lane much used by tradespeople
and bordered on either side by straight
young pear trees.
The moon shone down through the
trees, and the leaves flickered on the
path under my feet. A fresh sweet
breeze brushed my cheek. 1t was all
very beautiful and peaceful. One did
not want to think of fox women or
other evil demons on a night like this.
The pear bordered lane ended in the
grove of dark cedars, and entered the
grove with an Involuntary thrill, for
the moon only threaded the thick
foliage here and there and made
delicate tracery CT light on the slip
perry needles underfoot.
When the trees had closed quite
around me l was prepared for almost
anything to happen except what really
did happep.
All at once l was conscious that I
was not alone. Some living thing was
near me, something that moved and
breathed and had life.
looked down and saw nothing.
looked up and saw the moonlight
filtering through the boughs. Hooked
to the right of me-nothing. l whirled
around to the left-nothing! And yet
/ could have sworn something disap-
peared beyond my reach with every
movement made.
l spread out my arms and whirled
like a dervish and some sound came
out of the dim grove of cedars. 1t
sounded like a soft chuckle.
! paused then and argued with my
self against the cold terror that was
/ creeping up my spine in spite of the
strong common sense l thought l pos
| sessed.
| Something was in the grove with me.
| What it was | would discover even II
! l had to gaze upon the face of the fox
woman herself If the fox woman was
| a spirit. she would be cold and dead
and lifeless She would not be warm
and breathing and vital as was the
person or thing that was near me.
l would find out.
Whistling carelessly l walked slowly
on and almost instantly felt the pres
ence close beside me again. Now l
was sure that it walked behind and as
| we were coming to an open moonlit
space l waited until we reached 1t.
Then l turned suddenly and looked.
And l saw the fox woman. She had
the form of a graceful woman and her
gown was rich with gold embroidery.
She wore queer sort of silk hood and
from the hood there peered her face.
1t was dreadful | cannot describe 1t.
but when looked upon it knew she
was the fox woman. the evil spirit
! who had inspired such terror in the
heart of my simple servant. | did not
blame him.
i was scared myself
Then with sudden impulse grasp
ed her armand ii was warm flesh be-
meath the silken sleeve. Shes struggled
to free herself. but held on and drew
her into the moonlight. tore of the
silken hood. and with it came her aw.
full face.
Then there shrank before me the
form of a frightened japanese woman
not a spirit-but a woman in the flesh
/ made her turn her face to the moon
light and then | smiled.
For 1t was O-Honu's pretty wife who
had so frightened us in the horrid dis
guise.
She wept stormily when reproached
her. Her pride was injured that
should have unmasked her. At last
she swore me to secrecy and told me
the story
1t seems that O-Honu had smiled
upon a pretty servant maid in my
house. and his wife was intensely
Jealous. She had masqueraded as the
fox woman. hoping that he would be
frightened and take 1t as a warning
not to fiirt with the pretty servant. She
had frightened him and was still linger-
ing in the grove watching TO see If he
would hasten 10 his home when / had
come forth and surprised her.
She had taken me for her husband
for / was wearing a japanese cloak
/ was glad that there was something
tangible for me to work upon. This
was something could handle. With
a real fox woman TO deal with I could
have accomplished nothing. / promis-
ed O-Honu's wife that all would be
well with them hereafter and that
would keep her secret.
She hurried home 10 meet her hus-
band. while | made haste to return
and discharge the pretty servant maid
who was causing trouble in the sober
routine of O-Honu's daily life.
After awhile O-Houu came back to
me a sobered man. Occasionally he
looks over his shoulder In the twilight,
and know he is watching for the fox
woman.
But SO long as he behaves himself
as circumspectly as he is now doing
am sure he will never see her again.
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