Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-02
the destination. Los Angeles.
stored it away In his pocket.
Fia

| stored 1t away In his pocket.
He related the incident, shorn of
its personal details, to the wondering
party Of water carriers when they
came back to camp and they accepted
the addition Of Flip with hearty good
will.
Several days passed, while Dan
marveled that no inquiry had been
put in motion by the railroad people
for the absconding bit of baggage.
Late one afternoon he rode over to
the Springs; there was no mail at the
postoffice, and when he had finished
his business he mounted his horse
and rode slowly out of the town back
to the camp; Flip gamboling about
the heels of the horse.
The way led among sand dunes
standing like hooded monks along
the TRAIL he stopped once and, hall
turning in his saddle, looked at the
sunset It Redeemed his bronzed face
and glinted on the damp rings of hair
on his forehead. He pushed back his
hat from his head and listened.
| The steady beat beat Of hoofs
grew nearer; some one was coming
from the town-perhaps one of the
boys had been in-but he had ,left
them all at camp. He waited for the
rider to catch UP with him. The horse
was strange one and the rider did
not resemble any Of his friends. A
broad hat tapped up and down.
Dan Kennetts' heart went UP and
down, up and down. as a girls lovely
face was revealed under the broad
brim Of the Tapping hat; it stopped
altogether when the rider resolved
into Evelyn Lane herself, coming to-
ward him with tremulous smile and
pleading eyes, Flip raced crafty to-
ward her
"Dann' she called, and it woke him
from his stupor Of surprise. In an in
slant he was on the ground and hold
ing out his arms, and she slipped down
| from the saddle and into his embrace
! with the happiest sigh of content In
| the world
Perched on sand dune after
long period of bliss, she told him how
] she came to be there.
She had loved him but had doubted
her own heart. and he had gone away
so quickly. If he had waited a little!
Then things had been very dull and
she had decided to spend a year with
an aunt in Los Angeles. She and Fltn
had started, and the day the train had
stopped she had been visiting the ter.
rier in the baggage car. When the
chain slipped from her hand, she had
caught an instant glimpse Of her lover.
At the first stop she made use OF
the Information gathered as to the
stopping place in the prairie; had tax.
en- a local train to the nearest point
to Horse Lick Springs: had taken a
stage to the Springs and from a hotel
window had seen Dan Kennett.
She had called. for horse and fol-
lowed him and-here she was! Dan
took her back to the Springs In the
afterglow, and the next day he accom-
panied her to railroad station where
she could resume her journey west
ward he would join her as soon az
his work was done and then they
could be married. Before they parted
Dan solemnly tore the red tag In two
pieces and gave one to his sweeth cart.
IF 1t hadn't been for that, Evelyn, - ha
murmured. "this might not have hap
pened.
Browning was relating a glimpse
he had had Of Dams meeting with his
sweetheart. II say, fellows he con,
cluded, II never saw a chap 80 glad
to see his rich uncle in my hfe!"