The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-07-25
The Trapping Of Smally
story Of the Puget Sound
country by +. Belle Shelton

Npulull HdNt tahtH ~ LOT tHdl klHu
of language at III unless one had been
close down beside him, where on
tricate himself from the mud. Hatless,
| coatless. one trouser leg ripped from
heel to knee, Il batch Of mud plastered
across his face, and a haring leaf of
skunk cabbage decoratively entangled
in his hip pocket, festooned Smally as
a very respectable tramp.
"To think that / would be such an
Internal fool as to so poking around
in these beastly woods, quagmire to
my neck, briers worse than saw teeth,
and infested with bandits to boot,
spying out some unheard of weed just
to please an unmtigated old college
fogy. Why, l might even now be en-
joying the delights of Lake Wishing
ton, with no end of pretty girls and
gee whiz. what's that?"
He violently wrenched one hand out
of the mud and promptly plunged it
into a blackberry vine. In trying to
extricate himself he ran the other half
u mile into bunch of thistles.
ITS no use! You're caught fair and
square. You might as we'll surrender
without further parley. Not another
move, or I'll fire!''
The threat was decidedly alarming.
Smally glanced along the gun barrel,
which he took note was as steady as
the armament. A pair of flinty blue
eyes met his over the sights. A turned
up nose with a determined air, and a
shock of red hair--or was it the latest
style. twisted beautifully awry by the
entangling twigs? made an exceeding
ly grotesque barricade at the end Of
the gun: but the voice was firm and
the tones meant stand.
I'D like to know who'd move hand
cuffed elbow deep in thorns?" He
smiled in spite of the smarts.
and pray to whom am I indebted
for such a harmless piece of lunacy?
Now that you have played the joke, I
will"
20 no you won't. Just get your
hands out of them thorns the best way
you can; but keep them positively in
front of you. l have captured your
coat and gun; you are entirely in my
power; so no hunting for pistol pock-
cts"
Smally forgot that he was a gentle
man.
"who the devil are you. to come
spying on an unfortunate mudbe-
dabbled wreteh?" He gave his hand a
savage wrench that brought the this
ties and vines to ruin, and also left a
goodly portion of skin in their en-
brace. The blood oozed from his
hands.
ooh! you've hurt yourself" she
cried. I'm sorry. but I will not give
you an inch advantage. 7 know how
desperate you are; but I've always said
that I wouldn't be afraid to tackle
you, should I meet you; and I'm not.
Seer She advanced step with the
steady-as-iron grip on the nasty little
rifle.
smally looked as if he'd been steal
Ing cookies.
"Who the deuce do you take me for?"
hurt, and he knew that he was any
thing but a presentable picture to her
eyes. which were wonderfully search
ing.
That's right, turn around and walk
straight out, facing me. I'll back off
and get your gun; you can have your
coat. I've searched 1t. There's your
hat by that log. To think that you're
my prisoner after all the chase you've
given tho officers. Who do I take you
for? Tracy. of course. You can't
fool this chick. Mr. Tracy" and she
laughed gleefully behind the gun
stock.
Tracy indeed So this redoubtable
young lady took him for the notori-
Gus bandit. Why, o why ..ad he sacri-
feed his moustache when ne came on
this fool poke hunt? hat would have
dspelled the Illusion at once Now
that he saw the absurdity of the situa-
tion, it amused him.
I'm sorry, miss, not to be able to
accommodate you for your bravery"
he said, dropping into his suavest
tones. but. unfortunately, Tn not
Tracy"
20, to be sure. I expected to hear
crawl out by being somebody else. but
this time it won't work" She looked
him over critically Blue eyes,
SnOOIn SnaNcn, torn clothes, firSt-claSS
rifie-pshaw, what other stranger
would be delving in these woods? OF
course you're Tracy. Come on. Keep
the trail to the right; no lodging in
the bushes or trying to evade me- for
III shoot on the instant I'm going TO
take you, dead or alive"
i've not the slightest objection to
being taken Miss - he paused
No answer.
shall l say Freckles?"
Her nose TILTED a trifle higher
please let me get my handkerchief
to wipe the blood OF my hands" His
pleading tones would have melted an
iceberg.
How thoughtless of me. But I was
so interested in trapping you that
am positively cruel No, don't touch
that pocket. Wait; I'll put mine on
this stump. Now retreat until you can
reach II"
How kind of YOU" he remarked
sarcastically. as. after a succession of
backward maneuverings he picked up
the lace-frilled thing and mopped II
over his hands. "But it's no good. too
small"
Throw II away, then.