Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1907-08-08
A Vacation
Episode.
B, EDWARD GERRITSON.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.;
Copyright. 1897. by E. C. PARCELS.

| bVVVvVVVVVVVVVV
! The girl first saw the man coming TO.
| ward her out OF the east in his canoe
| like herald Of the rising sun. lmag'
lnation transformed him to a yellow
| haired viking and his up to date canoe
| to a battle galley with a serpents head
| prov.
The man saw the girl standing,
straight as a birch sapling, on a huge
brown rock. gazing out at him over the
water. Fancy painted her siren
| set to lure him to destruction on the
rocks at her feet Without IA moment >
! hesitate he decided it would be pleas
| ant 10 be lured. lie arched his hand
above his mouth.
"Ye-hO." he called To her.
She mimiCked his action.
"Ye-ho" she answered back.
The next stroke Of the paddle almost
lifted the canoe from the water. and
the girl meditated ignominious fight.
yet. knowing who he was. she decided
TO remain.
"He certainly is all that rumOr paints
him In the way Of strength" she solilo
quized. as she watched, fascinated. the
play of the muscles Of his mighty arms.
When he was near enough for her to
see she colored at the unstlnted ad
mirltiOn in his eyes.
You're glorious" he cried impul
slre'y as be dcftly shot the canoe mp
to the rock
You're extremely bold" she retorted
neryOusly.
He smiled irrepressibly.
1--WE come for you-get in" be said
peremptorily. 1T needs only you. lean.
ing against that forward thwart. to
make the morning perfect"
MY goodness" she gasped. you are
a vlkingr
you're making fun of my hair" he
said, Stimulating offense. "You shouldn't
call me such hard name simply be-
cause my hair is tow colored."
In a moment she was seated among
the pillows.
He watched her trail her fingers in
the brown water awhile and then:
I'm Edric Stanford" he said abrupt
ly. "And you?"
Jeanette Hartman Of Pittsburg,"
she answered, eying him furtively.
He stopped padding for a moment
and looked at her In amazement
Not Malcolm Harriman's daughter
he blurted
YES" she said simply.
You know who amY he ques-
toned.
She nodded affirmatively.
"And yet-and yet he fioundered
well" she queried, finding he did
not seem inclined to continue, "and
yet what?"
''Oh, nothing" he answered lamely
and fell to padding furiously.
After all, he thought, what did 1t
matter? Only vacation episode-it
could be nothing more. He would car
ry 1t out In the spirit in which he had
begun.
A morning of enchantment was
theirs. They visited a spot where the
sharp nosed pickerel leaped with
twinkling frequency. They slipped
through an Eden of immense golden
cupped water lilies wide open to the
glory of the dawn. They glided stealth
lily along in the shadow of the shore
fringe until presently they saw stag
with his soft eyed wives come down
to the shore to drink. He brought her
nearer to nature than she ever before
had been.
Il shall come here the first thing to-
morrow morning." he said as he help
ed her up the rock where he had found
her. 'Shall / find you here?"
Perhaps" she answered, but there
was half promise In her manner
when she waved him goodby from
the hilltop.
He was earlier than she next morn
Ing. but he had not long to wait In a
few moments she came smiling toward
him down the hill.
III you like" he said as he helped
her to her seat, "weIl visit that eagles
nest on Bald mountain. have been
up to her aerie and seen her baby
eagles'
Jeannette's eyes sparkled.
They started while the mists were
still gray. Jeanette wore short red
coat In anticipation Of the GOODNESS OF
the air at the high altitude Of the
mountain. Shortly before noon, after
| a wearying climb. they gained a spot
where 1t seemed advisable to eat theil
/, luncheon.
1--WE must wait here until Mrs. Eagle
goes preying for the family din
ner,o Stanford informed his compan
ion. Then by hurrying well have
time to climb and take a peep at tn,
little eaglets and get away before TIL
old bird returns"
In few moments they saw tn,
mother bird soar upward with grea
spread OF wings and circle out owe
the valley.
l "Now Is our time" said Stanford
springing up and leading the way, "bu
we must hurry"
A hard scramble over series o
ragged powders brought them to tn
crag where the eagle had built he
nest. Four young eagles stretched on
their featherless necks, their yello,
. beaks wide open for the expected dir
ner of blood warm flesh.
!. Suddenly Stanford gave cry Of dii
. may.
! 'Quick! Quickr' he shouted. "The 81
! bird Is coming backr' and graspin
Jeanette by the arm he rushed he
! away from the nest.