Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-07-31

before Dick Staley had threatened to
come back some day and carry it off in
a shoe box. But such as it was 1t was
Barton Bradley's own, and he was i'm
mensely proud of his possession.
Fohr years earlier his physician had
ordered him to spend the summer in
the woods to escape an impending at
tack of nerves" He had rented this
little island from its woodsman owner
and had spent delightful summer
chopping his own wood, frying his own
bacon and in the intervals planning the
play that had brought him recognition.
His first royalties had gone to pay
for the little island, and now, when
Bradley pitched his tent early in May,
he went to work to build log hut that
should form a more permanent camp.
Since success had come he was in a
position to build a camp as elaborate
as any of the electrically lighted,
steam heated structures which mas
queraded as camps in the fashionable
colony at the upper end of the lake,
but Bradley would have none Of these.
AS far as possible the camp should
be his own handiwork. He even re-
belled at the necessity for assistance in
raising the logs when the walls reach
ed height above his ability to handle
the heavy logs.
He made the island his sanctuary and
thing apart from the busy months of
the winter season. No one save Stalev
had q hQor1 inrifaA 10 y,Ia
only the guide who sometimes came ia
see that all was well or leave mail
when Bradley lacked the time to row
down to the little village ever braved
the mo Trespass" signs with which
| the shore bristled.
So it happened that Bradley, tramp
ing over his FIVE acre domain, was
| and a girl calmly eating a late lunch
| under the very sign forbidding a land
| ing.
She was undeniably a pretty girl
| with crisp brown curls escaping from
a tam-o'shanter and straying over /:
cheek on which the red showed brave
ly through the tan
Bradley approved her costume o.
brown. 1t was so unlike the frock:
Of the fashionables who dressed no
for the woods, but for the men il
camp and with an eye for spectacular
effect.
But Notwithstanding the fact tina
Bradley approved of the slender, vel
built figure he resented the intrusion
on his island.
Ee hated the fashionabl crowd, ant
here was one at his very door. per
haps the advance guard of a horde o
lion hunters who would overrun tn
place and gushinglyl assure him tina
they dotted on his plays even Will
their conversation showed that the.
had been more intent upon the chatte
in the box than upon the dialogue OF
the stage. 1t was this habit of usin
the boxes for social visits that hat
first given Bradley his distaste TO
society.
at is too bad that you cannot read,
he said, with what was intended t
be cutting sarcasm. though insensi
bly, his voice softened as he looke
into two glorious brown eyes.
Il know what you mean," declare
the girl, with laugh and a, meanin
glance at the forbidding sign, but
was tired padding, and when I say
you at work on the hut | knew tina
the owner was not here, and I SUI
posed that the sign was enforced onl
when the owner was here. Can yo
be bribed?"
She held toward him the well file
lunch box with it's appetizing sane
witches and dainty cake.
'I'm human enough to be hungry,
she explained. with little laugh. "br
1 always carry more than l need"
Bradley looked into the brown eye
!; and was lost. He accepted a sandwic
and sank down on a rock opposite til
one on which she was sitting.
"Who is the horrible man who won
let us land on this little Eden?" d.
manded the girl.
Hes New York chap" explaine
Bradley noncommittally. HE doesn
like the people at the upper end {
the lake, and he stuck those signs up
Thereby preventing me from fin
l. ing refuge from the play campers
said the girl severely. He shou
change the sign TO read, No Trespas
ing by People who Do Not Unde
stand Theree are people even I
there who love the woods and ha
the poor imitation Of Newport. Nev
port" she added in explanation, lis
fashionable Colony down on the Rho,
Island shores
1--WE heard of it, assented Bradle
the scene of whose latest comedy b,
been laid in Ehat very resort He W
glad that this girl mistook him for
guide. 1t would be a pity to und
ceive her End place their impromp
Acquaintance upon a coldly form
basis.
III She chs,tted of the lake and t
woods. AID Bradley more than ey
admired per when she grew eloque
regardingI the beauties of his below
lake. 1t formed a common bond
4