Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1911-07-20

I
but can taste the fish now from that
lake"
"On your place."
yep, all Of 1t. Deer too. in season,
otter, coon. fox all sorts OF game. And
fhe house is a regular lodge Six
rooms, huge rock fire places. woods
growing clear up to the doorstep. All
[ have to do is shut the door. and put
On paddock. and it's there when
care to come back to it. just as ! left
It."
Hire a caretaker7" Street asked,
casually. Il suppose you have to-"
Ten a year to the first neighbor
down the road French Canadian
chap, very decent and awfully oblig-
Ing, too" Carstairs beamed out at the
landscape with the air of a home
coming baron He was still young
enough to take himself very seriously,
even his vacations. Street did not
answer. He was on the back seat of
the rickety carry-all, they had picked
up at the station below. and a good,
solid sense Of contentment flooded his
whole being as the hill ranges I'M
folded in overlapping vistas. and the
sunlight suffused the green forest
about in golden glory. 1t was sim
ply great, he decided. great Of good
old Carstairs to think of him. and
bring him up for the season. He was
meditating lazily how he could make
It up to Carstairs when the wagon
turned a bend in the road. and
beautiful sweep Of lake lay before
hem. with wooded shores rising steep
ly on every side.
Here is where we win rest and
loaf and invite our souls, Rolly boy"
Carstairs stood up to get a better
view. and took off his hat In salute to
the beauty of 1t all In the distance.
smoke curled up from white rock
chimney among the trees. But words
died on the owners lips. Not 10 PAGES
away from them, standing perilously
put on a log in the water was a girl.
and she was fishing.
Street never forgot the picture she
made. in a linen skirt, ankle length,
AIDED. old rose silk kimono to her
waist, open at the throat, and short
sleeved. and on her head a peaked
Mexican hat, somewhat atilt That
was all they saw. except the long
braid of heavy black hair that hung
down her back.
Il thought you said the place"
Street stopped. for Carstairs was
climbing out of the wagon. and DELHI
erately making for the trespasser on
his fish preserves.
Can you direct us to the Carstairs
placer" he asked. quite automatically.
Street thought. considering
She merely raised one tanned.
rounded arm, and pointed towards the
chimney.
They call that house something of
the sort. believe"
Fishing good7"
Then she did look up at him. grudg-
Ingly. appraisingly. looked also at the
waiting carry-all. and its ancient
driver. and at Street-longest. at
Street
Sometimes" she said. gravely.
Mostly pickerel and perch. get all
| need. though"
do you indeed?" remarked Car
stairs. and he eyed her speculatively
through his eye glasses. "Er-who
owns the place yonder?"
Il don't know. l have rented It
from the caretaker for the season.
three months"
"You-you have rented it for the
season from the caretaker?" Car
stairs dropped his eye glasses, and re-
covered them helplessly. She bowed
her head. and looked over at Street.
Rent paid in advance" she added
nrmiy. There are several OF US
summering there"
Are there? How delightful I'm
30 glad you like 1t. you know, so
awfully glad Carstairs was founder
Ing desperately. Because, you see,
I'm Carstairs myself. IL bought the
place couple Of years back"
did your" She turned with a quick
smile. why. then you're our land
lord, aren't you? I'm happy to meet
you"
Don't mention It" murmured Car
stairs.
Because. you know. we've been so
inconvenienced. The roof leaks"
1T shall be repaired My-er-yes,
by Jovo. my friend repairs roofs"
Does he?" She smiled over at
Street Does he repair wells also, and
locks. and fireplaces that won't burn
We need help badly. / think It was
30 kind of you to come all the way up
here to see If we were comfortable. %
That was the final shot Carstairs
capltulated After promising all the
improvements desired, he climbed
back into the carry-all, and ordered
the driver to go to the house OF the
caretaker
You're not going to visit his sins
on the girl 10 question, are you. sta
cey?" Street asked. She's a bully
81.