Audubon County journal., 1911-06-08
TEDDY'S
TRAMP


Teddy disconsolately munched
soda cracker wondering the while how
she had ever come to insist that a
camp stove was a useless luxury. 1t
was her first season in camp, and her
brothers had readily enough given In
to her demand for an absolutely cor
rect atmosphere. They had can4ped
dn tents on the little lake instead of in
the comfortable wooden shack on
Lower lake, and they had cooked in
primitive fashion over an open fire.
The boys had done the cooking
since they had gone into camp three
weeks before, but 1t had all seemed so
easy that when they wanted to go
down the lake to the village she had
insisted that it would be no trouble at
all to get her meals.
They had padded away just as the
sun began to tinge the clouds in the
east and would not be back before
night Twice Teddy had spilled the
bacon into the fire, and as crowning
accident she had set the coffee pot
wrong, and that, too, was sliding into
the flames, putting out what little fire
there was left.
A crashing In the underbrush reused
her and she sprang to her feet, nerv-
ously handling the revolver the boys
had left with her for protection. She
raised the glistening weapon as man
burst through the tangle of brush and
with voice that she tried to make
stern commanded him to hold up his
hands.
They went above his head In an in
stant and stayed there while he par
1eyed. Teddy knew that the next
thing was to bind her victim, but how
TO do that and retain the revolver was
something that was not told in books
He smiled at her look Of helpless
ness and came few steps forward.
Il am not tramp or a robber," he
said, with flash of white teeth be-
meath his mustache. II saw fire
while back and thought that perhaps
l might beg some breakfast. wan
dered further from our camp than
intended. l am on the other side of
the ridge on Blue lake."
There isn't any breakfast" she
said, forlornly. Il spilled the bacon
into the fire and then the coffee pot
fell in. l was eating these" She
waved her revolver toward the box
OF crackers, and the tramp smiled.
If you will take my PAROLE" he
suggested, "Ill earn my breakfast. |
believe that is the proper thing for
tramp to do"
Teddy lowered her gun. He prob
ably was tramp, but he had nice eyes
and pleasant SMILE and she felt that
she could trust him.
If you will set the table" he called.
I'll have things ready in a fifty"
For moment Teddy paused. She
did not quite like the idea of eating at
the same table with a tramp, and she
Ielt that he must be tramp. None
of the campers she knew wore such
outrageous garments. But the smell
OF coffee and the frying fish decided
her, SO she set two plates
Skilfully he dished up the fish and
took the coffee from the fire. He was
even more expert than the bows.
Probably that was because he had to
camp out the year around.
The breakfast put her in an excel
lent humor and when the tramp sug-
gested that if she would lend him q
gun he would try and get something
for dinner, she loaned him shotgun
without a thought until he had left
the camp. Then the realization of
what Bob would say should he come
home and find the rife gone, led her
to follow the trail the tramp had
taken
She soon overlook him and he locke
up with smile at her approach.
Come to share the fun?" he asked
pleasantly. Her blush told its own
story and he threw his head back
and laughed. Il was going to brine
the gun back" he declared do you
really think am tramp?"
NO." her voice lacked conviction
But, you see, you are not like the
boys"
Possibly they would be like me-.
he suggested, IF they were in camr
without ladies'. Khaki and leggings
are all very pretty, but there is more
comfort in an old suit that won't be
hurt If you do take notion to wade
trout stream before breakfast"
This was plausible enough. bu,
Teddy reflected that plausibility was
the stock in trade of tramps and she
was not convinced
After dinner he entertained her wifi
stories Of the woods and neither real
lied how late it had grown until s
boat shot around the point and tho
boys waved welcome
They swarmed up the beach few
moments later, and Teddy stared az
they warmly greeted the tramp
II didn't know that you knew Mr.
Charters" said Bob in surprise.
He came for breakfast" explained
Teddy.
"And having had the breakfast
stayed to get the dinner" Charteri,
added with laugh. You see I wa.
RI je,