The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1910-06-17

one to tell of his sensations. When he
had tried to talk with the landlord, the
man had Disguised him with his ques-
tons on the real estate values of prop
erty, and he had turned to his W
companionship hampered by doubts as
TO how long this could last.
He had been two weeks in the vii
lage, when he determined morning
upon a new and perfectly untried
route. lie had ridden miles along the
unknown path when it began to rain
not a pour OF rain, but a delightful lit
tie squirt of big glistening drops. Just
as the shower was doing its smartest,
he came abruptly to the end Of his
road-up against a stone wall lying
alongside a row of great trees. This
was luck-there was not a house in
81 hit and he was hungry and in dan
ger OF a drenching. As he alighted and
set his motorcycle up against the
fence, he felt decidedly lonely. There
as no one to talk to and he vas miles
away from his stopping place-and
hungry. As he seated himself under
the tree. he thought he heard a litter.
The sound was SO elusive at first that
1t was as an echo in his memOCy-a
part of the old life where titterin. .5irls
~abounded. The litter was repeated,
then it broke into a laugh. He looked
up. A pair Of roguish blue eyes looked
down into his. There was a quick
thrill, as OF an old experience, and a
musical voice came down to him.
What are you doing down there,
Mir. Man? why don't You come up
here and keep out OF the RAIN" Rich
ard sprang up. He regretted that he
was lot SO agile as he used to be, but
he was on the stone fence and among
the branches Of the tree in less time
than it takes to tell of it. He found
himself face TO face with a girl of six
teen, or Whereabouts. She was tall and
fair, with an air Of friendliness he did
care to resist. They both laughed
and she handed him a sandwich from
the paper bag out OF which she was
eating. They were both perfectly at
home. There was a provoking old
memory in the situation for the man
something elusive and as if he had
been there before. The girl seemingly
had no thought but that of serene COM
fort.
Richard had not noticed that the
was shining again. until she called
his attention to it. II must be going"
she said, and suiting the action to the
words, she slid down to the stone wall
and was gone. Richard rubbed his
ayes-had he met with a real dryad
and had she vanished? No; there she
was, down the road, waving him a
5oOd-by. Then she really vanished
and only the road stretched out the
way he had come.
He mounted his cycle and motored
her. He turned at the first di-
path and came upon an old
.armhOuse. This then was the home
If this nymph of the trees. He
knocked at the door and was met by
IN angular, hard-worked woman with
| wisp of hair twisted tight in the
Jack and a ragged, not too tidy, gown.
These seemed to be her distinctive
Could this be the mother Of
lis divinity? The woman looked at
suspiciously-he must say some
hing. He asked for the usual drink
If water. She brought it to him in a
in dipper and waited. He asked if
he might have some of the flowers
hat grew by the walk.
"Them's my daughters" the woman
aid. Shell be here come supper
ime."
May | stay for supper?" Richard
-sked. I'm hungry-Ill pay what
is worth"
The woman said Yes and went
bout her work, leaving him sitting
n the front steps. He sat somewhat
Incomtortably and waited for the
aughter-he. Richard Dudley, erst-
While woman hater.
In an hour by the clock the daugh-
er came. The mother caught sight
+ her from affair. There she is" she
aid laconically.
Richard strained his eyes. But it
not she-it was only a smaller
dition of the woman who had met
I'M at the door. He asked for the
overs, got them and went. He went
0 his hotel and Investigated no more
Dads for days.
Finally it occurred to him that if he
Id not expect to become a confirmed
iiot. he had better get back to ma
lre. He got out his motorcycle and
chIgging off-not in a new di-
ect.on al all. but down the salf-same
Dad OF his unusual experience. He
ridden for long time without
a single human disturber. and
'as going on at a great rate, when he
as brought to an abrupt standstill by
burst OF girlish laughter. In fact
lere were several peals and a shrek.
head OF him on the road a huge
rotor car had met with some mishap.
here were several persons standing
a young chap was under the ma
:.