The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-10-26
EVENING STORY
As the Moon Rose
(RX Melitabel putnam.

peered cautiously around group OF
rhododendrons and caught glimpse
of white in the shadow of the hem-
locks To his excited fancy, 1t seemed
almost phosphorescent in the deepen
| ing dusk 1t dazzled his eyes and
dazed his brain, already sick with
suspense.
! Then the tension snapped and he
sank Imply into a garden chair. She
| had meant it after all! He had feared
| another evasion. He had not liked the
| CLINT in her eyes as she said
IF it really is important, meet me
under the hemlocks as the moon rises.
Mind, now, Not an instant sooner,
not an instant later. It's my lucky
| hour. Luna is my patron saint, you
| know. And be very careful what you
say. Don't dare speak my name The
moon maids don't like to be called by
| name. 1t breaks the SPELL"
| Impish she had looked and impish-
| ly she had laughed; but she had meant
| it after all. The chase was ended.
| With all her frivolity, Madge was hon.
est and kind at heart. Not once be-
| fore had she seemed to yield in the
| least, and she would not lead him on
now if she meant him harm, he was
sure.
Yes, the chase was ended. The
thing was as good as done. He drew
out cigar and, chewing it nervously.
settled himself to await the appointed
| IOuT WITH what SIOlClSn ne could mus
| ter. His thoughts, so long bound to
one narrow track. were suddenly re-
| leased, and fluttered about aimlessly,
| like long-caged birds Unexpectedly set
free.
| Perpetual puzzle, he unused, that
one bit of fantastic femininity should
SO flustr man long immune to the
rest of fascinating sisterhood. In this
! case, there positively was no account
ling for it. He was perfectly able to
L
mitted frankly that Madge was not so
beautiful, not so charming. not go
good. not in any way so desirable as
well, for instance, Marian Citing.
A subtle change crept over his bag
gard face. Strange that at this juno
ture, when his whole being was CEN
tered on another, Marians serene face
should rise like a star over the turbu
lent sea of passion. Even in that soli-
tude, in the growing darkness, his eyes
grew chivalrous at thought of her.
Will o'-the-wisp Madge had led him i
| dance, and even yet he was merely
hopeful for the first time; but the in
slant their eyes had met he had in
stinctively feared for Marian.
Odd that so rara a creature should
set her heart on any one man, and on
him of all men. So far he knew,
no other woman ever had singled him
out from the rank and file of men, and
she could choose from the pick Of
| them if she wished. Had he not al
ready been under spell-well, who
could say? She was the sort of girl
who would make any man an ideal
wife. His mother his sisters, all his
friends would approve her heartily
as they would object to Madge.
Did this thought shake his iron pur-
pose? He asked himself candidly, and
the answer was swift and sure. Not
| for the infinitesimal part of in
stanti It was rank Iunacy-pure mid
summer madness that simmer
| of white there under the trees was
more to him than al the rest of crea-
ton, and for once in his life he would
obey the impulse Of his heart, come
what might. The sudden surge of
feeling lifted him to his feet; but ODE
diently he sat down again, with a FUN
ing glance at the dsrkening sky.
At any rate, he had been scrupu-
lousy careful. He had nothing to re-
proach himself with. If by word or
look, if ever so unwittingly, he had
was interested in her, there would be
but one thing to do. He had not en-
tirely lost his sense of proportion His
chance with freakish Madge had al
ways been slender; he was sure of
Marian; and no man of sense or feel
ing would disappoint an eligible wo-
man for a forlorn hope.
However. he had been unfailingly
circumspect, and his wooing of Madge
had not been done in a corner. 1t had
been spectacular. Some day Marian
would find a man more worthy of her
alteration; and yet-he frowned I'M
easily. He know people-and it was
his life work to study them-and he
was aware that Marian was just the
sort. in the circumstances, to go I'M
mated to the end-to be a sort of old
maid aunt to his and Madge's chill
dren.
He smiled wryly. A second mother.
rather, and they y ould need one. 1t
was difficult to picture Madge a moth
er. Yet such girls often did settle
down; and more than once in an emer-
gency he had known her to show ex-
traordinary sense and initiative-an
almost superhuman shrewdness and
insight. 1t would rise to meet added
responsibilities and become habitual.
At any rate, he was glad Madge had
a friend like Marian. He had watched
that attachment spring up, grow and
blossom like lovely plant; and he
had rejoiced in it, altf1o 1t had inter-
fered with his already difficult court
ship. The two girls had become al
most inseparable. He had scarcely
side their immediate circle might we'll
have doubted which girl he was pur-
suing.
He glanced at the sky again and
started a1ertly. Along the horizon S
edge the gloom was fading a trif1e. He
i, drew a deep breath. The crisis of his
life was at hand. His feverish gaze
flew back to that statue-like figure I'M
5 der the trees. How motionless it was.
He had not supposed any living wo-
man could be still SO long. Surely this
BODIED well for his suit Already but