The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-03-09
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" s siege met Nan
that Cly can see 81, bless her
heart daG2 a lirtle short
skirts ana baby cawl 4lots she loved
to wear ana da&g +. big sombrero
by its corr SIZE ha cen me- and
turned to hike back ,a way came,
for Lee Bailey was ol { trail and I'd
seen them together often as l could
possibly stand it.
Just as she came to that turn where
the bowler juts out she gave little
scream and turned so suddenly that her
foot slipped and down she went right
on the edge. She held on to that rock
for dear life and shrieked: Lee! oh.
Leer
That Lee settled me, and l stood
still, like stubborn mule, and let her
yell. l knew he could pick her up
easily enough, and | wouldn't butt in.
But when | reeonnoitered around the
bowlder | was behind l was the cause
of the disturbance-this Mr.. Rather,
ruf1ling himself up like the coil of an
electrocutoner and disputng the right
of way with my girl
"And there was Miss Nan. white with
fear, staggering right on the edge of
the precipice too paralyzed to move
back up the TRAIL"
Where was Bailey. the noble res
cuer?" l asked as Dane paused and
gazed refectively into the lighted end
of his cigar.
Eyes; that was what I wanted to |
know. He'd made for camp on a lope-
that's where he was, the coward-to get |
a fishing rod to kill the snake with. he |
explained afterward, but it didn't go |
down with Nan. When | saw her nat |
ural protector deserving her l stepped
out in the road, bowed low. pulled my |
gun and blew the gentleman's head off |
the rattler's, not Bailey's, though that |
would have been job to my liking
too, He wasn't as much of a gentle
man as Mr.. Snake, for he was polite
enough to tell right out what sort of |
poison critter he was, while the human |
serpent wasn't"
"And Nan" even forgot to puH
smoke in my interest.
ACTED just right, like the heroine in
a northumberland promptly on to
the shoulder of her faithful knight, and |
when he'd walked her up again by |
means of kisses and other shocks she
promised to love and obey him ever
after, and nothing would do but that
snakeskin must be fixed up with the
trimmings you saw as one of our Lares
and Penates, but whether a Lar or a
Penate l don't know, being rather mis-
ty on mythology since I left college.
All, there's the moon at last! Isn't this
country great at night"
Eyes. yesv' exclaimed impatiently,
without a glance at the wonderful
panorama Of rolling. pine clad, snow
capped submits now being transfig-
ured by the rising glory. But what
became Of Nan2 Why didn't you
marry
"Oh, there you are. dearp' called out
sllvery voice ahead Of us farther up
the slope. 1--WE been waiting for you
a long time. You have been two hours
climbing the gulch. l came up the
short cut. 1t takes more breath, but
less time"
"Well, little girl, you've got plenty Of
both," answered her husband. sprawl
ing himself over the thick pine needles
at pretty Mrs. Danes feet and laying
his head shamelessly on her lap. Her
small fingers buried themselves in his
hair. He pulled them down to his lips.
1--WE took the time because was using
up all my breath telling Jack about the
snakeskin belt, Nan, dear"
"oh, that old storyr' could see her
blush delicately in the moonlight.
Another light than that of the moon
broke In on my darkened senses. "Oh,
then you did marry her? thought you
said
MY first sweetheart Sure, SO did
and Mans itv'
Er. Gilder's Judicious Reply.