Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1912-10-26

Charming made no answer. II wan
time TO return to camp. and he led the
way down the narrow trail. Billy fol.
lowing deiectedly.
Billy prepared supper while Chan.
ming skinned and cut up goat he
had shot earlier In the day. While the
Juicy steaks brolled over the fire, Chan.
ming scanned the surrounding peaks
with his strong aeld glasses hoping
against hope that the giant ram might
still be in the neighborhood.
The chances were against good luck.
by this time the ram might be many
miles away and might not cross their
track for months.
81 wanted those horns" groaned
Claiming as he nat down to supper.
"rll get 'em for you before ] leave
these regions" declared Billy. with
murder in his eye.
II promised them to Ethel for the
dining room," went on Charming,
whose wife was In Europe
you'll have them II spend the rest
OF my days here" said Billy, doggedly,
you'll never have another shot like
that" predicted Charming.
Perhaps"
Later as they sat before the camp
fire smoking in silence. Claiming, who
had been watching Billy's gloomily
thoughtful face for some time, broke
out suddenly:
whats the matter with you, any
way, Billy?"
Billy exhaled cloud of smoke and
looked into the bowl of his pipe.
"Er--nothing," he answered,
THAT means a girl" said Charming
judlcially
Billy was silent.
what became of the pretty red
haired girl you used to follow around
last winter?" pursued Charming, con
F, fident that now be was on the right
trail to the source of Tiilly's extraor
binary behavior, for normally Billy
Jelliff was an ardent sportsman.
Billy affected nonchalance. i've
followed SO many girls around he
murmured with wry smile.
ooh. l can remember her name Il
! must! She was q chum of Ethet
at school-Amy-Amy Rayl Who're
is she now-married?"
"For all l know" mIrmu-cl lily
\ indifferently, but there was tina! In
( his voice that told much to lis e2
( perienced companion.
"Of course don't want to butt in
old man, but II II VIII relieve YOU
! chest any to talk about 1t, tell 1t te
me--Pm as safe as tomb"
| Thereupon with many haltingi
| Billy unbosomed himself to Charming
even to telling about the letter he
had written to Amy and of her COO
| reply.
what do you think of that for
reply to a letter like miner" he de
manded taking Amy's worn little note
from his bill case and giving 1t to hit
| friend.
Jim Charming held the note close t.
the fire and read It; then, with the ex
! perience OF the married, he turned the
! sheet over looked at the back, unfold
/ ed 1t and peered inside.
! "Of course you read the postscript
/ he said. whats the matter witt
that?"
Postscript" yelled Billy. "what'
Where?"
/ ''Why inside here-between tn,
sheets-just where any shy little CIR
like Amy Ray would hiie 1t. I'm go
ing for a stroll. Don't kick yourself
/ off the mountain before I come back'
Billy did not hear him--he wal
/ reading the little pos script which
| Amy had tucked away inside The
/ pages. confident that his sharp eye
would find it.
81 can't write what / want to SAL
| to you-but I will tell you when yo'
come to tea, dear Billy! Yours
| AIRY"
Charming came back to find hin
breeding tenderly over the postscript
81 suspect I'll have to shoot her,
! alono now" he grumbled.
mot on your life!" promised Billy
| I'm going down the mountain til
mail letter tomorrow then III cont
back and get that big goat for you
I've got to get a pair Of horns fol
Amy. you know!"
"Ah!" grinned Chan aing. 'T sup
! pose the postscript to this affair will
| be wedding bells-eh?"
II hope So" said Billy solemnly.