The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-25
EOening Story
At the Witching Hour.
BY MARTHA Nice. WILLIAMS


things. Witness Keith's undoing. The
spell was wrought thus-wise: Items.
one white frock, one head of red gold
hair one pair of slate-blue eyes, deep
ly set, with black lashes; items vari-
Gus, a chiId's foot, a berry-stained set
of taper fingers matched by adorable
lips, likewise stained. And there you
are. Keith was three and twenty, a
good tall fellow, just now far from
happy. He had been struggling up
from the depths of a first rejection.
Molly Manners had thrown him there
hard. Now he blessed her as a mis-
fit patron saint. Suppose she had
not so thrown him, and this fairy god
dess had happened?
He had been tramping sturdily all
afternoon. Now, with the sun wester-
ing sharply, he had begun to think of
supper and a bed. Camping was all
well with company and preparedness,
but sleeping on bare earth and an
empty stomach did rot appeal TO him.
Thus evidently his heartache was by
way of easing itself normally, even
without the nj Zic. Plus the magic,
it eyaporateo like dew in sunshine,
leaving in its stead a. throbbing anX-
iety lest this creature of delight van
ish before he found courage to ap-
proach her.
The berry thicket ran along the
edge of the woods, with tall trees
flinging their shade athwart it. Up in
the trees a pair of bluejays had been
playing at hide and seek, chasing each
other and making hideous calls. Sud
denly the calls grew sharper-the
birds with risen crests and vibrant
wings darted at the thicket, swooped
second above it, rose a few yards,
struck downward again at it's very
heart. then fluttered away in wild ex-
element, scolding their loudest The
magician looked at them thought
fully. Maybe you see a SNAKE" she
said. Then with a half-shriek and a
stumble backward. 81 see him too
cotton mouth! o dear Lord, help
me! L don't want to die that way!"
Ashen faced, she yet snatched a
stout dead branch, and stood very
straight. Keith thought he had never
seen anything so fine. Fear was writ
large in every lineament-but not a
thought of blanching-she would
stand her GROUND. Where is the
snake?" he called hushedly fearing
to startle her further. Right there
by that tall weed-he was on a vine,
has dropped down-and will come
after me-"
He will not Keith interposed,
springing in front of her. InvoIun-
tarily she caught his arm, crying:
Look out! You don't know the
danger. If he strikes you-you de-
Keith peered in the vine recesses
with trained huntsman eyes-there he
saw dimly a thickish sinuous body
striped copper-bronze, pale yellow and
black-the black in narrow lines be-
twixt the colors. He knew the reptile
in books-that it was sluggish, venom
GUS, treacherous. If only he had his
revolver-foolishly he had left it be-
hind. He had only his alpenstock and
a stout knife-either meant close
quarters. He stood measuring the dis
lance for stroke, noting the while
! the slow grind of the reptile toward
the girl AS he made to launch a
blow at it a bullet from behind clipped
the snakes head neatly off, then a
set, drawing voice said evenly:
Reckon next time you go blackber-
ryin', Miss Sincy, you won't be so
uppity about lettin' me go too
Indeed, indeed, won't Phil" Miss
Jlncy answered, her color coming back
in a flood. You are certainly the
rlght man in the right place just now.
But-you see I wasn't in such dread
ful danger, This gentleman" smiling
| at Keith, wouldn't have let him bite
me, even If he had had to spoil his
nice stick"
IF he had I reckon somebody would
a-spoiled him. Phil said truculentIy.
Then changing mood and tone instant
~: Is your name Keith? Thought so.
I've got letter here from Sam Jayson
teIlln' me to look out you don't get
snake-bit nor carried away by var
mlntS. Heaps and heaps of VarInints
you know-wildcats, 'coons, 'poSsums
ana foxes, not name the willapus-wal-
lapus. Ever hear about it? It's new
to most folks-they say it got loose
from a circus somewhars up north
and stopped over here on its way back
to the gulf"
shane on you. Phil You know
there's not ny-such-thing," Miss
Jincy said reprovingIy Instead of
irving to fTiQhfeT1 a or ~
introduce him. As you won't-I'm
Jincy LeavaH, Mr.. Keith. And I live
| over yonder," nodding toward a red
roof barely showing above the hedge
rows. Phil there-he is Phil Dancy
keeps bach on beyond. You can
stay all night with him, but I invite
you both to supper at our house. You
look hungry-and Phil is never any
other way this time of the day."
You said something" Phil flung
back airily; "Keith, I'm glad to see
you l want to find out how to run
away from girls and have good times
all by myself"
Find another teacher. please, -
Keith flung back. II only thought 1
knew how-the last half hour has
shown me better
You two don't need to pick a quar-
rel over me-" Miss Jincy said tranquil
". sally Ford and Ruthy Davis are
coming to stay all night. Billy Davis
brings them-you know he never lets
his sister go anywhere by herself"
Especially not to your house." Phil
interjected. wish I had sister-no
-body's brother would have anything
on me"
A big, clean. airy fIower-scented
house. glorious supper, much music
and laughter interspersed with games
afterward. made Keith's head fairly
whirl. He had never thought country
life could be like this-the Leavalls
and their menage were equal to any
he knew in the home suburbs. And
the gay company lost nothing by con-
trast with the jazz-crowds or the set
entertainment he was used to. IDLY
he wondered how people had gained
ideas of roughnecks and hayseeds-so
unlike the real thing. But speculation
did not make him blind to the keen
watch Phil kept upon him nor the ex-
ceeding discomfort of Billy Davis at
sight of him