Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1909-12-25

that had been DdIteu Ddck ana forth like
shuttlecock between them. l tried to
laugh as one should who sees a clown,
head in air, stumble over a broomstick,
but the laugh was not even a passabls
imitation.
The storm was coming, and | was glad
of it. | wanted no more of this fine
weather when a man was led to lapse into
rose-colored dreams and fancy himself a
prince with the world as his realm.
The rain began to spin against my
face The storm was coming fast, and
the waves barked angrily at my feet. like
hounds yelping. But | would not run, |
would not even turn up my coat-coilar to
keep off the wet | would walk stolidly
and let myself be soaked for the poor
muddle-brained idiot that | was.
But what of her? Barbara Graham
looked 10 me like a consummate iirt,
playing with me when she was a trifie
weary of the company of her accredited
admirer. | knew that women sometimes
did such things: | did not consider that
she was the worst of her sex, but merely a
striking instance OF the sex's insincerity.
Yet she had looked like a child. as guile
less as a maid in short skirts and braid
ed hair, when she had watched the sea.
and then | remembered those sudden
flashing changes when the imp of subtle
mischief had danced in her blue-gray
eyes. She was just bundle of mischief
TO whom a new man was simply so much
sport. Yet l envied Islip with all the
strength of my heart, which shows how
strangely inconsistent ] had grown.
Charles had foreseen the storm and
had made things tight about the cottage:
moreover. he had built a fire. in the liy-
ing-room. v hich was also the dining-room,
to take the chill out of the rapidly damp
ening air. Ordinarily. ! would have been
glad TO get in and change into dry clothes
and stand in front of the FIRE, snug and
comfortable, but now i was as much out
of sorts as though the cottage had been
a house of cards and had suddenly tum-
bled down about my head.
Poor Charles He was soon TO feel
the rawness Of my temper. / had no
sooner closed the door than l called to
him to get into his oilskins and 20 to
McCullOm's with an order TO him to have
my horse at the back door by s.
Yes, Mr.. Felix" said Charles. ITS
going to be a bad night, sir, asking your
pardon"
I'm going to the Penguin Club,
Charles ! answered, ''and j don't care
If the heavens fall on the way"
Yes. sir, very good, sir :" and Charles
departed, wondering, doubtless. at the
strange new master he had found. He
knew what ! thought Of the Penguin.
changed into my storm clothes
heavy riding brooches. with a leather
jacket that buttoned up to my chin. I
put the locket ia a little pasteboard box
and placed il in an inside pocket Doubt
less Miss Graham valued that small gold
oval trinket with her monogram woven
on the outside and her lover ensconcsd
inside, and she should not have TO wait
until the storm passed to learn that she
had not lost it. II would do no harm
for her to be disturbed for a few hours;
then ] would end H.
Charles came back and said that Nero
would be around AT s. J had supper in
silent state. and then sank into gloomy
thought before the fire. Confound me
for being such q simple gullible fool. ]
who had scarcely laid eyes on woman
before al Alasiairl That was the trou-
bic with the affair IN town ] should
have been preIafea, properly gyyed and
but here She had come up
on me in my OwA1batural wilderness, Oh
my Own simple lnash. 81 my Ship OF day
dreams, where everything was IS free
and open as the sea-
Charles eyed nae Rskance as ] pulled
my oilskin hai about my ears and vault
~ upon Nero Even the poor beast must
have looked at poe fuspiciously, for this
WAS no night Tor riding on any simple
GRAND J must be fhe bearer 81 idingf,
2 hsure stepped ouf of q rough and-ium-
pie story. lad ] only known bow fhaf
nignf Was % carry noe far aleld and
bow mat ride be ibe 4 rsi swift sallop ln-
% strange and swiIling elierpnse
The pines shot iheH water INTO my
iaee ~ galloped aloag fhe narrow road
Af sandy fooinR gave uoW and Again
and had ~ lei Nofos insiind save us
4 oU founderlpg ln ~ logs which no
heavy rain Aa3 making of fho counfft
ilf n'ehi nas blach at piioh iho slnd.
lf'N To NNVoane srfeorNed Through
'Nf fofesi IA thousand varied lolcoe
irl moro Naiah nnQ luminous ihan ile
Hti felfla' Tines FldlnF oli from 40
middle N ihe road HN llanohea lr4en
N iAe sale nupF ihomae'lea asalnai me
'nN h'mesi iNulaed nle lQn uy Aofao
flQleaed 'oN. banding fQlNald ~ asfl
a Aiq inei nifNi pfW mo lAe mulh q
'lHfhne# N iNf road fAmN no =
'''e .','ap''q epe ! elpe'l pli0lea elel~
1h' lgbf ~ fle $50 u ~ e.sb se,e
'i' NHfl 500 evidently nol NlaoiHf
I0'ipil lNie NNIo M M aalIle ma
lN H'H 4 fnon. Nnf hfr0 nlo ~