The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-23
E0ening Story
In the Twilight.
BY FREDERICK HART

more, I don't see as it's any o. oui
business, longs he pays his board reg
ufarly, an behaves himself as gentle
I man should. I'm sure I'VE need the
money; an I'm sure there ain't no OBJ
! lection to him on any ground 1 car
think of. So don't you go botherin
your head about him. Sally Ann; you
go long an tend to your chickens an
! lei that young man alone"
/ Excellent advice. no doubt; but the
curiosity thar turks eternal in the
feminine soul led pretty Sally Ann to
| let her mind drift often in the direc-
had, six weeks ago. come to the
] Weatherby farm seeking a place
where he might live and be alone dur
| ing The hot months Of summer.
just want to be undisturbed." he
had0said. IN pay whatever you want
for board and lodging. and promise
to come to meals at regular hours. but
that's all. I want to be left TO my
Aself"
And Ma" Yeatherby had consented
to these terms with alacrity. Her
principal objection to taking summer
/ bly, caused trouble by being in the
way, or demanding entertainment.
while this young man. who gave his
name as Robert banford- was quite
the reverse of the interfering type in
every way.
He had kept his promise to be on
time for meals with admirable punetu-
atty, but aside from these thrice
daily episodes. Mrs Weatherby had
seldom seen him. He was given to
wandering off in the morning. return
ing abont noon and retiring to his
pleasant little room after the midday
meal.
In the evening he som etimes joined
the little group that sat on the front
stoop for an hour OF SO to enjoy the
cool breath that came after sunset;
more often, however, he would stride
off down the road into the dusk alone.
Sometimes Sally Ann. lying wakeful in
her bed, would hear his firm foot
steps as they came up the path onto
the porch, then the click of the key
in the locke had begged for one
as a great favor and it had been
granted-and his slow tread up the
stairs, then the closing of his room
door.
who was he, she wondered? What
was he doing on those long country
walks2 And-and-here Sally AIMS
healthy drowsinesS generally got the
better of her and she would know
nothing about her mental inquiries till
the following morning.
But the heart of little Sally Ann was
turning wistfully toward this un-
known youth. He represented a, type
that was new to her, without having
anything of the airs of one OF great
wealth-in fact, he had said at one
time, when more~than usually commu-
NEGATIVE, that he was poor.
Not that that would make any diff
ference" thought Sally Ann. For 1
think he's just as nice as he can be.
herself firmly on the mouth and go
about her business, approaching her
self for allowing her mind to turn in
that direction.
But minds-and hearts-are /queer
things and win not always do what
sternly. So it was that one night,
after the stranger had left the front
porch group, Sally Ann slipped away
with some excuse, caught up her hat,
ard followed him as closely as she
dared.
Down the white. dusty road he
walked, his head high, his arms swing
ing freely, his stride so long that at
first sally Ann had difficulty IN fol-
lowing him. But as he got well out
of sight of the house his pace slack
ened, and he seemed to be stFolling
rather than walking with purpose.
He cast lingering glances to either
side. as tho enjoying the view, and in
truth that pleasant countryside was
good to look upon in the expiring rays
cent moon had come to its power. He
paused al the crest of a little rise.
placed his foot upon the rail of the
SNAKE" fence that bounded the road,
and became lost in thought.
Sally Ann crept closer. How hand
some he was. she thought. entirely
overlooking the fact that she herself
was as pretty a picture as one would
care to look upon, had certain one
chosen to turn his head.
HI ~ q
out at the dim blue line of the horizon
with the darkening fields below and
the pale green of the late evening sky
above Sally Ann moved a little
nearer.
suddenly she stood bolt upright.
stricken with horror. For the young
man had brought his foot dewn-from
the rail and struck the palm of his
left hand with his clenched right, and
he had sworn! Yes. Sally Ann heard
a word of one syllable beginning with
the fourth letter Of the alphabet go
out on the air, shattering the
twilight calm as tho some one had ex-
ploded a charge of dynamite nearby.
Invomntarily she gave little squeak
of horror, and the young man turned
and saw her
She would have fled. but her knees
seemed watery and her heart was
playing queer tricks. 1t never seem
ed to stay in one place. but kept
bouncing afOundS in a way that any
well regulated heart would have
thought shameful. So she just stood
there. wide-eyed, one hand over-her
mouth and the other pressed to the
bosom of her white frock.
what are you doing here?" asked
the young man sternly.
II thought I'd like to take little
walk" faltered poor Sally Ann. 81
didn't know you had come this way.
and beSides-
The young man turned on. her saw
agel.-- well, you shouldn't have
come. It's too late. and-and-it's
too late" he finished lamely.
Sally Ann suddenly sensed a feeling
of superiority. The young man was
embarrassed. that was certain.