Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-10-10
How It Began.

mountains during the summer under
an assumed name. When n morn
ing she tore the wrapper from her
daily newspaper she noticed this an
nouncement:
Bradford Elliott, whose books on birds
are ~delighting thousands, is pursuing his
studies in the mountains.
Miss Cumbuton' was one whom Mr.. |
Elliott's books had delighted, and she
hoped she would meet him. She was
accustomed to take long walks, accom-
panied only by a big dog, and II
morning while in a gorge, through
which flowed a mountain torrent, she
suddenly came upon a man sitting on a
rock looking up into a tree. AS she ap-
preached a bird flew out of he tree.
The man rose and stood uncovered
while she passed.
II do believe" she said to herself,
that's Bradford Elliott. I'd know him
anywhere by his printed pictures"
"As sure as my name is Stevenson"
said the man, that's Evangeline Gray,
the vaudeville queen. I've seen her
face on posters many a time"
Miss Cumbuton had no mind to let
the opportunity pass. Turning, she
asked in her sweetest voice:
"Can you. tell me how I will know
the road leading up to the Mountain
House when I reach it?"
"Not very WE'LL" said Mr.. Stevenson
in his own most modulated tones, 'but
7 will No 1horny %n chow ~ tN n 20
you will permit me. It's not far"
Miss Cumbuton knew very we'll that
the distance was more than a mile
and that it would give her quite a
walk with the great bird f%ancier, so
she accepted the offer. She at once
turned the conversation on birds.
II saw YOU looking at a bird in a
tree" she remarked, "as I approached.
Did you make out it's genus?"
"Bird? What bird? l was looking at
a whit. '"s upon the ledge. 1t indi-
Gates 6 Ar trap"
II suppose you don't know anything
about birds?" she said archly.
Certainly not"
"H'm! Sometimes it is convenient
to remain 1ncOg.W
MI. Stevenson stopped and looked
the lady full in the face. GLOW in the
world did you know that?" he asked.
"Oh, a little bird told me-"
"a little bird up in a tree?"
eyes"
"That I'm up a tree"
Miss Cumbuton chuckled.
"Are you doing the mountains in
cog.?" he asked.
1t was Miss Cumbuton's turn to look
serious. "Why, 1 suppose I am" hest
tatingly.
"For what purposeT
Tell me your purpose and I'll tell
you mine"
81? Oh, I'm a big gun, and if all
these people about here should know
who l am they'd overrun me with at
tention. Now for your reason"
ooh, Im-I'm trying to escape an
engagement"
She chuckled again. and so did her
companion.
81 supposed" said Stevenson, chat
people Of your profession sought en-
gagements."
"Ay profession! What is my profess
sion?"
Threading boards"
Threading boards! What's that?"
"What do you think my occupation
tsp ...
yours? Why, you are an ornitholo'
gist." ....
Mr.. Stevenson looked at her inquir.
ing1y. "Would you mind giving me
that word again?"
"Ornithologist," she repeated, de-
lighted with his pretense Of ignorance.
He had never heard the word in his life.
ooh, l ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, a kind
Of monkey. l saw one in a menag-
erie once"
Miss Cumbuton laughed and said to
herself, isn't lie delightful"
At that moment the tete-a-tete was
interrupted by a party from Miss Cum
buton's hotel, who dragged her ava!
with them-against her will-for a walk
to the falls.
That evening Stevenson sought her
at her hotel, and they passed much of
the evening together, continuing their
banter. Neither of them kept the Sc
cret of the others prominence, and
the next day Stevenson was requested
to give a lecture on birds, while Miss
Cumbuton was urged to give a read.
ing. Both declined, and both stimuli
%taneously left the mountains. They
were astonished to meet at the station.
why did you tell people 1 was an
actress" asked the lady Indignantly.
"They won't believe I'm not and have
given me no end of trouble"
"Why did you tell them that 1 was
an-an ornithorhynchusY"
II didn't" She laughed in spite OF
herself.
Come" she said when they were
seated in the train, "let's confess. Why
lre you here incog.?"
THAT'S a woman's way Of confess
ing. What are you here for?"
"As I said, to escape an engage
ment. A certain person wants me to
marry him dop,t wapt fo dowif0 d