The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-05-29
The END OF THE CHASE.

suddenly TO its close season ol ehih'
mer warmth and brightness. This
woods resoundod solemnly at every
wind. the fields were a dull and express
sionless green. There was that un.
m,stakable look Of change in every
thing which Affects the sensitive ma
ture as the subtle marks of age might
do. noticed for the first time on some
familiar and beloved face.
John Houston emerged from the
woods and stood absently leaning up
on his gun as he contemplated the
long stretch of meadow land before
Sim. He dreaded the tramp undeaia-
bly, he was growing old His mirror
lad affirmed the fact beyond contra
diction that very morning-the little
square looking glass before which he
bad shaved himself in his own room
In the one inn Of Mapleton. Why had
he come TO this place? he questioned.
Ostensibly for hunting. but what do
he care for hunting? The boys would
lave laughed to see his clumsy al.
tempts st the game. He had been
wise enough not to bring any Of them
along
He was tired Of his friends. wearied
70 death OF the club. worn TO the
verge Of safety with travel and un.
reconcilable to his bachelor apart
-aents-thcir hollowness was worse
than the bollowness Of the woods He
mad not oven brought his valet the
'..an bored him so with his automatic
attentions He wanted to go back 70
his youthful days again. when wealth
had been only dream, but there had
hcen something Infinitely better in his
tie. His physician had said that he
Gas on the verge Of nerve collapse
and that he must have rest. He knew
It was nor rest he needed, but stir
the stir Of life.
often in these days he was tempted
to adopt a child. When Sammy Hous-
toms wife died he had made nigh
hid for the tiny little boy-there was
something in the chlld's eyes that
made him think Of what be had los,
cut OF life-but Sammy wouldn't let
the baby go.
Il know I'm poor" the young man
ssid. "Sut can take care Of my boy
He's all I've got to remember Eer by"
He had not urged the matter, although
he had fel. his ,'fe would be more
empty than Sans without the child.
sam had the memory OF mis- love.
He knew the men about town. the
Young men, all eayied him-longed 10
attain his position. his wealth and so.
cial standing He hoped they would
keep on doing so, and never know
how small the whole thing seemed -
I'm as he stood at the edge Of the
hapleton wood thts dark autumn af-
sernoon.
II had been misting at intervals all
day. aud the thickly strewn leave3
that in the morning had drifted on ar
omatic blasts, first one way. then the
ether. were quiet now, and sodden.
The wind was rising again, the mist
becoming keenly palpable. John Hous-
ga knew it was settling in for a night
Of long-menaced dovnpour. The rheu.
uiatic chills we're creeping with icy
clutches up gnd down his back. He
felt he must be moving, for seige Of
govt In a place like Mapleton would
be unbearable. AS he started forward
Yomethinga gray feathery some
,iins started up from little pond
INST below in the meadow. He put UP
sis eyeglass-it was goose.
but a goose IS better than moth
ing" he thought q can't go back to
that landlord with nothing in my
rag" However. while he was collect
ing his scatteredsenses the goose few
away. making good time, as geese fly
over the meadow John Houston
started in pursuit. "All my life have
been on a wild-eoose chase" he
rAoueht. Il won't give it up now
over hlilock, over bog, now down in
the oczy slush, now confronted by
larbed-wire fences. he kept up his
chase after the gray goose No one
seeing ths man now would have won
aered AZ me concentration Of purpose
Shich pad accumulated his immense
fortune. Not one Of them would have
guessed that his purpose had failei
N the one thing he deemed Of moment
tn the world.
Suddenly he found himself ~
against a board fence with a swinging
picket gate in 1.-THE g-Jse had dis
appeared. II was raining torrents
now. He opened the gate and stepped
Inside There was a woman there-a
ten. slender woman dressed In black
WITH a big dapping hat. sl.e was feed
ing the geese. AS John Houston look
ed at her he thought she might be 80
or even 40. for her hair was dead gray
under the black hat But she carried
the grace and sprightliness Of hel
prime in her 1.-THE movements and Vi
h-ant voice as she called the geese
about her
Il beg your pardon ma'am. said
] Yohr ETctfqfon ffT-n