The daily Alaskan., 1905-08-18
B R E A K
 O. D A y

The giant pines stood grim ana plaCA against the sky, and the little group or log shelters seemed timid pygmies uestling beneath them for protection. There was a touch of frost In the ar which set the mans teeth chattering' He picked up his gun and strode brisk- ly through the underbrush toward the little pond some rods back of the camp.
 It was an ideal morning for black ducks. and unless he was vastly mls' taken. he told himself, there should be quite a flock of them padding about the pond. He jammed a shell Into et ther barrel of the gun, and, snapping the breech shut, he began to move eau tiously through the woods, carefully avoiding the broken twigs lest the noise of his footsteps should alarm his quarry,
 The last few yards between the camp and the pond he covered on his hands and knees, creeping silently forward and pausing now and then to peer through the half light and listen in tently.
 When finally he reached the pond the band of gold along the eastern horizon had wldened, and the light was consid- erably stronger. There were the ducks, iust as he had expected. In the mid de of the pond was large flock, while close at hand dozen black figures lay quietly on the surface of the water.
 Very cautiously he raised the gun, took a long, cool aim at the nearest birds and pulled the right barrel. To his unbounded amusement not a bird rose from the nearest group. The large flock In the middle ot the pond rose with great Tapping of wings and hoarse croaks of alarm, He fired at them with the left barrel, but the dis tance was too great for the shot to in- hict any apparent damage on the re- treating flock.
 He Jumped to his feet and stood staring at the dozen black dots still motIonless on the water. To his mtl- nIte chagrin, he discovered that those twelve motionless figures were canvas decoys, two of them with gaping sides where his shot had told. He had vast ed his ammunition on the decoys, while the ducks themselves had flown away unharmed.
 As he turned disCuStcdly from the pond a peal Of merry laughter echoed from the underhrush. He made hiS way toward the sound and bcheld Mss Cuyler seated on the ground, a gun across her knees and tears Of m6rri- ment streaming down her face. Pres ton stared at her in amazed helpless ness.
 You herey' he muttered incredulous- ly.
 The girl held her sides.
 "I made an early start for black ducks, too" she explained, and while I was waiting for the flock to come in nearer you came stalking along and and She went Into another SpaSm of merriment. "I camel Saw-and, oh, I heardr' she gaSped, brCathleSs from laughter.
 You heardY' Preston said In dis may. "I didn't really Intend Co say that. It slipped out before thought
 q see" she said mockinGly. You'd better get the punt and fish out those damaged decoys, or the story Of your adventure may get around"
 Preston turned to her QueStioninCly,
 Aren't you going to tell the story to the campy" he asked.
 "No," she said SmilinEly.
 He looked at her with undisguised relief.
 "You are a trumpr he said em- phatically.
 She laughed lightly.
 "SO long as I've frightened all the ducks out of the vicinity with my can nonading I suppose we may as well go back to camp for breakfast" he sug, geSted.
 He helped her to her feet ana they trudgcd back through the underhrush. Preston noted that she was douhly pretty with her short skirt and shoot Ing Jacket and the frosty air bringing out the color In her Chcc',s. And of course, he told himself bitterly, it must needs be before her of all women in the world that he had made an idiot of himself.
 Halfway back to camp the girl turn cd to him impulSivcly.
 I'm going to make a confession" she said.
 They paused under a tall pine. The first rays of the sun were lighting the tree tops.
 You didn't blow holes in both those decoys," she said "I fixed the first one just as you did an hour before you came. It was very dark then. you sec" she added by way of extenuation.
 You took a shot at the decoys, tooy" be cried.
 She nodded slowly.
 You are very generous to tell me that" he said, with considerable warmth.
 Its only fair to tell you" she said, and then added: "You looked so funny, and 1t would make such a beautiful story to tell the camp. Now you have 6 story on me equally as good. That will hold my tongue in check"