Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-03-04
The Argus Daily Short Story
The Great Adventure-By Clarissa Mackie
Copyrighted. 1910. Associated Literary Press.

! Of smoke Eoderick thought, with n
sharp parg. that spring would have
rolled around before he saw It again.
And Edith-f0r she would return at
/ Easter before going abroad with her
aunt-wOuld she have forgotten him
would she learn to care for another?
! Dic!, Ellis broke in on his rcTerie with
some commonplace, and thereafter the
/ talk was all about game and fishing
and Roderick's pictures.
/ AnjUu was a quaint enough settle
ment Of little houses, crowded together
as If for warmth from the wintry
/ blasts that swept screaming through
/ the woods. shaking the trees to the
very roots and swapping dead branches
/ with a sound like pistol shots. In the
/ house Of Ellis guide. an Englishman
named Peter Bush, they found iodg
! ings. and ROderi.k secured the empty
( loft over the kitchen for his own eSpe-
cinl retreat The stoyepiue from the
big heater ran through the loft and
warmed II comfortab oily. but Eoderich
loved 70 lie near the trGpdoor in the
floor and look down Into the smoke
wreathcd room where Ellis and other
neighbOring sportsmen gathered about
the stove and told their stories.
Rod arlck made several sketches that
might develop into the great picture.
but he felt TO especial enthusiasm
about pushing lis work forward.
Edith's attitude had somehow set the
machinery If his life out OF adjust
ment. He told himself that only she
could make matters right again. Every
mail he wutched for letter from her
hut the letters came rarely and were
lacking in the great essential that he
c-aved-har assurance thar she missed
him IN her new life: that she lOnged
for the time when they would no
longer be separates when the years
probation would be over. nut she
never wrote Of these things. Her let
tnrs we're mere frorhy lettings Of her
gay ll1e-of h0r J-ppiu"ss-snd care
.ess word Of affection at the end. some
times forgotten after all.
one morning he took sEctching block
aud pencil aud went forth on the trail
OF Ellis who had been gone hours be
fore hot Oh the track Of brown bear
which had Invaded their storehouse
the night before.
I-fItA-tk lbat4~t4 10 ca'l 'l tl5@ AtAi41LA
trunk Of a giant beech when his
startled glance took in d scene that Ire
never forgot
Beyond him IN a small clearing car
Teted With a soft drift OF newly fallen
snow there stood Il girl and a deer,
quite unconscious Of his presence. 1t
was evident that each had emerged
from the woods on opposite sides Of
the clearing and we're now poised in
startled contemplation Of each other.
The girl. small ana slender and
graceful. wore a long red cape that
euvelopsd her like the cloak Of Little
Red hiding Hood Of nursery tales. and
over her fair hair was drawn red
hood, framing the pale oval OF her
lovely young face, out OF which shOue
eyes Is shy and brown as those Of the
deer. which stood In an attitude Of piti-
able fright
50 they stood for a whole minute
while Roderick transferred their heads
10 his block with quick. sure strokes Of
his crayon. Then he thrust both u
his pocket and made a sharp sound
with bis lips Instantly the animal
turned about and Ieaped into the forest
from whence it had come. while the
girl leaned against a tree, one little
hand against her paIp!tating bosom.
staring IT ROderick
You were frishtened-there was no