The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-19
THE EVENING STORY
Isabel's Mission.
(By Anne Heilman.)

comfortably under his gaze and finally
sl1pped from her chair and fed igno-
mlnlously to. the farthest window,
where, she felt sure, Jim. SUFFERING
from his swollen ankle, would not fol-
low her
And BESIDES she continued loftily,
as he subsidized into the chair she had
vacated, besides, have no intention
of every marrying. 1 feel that / have
a mission which is altogether too i'm
portant-'
| HUH"
ooh. of course you are shocked!
Scandalized in fact. Tom and Sally
were both seemingly outraged when
toio them what I had decided on.
Every one seems to think it's plainly
| a girls mission in life TO marry the
hrst man who condescends to ask her;
but l have entirely different ideas on
the subject-and really feel that it is
my mission to go and help teach those
| poor ignorant Chinese
| To lie and cheat alice samee Nell
| can man, instead of guileless heathen."
Jim Crimson had never before pro-
! posed to girl and her calm refusal
hurt.
Where are you going?" he asked
presently, as Miss Amber in naughty
silence commenced to pin on her hat.
TO the postoffice,' fcily; 'the let
ter announcing my appointment has
certainly arrived by this time
You surely amt going to attempt
to ride over to Kiowa and back to-
day?"
''I surely am"
"But look at the weather. Can't you
see there's a storm coming?''
mo. I can not" answered Isabel
beautiful
Wait until tomorrow and one of
the boys can go. And besides, Tom
has taken your pony out on the range.
There amt horse left that you can
ride
ST intend to ride FREELY" said Miss
Amber, shortly.
Don't attempt to ride that cayuse,"
| warned Joe. HE needs a firm hand
or he's liable to take the bit in his
teeth any old time and go lopin' off af-
ter any stray horse he'd spy grazing
on the range. He amt got lick of
pitch you off soon's the storm strikes
him. And there's a blizzard coming
and that right soon.''
LAS said before replied Miss Am
Der, "the day is perfect-a trifie hazy,
but that is caused by smoke. Firefy
is as gentle as one could visible
suits me-
Some people appear to have as lit
! tie knowledge about weather and
horses as they have common sense"
returned Jim in no genial tone.
! We'll, as the weather and horses
and cattle evidently comprise the ex-
| tent of a cowpuncher's knowledge, one
ought not to be expected to excel them
in their limited sphere" answered the
| girl tauntingly as she abruptly left the
| room.
The air was deliciously fresh and
! clear. mot the slightest indication of
| a storm, and it's as warm as one could
| wish" Isabel murmured to herself as
| she cantered blithely along the deeply
marked trail. How contrary a man
! is if he's thwarted in any little thing.
| And Tom and his wife are just as un-
reasonable. They think ought to
consider myself in great luck to marry
a prosperous cattleman and settle
down as their nearest neighbor. Well,
1 must admit I'll hate to leave them so
soon. How quickly those two months
have passed. never thought I would
like Colorado WE'LL glancing APP
provingly around the undulating coun-
try. "How near the mountains seem.
Yes, it's big and free and inspiring,
but it's not for me- and she sighed
unconsciously.
Absorbed with her meditations,
Isabel failed to notice that misty
veil was suddenly drawn before the
far foothills. She was rudely brought
to a realization of her whereabouts as
the storm swooped down upon her ma
ligna ntly. Firefly was aimlessly pick
ing his way up the side of a decidedly
unfamiliar looking hill. Not a sign
of the trail was to be seen. And 1t
was SO plain a child could follow it"
his rider dolefully reflected.
The earth became blanketed with
white and surrounding objects grew
DINNER. 1t was new world-a
threatening, confusing, shl1tlng WHITE
At the top of the hill they met the
full fury of the first blizzard of the
season.
weather." Isabel admitted, shiveringly,
"but he was entirely wrong about
Firef1y; he behaves admirably-it was
not his fault that we got lost. He
hasn't the slightest disposition to
The storm gave a whistling shrek.
Suddenly there was tumultuous up
heaval of something somewhere
brief breathless sensation of flying
through the air, and then a snowdrift
received Miss Amber into its downy
embrace.
1t was a horrible shock Isabel did
not cry; she was too stunned and hu
inflated for that To think that Fire
fly would pitch her off and abandon
her on this desolate hill. She had not
the slightest idea of what direction to
take, and wondered dumbly what she
should do. Presently she heard the
muff1ed trampliEg of hoofs and discov-
cred horse and rider rapidly bearing
down upon her. Not relishing the pos
sibility of being run down she strug-
gled to her feet and uttered belated
but frightened shrek.
Isabel" called out Jim's voice as he
refined in his horse close beside her,
ARE you all right?"
ooh. yes, I'm all right she answer !
ed sarcastically. shaking the snow from
her skirts But where's my horse?
Pretty nigh home by this time If he |
keeps up the lick he was going. Lucky !
1 saw him tearing down the hill or I'd |
never thought to look for you up here |
Here. put on this coat. and wrap this
scarf over your ears. Now climb on
that rock and get up behind me-"
Dock won't carry double said Isa- |
bel argumentatively.
He'll have to this time" said Jim
grimly, refining up close to lone bowl |
der "Come here and climb in behind. |
Now put your arms around me-whoa!' |
as Dock pitched violently and Isabel