La Junta tribune., 1910-03-05
Hunting With
Dorothy.
II LITTLLL A'CLUNC.
Copyrighted. 1909. by Associated
Literary Press.

Owen Compton met a girl In whom 80
many delightful qualities were blend
ed.
That dashing creature known as the
athletic girl he cordially disliked,
holding that young women were in
tended primarily for coxy corners.
So. when introduced to Dorothy. he
felt sure he would not Ike her a bit
Handsome she undoubtedly was. and
Queenly. too. but with her queenliness
Dorothy was vlvsciousness itself She
could ride with the skill Of cowboy
the widest pony that ever leaped
fence She could shoot ike an eI.
pert and row ike a university oars.
man
And after galloping gayly over the
fields on one Of her papa's most dan
gerous young horses she would come
into the drawing room and, with sym
pathetic touch, play score OF old
time melodies surchnrged with senti.
ment.
Before many moons owen discover.
I'd that with all her athletic propensL
ties Dorothy was AS tender natur~6
and as warm hearted as any girl wht
broHthcd the ozone
The result was inevitable.
Therefore when Dorothy looked up
from the plano, Il coquettish light In
her dark eyes, and asked. owen. when
are you coming out to shoot pnrtridgss
with met" owen replied that next
morning would ind him ready with
cartridges and gun
lie appeared by sunup, and Dorothy
was awaiting him with her own favor
ite setter and her own brightly pol
ishcd little shotgun In hunting boots.
short skirt and brown jacket. whose
large collar fell back over her shoul-
ders. disclosln: her round. white
throat, she was a veritable vision OF
the forest
"As live. but you do look stun
ning"' was owens comment as he
gave her a rapid survey Another
Diana ready for the hunt, but whether
It be birds or hearts It's hard TO say
She laughed merrily,
ALf lNll llAAfft VI ''NA Nll "b'
clared AT evening with moonlight
setting. you know. il the proper time
for wOundlng hearts This morning
IN the bright sunshine partridges are
90 be our only consideration. Please
remember this
Agreed" be said. his eye flashing
back the challenge. Lets strike out
Look. your dog is just crazy to be
on
Then down the long slope they went
and out into the fields. The autumn
sun was dun. golden disk that
seemed 10 cast It's color over the leaves
and the ruddy fruit As they made
their way through an orchard owen
stopped and. throwing n stick up into
the boughs, brought down several fne
apples.
with evident relish Dorothy set her
sharp teeth into one Of IN. largest OF
these The appeal of the pictur. was
too much for owen. and b. began to
quote something about tn. drow-y
winds That famed "a heart rip. ns the
apples grown In orchard lands of long
ago"
She stopped him with a disapprov.
Ing glance DO you remember what
we started out 10 dof" sh. asked.
Yes. 10 shoot birds. not TO talk sen.
timent"
She nodded, and they pushed out
into the open fields again. The setter.
hundred yards ahead. was already
standing covey of partridges. They
hurried up close.
Ready" he asked. raising his gun.
Ready" she answered. You take
those on the left; I'll look after those
that fly up on the right"
Burr.burr.burr aud q dozen par.
tridrcs rose obliquely and sailed over
the fields
Bang. bang. spoke Dorothy's gun.
Bang. bang. echoed his.
Two birds dropped. on. In line Of
owens IRE. the other over TO the
rig,t
"Hanors hrc event cried Dorothy
"Irs a bit and a miss for each Of u.s.
lie sprang forward. aud as the dog
brought up the dead birds b. dropped
them Into the sack he carried. sudden.
ly hundred feet Ia front Of him .
partridge that had become separated
from the others ran out of the Ersxs
and nuttcrcd oH toward = elump Of
bushes on the hillside.
lie lifted his gun TO his shoulder and
pulled both triggers, bu, the bird con.
tinued In Its nl1ht. Then behind him
flashed porothy's KUN. and the par
trldge dropped Tx. a spent rocket
At the same moment a sharp. sting.
Ing pain ran through Owens left hand
Instinctlycly he J.rkcd II up. II Was
covered with blood
His face grew pale. for he thought
that n good part of the lesdsn load
had struck him. II. raised his arm.
and IN. blood ran down In . tiny
A.. -