The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-27
EVENING STORY
In a Fog.
(By Martha McCulloch Miller.)

He was lost in a strange land, one
made weird, even spectral, by thick
white vapors. The earth was dank
and slippery and dead leaves in the
autumn woods ON either side gave out
a pungent, penetrating. almost over
powering smell He had loved 1t as
he set out that morning for day
long tramp. If he had been weather.
wise he would have stayed at the log
tavern Notwithstanding its rough rare
| and lack of comfort The wind had
| blown in languid, signing gasps with
| intervals of dead calm-dawn had
been a red lower, dogs had barked
acrid discomfort, and all the sparse
poultry of the tavern had been noisy
and restless, as were the ragged year
ling mules on the common fronting
the house, and the starveling calves
armored in cockleburs, bawling about
a weedy orchard.
! "Fallin weather shore as shootin'-
but 1 reckin We be neither sugar ner
SALT" the landlord had said with
glum face, yet half smiling, as he took
pay for his entertainment Willard
had been glad to get away-so glad II
amazed him now that he could revert
longingly to the heaped log fire. the
bread of pounded cornmeal, the but
termilk and fried bacon that had
made his supper and breakfast The
early miles had been deliciously va
grant-he had walked as the woods
invited him, not troubling himself to
think of his compass so long as he
kept the wind in his face. Then sud
denly all things had blurred round
about him-he had found with blank
dismay that his compass was missing,
| fallen from his pocket doubtless as
he stopped to look close at some syl-
van mosaic of red and russell and
| gold-yellow, with a dash of velvet
green moss showing thru Color was
his passion-it had brought him here
to range the hill country in its autumn
splendors. Viewing these colors he
| had sighted-with a despairing hap
piness. Art could not catch nor re-
peat them-they were so far beyond
it. But for them he was storing up
memories that might turn to gold
His designs. henceforth, should have
a primitive simplicity, Joined to har-
monies in multi-color. If they did not
bring him fame-money he had al
teach the backward a way to great
doing There would lie for him suffi
cient reward. Rapt in such thought
the fog had seemed at first no more
| than an Inconvenience. Hours of it,
bringing him to the edge of shutdown,
hours of ainless and weary wander
ing, made him feel it now a menace.
He peered up at the cross-arms.
Once they had been lettered boldly.
In clear daylight the lettering might
| still be legible He felt for matches,
struck one-it flickered out When he
| sought another his case proved to be
| empty. He would not be able to
smoke the cherished last cigar, much
less to kindle a fire. Swearing under
his breath he again looked at the
| guide-boards. As he looked he heard
rapid hoof beats, then girls voice
tVainly crying, hushedly yet anxiouSly:
| Are you there? I was SO afraid! Say
mething-quick-I have felt lost
| this last hour"
IT am here, all right enough" Will
lard began The voice interrupted
joyously: Then make haste and get
up before me. I couldn't get the 9TH
er horse-but Selim carries double
and won't mind the weight. He knows
the way, unately-reverend uncle
bought him only a month back from
his brother reverend. That's why-oh.
1 was in such a stew-the fog and
all-but praise me for putting on a
mans saddle couldn't have you ride
behind me-
Willard stood hesitant amazed, yet
ready for adventure. Here was a way
out-the only possible way. At the
girls impatient cry: Get up! Quicki"
he mounted obediently, took the reins
from her and held them loosely, while
she settled herself behind him with a
little relieved sigh, saying: TT would
have killed me-not to find you wait
ing. Yes-killed me. The shame of
going to meet q laggard sweetheart!
81 will-God helping me- Willard
interrupted fervently. He felt her
tremble as she leaned lightly against
him, and slipped a tiny bare hand
within his free one Clearly she mis-
took him for the laggard with whom
she had planned to elope-as clearly it
would be the height of cruelty to lie;
her discover her mistake, so long as
they were alone in this hidden wCrlG
| Mist had turned into a fine chill rain
Mailing
gently Willard felt her shoulders, to
find them covered with no more than
a silk blouse. She laughed softly at
his cropping touch, saying eagerly:
jacket, they would have suspected
and stopped me. So 1 ran out, just as
1 was-making believe it was to tell
Pete about shutting up my chickens
Oh" with an ecstatic breath, you
can't know how it feels to be-free.''
Selim was indeed a weight carrier.
also evidently built for hunter. Bad
as the footing was, he went CALAMITY,
up hill, down dell, along levels of slip
perry clay surface. Presently he whin-
MED, keen and shrill, and was answer
ed from afar. At the sound, ne struck
into gallop, left the beaten road, and
cut across open woodland, leaped a
ragged brush fence edging it, and held
on to darker blur, evidently a sta BILE
Once again he called-to be answered
in several keys Almost before they
knew it, he fetched up plump against
a paddock fence across which heads
were thrust in welcome,
A Pickering lantern showed groom
approaching them-his figure gnone-
like in the light ''Whut-all you done
brung back yere. ole Selim?' he cried
affably. 81 knows yo whicker-fur as
1 kin hear it"
-''fell your master it's-the runaway
couple-to come Quick-with the Ii
cense--he has five won't get down.
the girl tried. clinging to Willard. her
voice tense and edged. Here, indeed,
was a crisis Willard got hot and
and weak inside How should he
shame this trusting creature-yet how
escape. He could not marry her out
of hand, knowing nothing more of
her than the ride had revealed He