Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1905-02-04


morning.
Every day, when he could persuade
them to go, Clifford took the two
women out rowing or fishing or eXplor
ing. Before they came to camp he
had been too lazy to go out on the
water unless Tommy pushed the boat,
but now he was always ready to row
a boat containing both Miss Shurtleff
and her mother any number of weary
miles, while Tommy, with smile hid
den under his brown mustache, came
Swimming along behind, with nothing
but the lunch basket in his skiff.
When you consider that Chords
arms were short and thick, that his
wind was bad and his hands tender,
and that he had never done any row.
ing before that summer, you may be-
gin to realize the power of love. Big
blood blisters came on the palms of
Gifford's pudgy hands, and he suffered
almost continually from pains in his
back and legs, but not for a moment
did he ever think of giving up the bat
tle Miss Shurtleff expressed an adj
miration for water lilies; Clifford wad-
ed out in ten inches of water and two
feet of mud to get them, greatly to
the damage of his footgear and trou-
sers. Miss Shurtleff casually remarked
that the great hairy woodpecker must
be a curious looking bird; Clifford, fat
and round, climbed a forty-foot pine
stump, and took a young bird out of
its nest to show her. Incidentally the
stump broke as he was coming down
and Clifford fell into the creek. For
tunately the creek bottom was good
and soft.
The climax came on a Saturday.
Tommy, the guide, precipitated mat
tiers the night before.
"Mr. Shurtleff is coming Sunday
morning" he said.
Clifford started as if he had been
shot. In the more than two weeks
which had passed since Miss Shurt-
left come to the camp, he had never
once had an opportunity to speak with
her alone. And now her father was
coming. For some reason Clifford felt
much afraid of Mr.. Shurtleff, though
he had never seen him. He was anx-
ious to reach some sort of an under
standing with the daughter before the
old man put in his appearance. Only
one day remained in which to make
the attempt. Giffords back ached and
his arms were sore; his hands were
one mass of blisters and his legs
panied him at every step. But he was
game.
what do you say to a little row
down to Big Dog lake?" he asked air
lily that Friday evening after supper.
Big Dog lake was a good twelve miles
to the south. Altogether the trip meant
row of twenty-five miles.
''I'd like to CO." said Miss Shurtleff,
"but it's a terribly long row."
mot at ALL" said Clifford, and Tom
my, the guide, retired to the porch
and laughed noiselessly, with one
hand over his mouth.
'Ill take you in my boat" said Gift
ford, desperately, "and--"
NO." interrupted the young WON
an, 81 think we'd better go together.
We can both go in Tommy's boat and
you can"
"Not at ALL" said Clifford, 81 will
row you both, of course, if you prefer
to go together"
They started at five o'clock in the
morning. Clifford felt sure he should
faint before they covered the first five
miles. But he gritted his teeth and
kept on, though every stroke was
agony. He had laid out his plan of
campaign. He would wait until they
landed for luncheon, and then make an
opportunity to speak to the young
woman alone.
Luncheon time came. Clifford ate al.
most nothing. When they had fin
! ished their coffee he started to walk
J back into the woods. Presently there
: came the sound of cry.
"Come here, quick" Clifford was
calling. Tommy, the guide, must have
been posted beforehand. At any rate
l he did not move. But the young WON
2 an was up in an instant, running bach
: through the woods trail as lightly a,
s a fawn. The old party sat still OIL
7 her cushion-which was as Clifford
? had expected.
Clifford wasted no time.