The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-08-21

SUSAN'S LUCKY SHOT.

VVvVVv.VV.
1t was very pretty prospect that
confronted Miss Susan GaltOn Brown.
The scattering white homes among the
trees in the valley, the blue hills BE-
yond with their fringes of pine trees,
the clear sky that was such novelty
to the girl from the great manufacture
ing town-it was all bright and fresh
and so delightfully."- clean. Miss Susan
Galton Brown locked back on the
peaceful prospect for lingering mo-
ment or two and then pressed ahead
up the mountain road.
She certainly was an unusual figure
for hat quiet neighborhood. Attired
in closc-ftting suit of gray with a
short walking skirt and a wide
brimmed gray felt hat that concealed
her beautiful hair, she might, at dis
tance, save for the skirt, have been
taken for an extremely handsome boy.
Her gait would have carried out the
impression, there was such an uncon.
strained swing to it. But her high
boots were not boys boots and her
hands were neatly gloved. Miss Su-
san Gallon Brown carried something
under her arm. It was light maya
zine rifle, the gift of an adoring father.
For she could shoot and fish and swim
and run, and DO it all in way that
met that adoring fathers critical ap-
proval. She had minor talents, of
course-an education rounded off in a
finishing school, pleasing smatter-
ing of music, taste for art that was
only second to her taste for nature.
But all these were quite dwarfed in
her daddy's opinion By those manlier
attributes that he so assiduously cul-
tivated. She was mis- companion on
long hunting and fishing trips and an
ideal companion at that.
1t is needless to say that quiet Elm
wood looked upon this accomplished
young woman with a very doubtful -x-
preston. She was a little too ad-
vanced-that was the term they used
for Elmwood's old-fashioned ideas OF
maidenly modesty., The mothers of
Elmwood held her up as an example
of the baneful coming woman, and the
girls of Elmwood thought her dread
fully bold-and secretly envied her.
AS for the men-well, there were but
few of them in Elmwood whose opin-
ion was worth recording. and Of these
mere handful dared to express an
honest opinion in the face OF fhe uni
versal feminine condemnation. or
these independent souls it must be ad.
mitted that Mr.. John Cartwright stood
first and foremost.
If Miss Susan Galton Brown knew
of the unfavorable light in which her
short skirt and her Teddy hat had
placed her-and there is no doubt she
did-the matter faiieI 70 Why her in
the least. She had CONF lcwE to Elm
wood to stay month win lcr maiden
aunt-her dead mothers only sister,
who lived in the big wGttt mansion
en- Main street, just beyond the Bap-
tist meeting house 1t was this fond
aunt who had invited Jack Cortwright
to call, and although this was a par.
ticuldp youth, with high ideals RI WON.
anhood. he called again. and ,air. and
again. What was strange about it.
too, was that Jack hailed from the
east, and from Puritan surroundings
at that. Yet with all this discreet
bringing up he certainly vas fascinat-
eli With the wild western. ho%den.
They all said that Jack Cortwright
was rising young man. Boston capi.
talists had sent him-fresh from col
lege-to the western town to look af-
ter their interests in certain undevel
oped coal mining property that lay
few miles north of Elmwood. And
Jack had taken off his coat. metaphori-
cally. and gore to work to develop it
There was plenty of capital behind
him, and he had built railway branch
to the mine, and started a bank in
Elmwcod of which he was temporary
cashier, and stirred the little town
into making certain improvements that
had long been discussed. In short.
Jack Cortwright was recognized even
by those who didn't approve Of his
revolutionary tactics to be the liveiiest
factor of progress the sleepy little
hamlet had ever known.
Miss Susan Cation Browa IL poor
luck that bright October afternoon.
She didn't rouse solitary rabbit. But,
after all, it was the tramp she WAS
after rather than the game. Still she
must have a shot at Tn!lrtling. So
she pinned a brilliant leaf to tree
trunk and at 20 PAGES spit it at the
first trial.
The sun was still high above the
hills when she started to return to
her aunt's. AS she went down the old
State road a sudden clattering caused
her to turn her head Three men
mounted on powerful horses came
trotting down the slope. Susan stepped
aside to let them pass and one of the
horses, catching sight of her, sudden
ly sprang aside and almost unseated
his rider. Susan looked up anXiously
and saw to her astonisiment that the
mans heavy beard was twisted very
much to one side. But he quickly re-
gained his seat with an oath. and,
striking the horse, clattered after his
companions. Susan wondered why the
man was disguised, and dimly fanced
that the three rough-looking strangers
u,o- fhinEine o. of Lack the neYt nnment