Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1912-03-14

.|I1tthutCu ny HiSu CAio. AL SouJ IhO
lakelet was trimmed with ice on the I
shaded side. This enchanting little
body of water was fed by the melting
snow from the crest and peaks, which
in the clear, pure sunshine and rari-
fled air Of the mountains seemed to
rise and confront her within stones
throw of the place where she stood.
On one side Of the pretty lake in
the valley, or pocket, beneath, there
was a little grassy clearing, and there
the dweller in the wilderness had
built rude corral for the burros. On
a rough bench by the side Of the door
she saw the primitive conveniences to
which he had alluded. The water
was delightfully."- soft and as 1t had
stood exposed to the suns direct rays
for some time, although the air was
exceedingly crisp and cold, it was
tempered sufficiently to be merely
cool and agreeable. She luXuriated
in it for few moments, and while
she had her face buried in the towel,
rough, coarse, but clean, she heard a
step. She looked up in time to see
the man lay down upon the bench a
small mirror and clean comb. He
said nothing as he did so, and she had
no opportunity to thank him before
he was gone. Observation-Disclosures Of
the act affected her strangely, and she
was very glad Of chance to unbrald
her hair, comb it out and plat 1t
again. She had not a hair pin left, Of
course, and all she could do with it
was to replait it and let 1t hang upon
her shoulders. Her coiffure would have
! looked very strange to civilization, but
out there in the mountains, it was EN-
inently appropriate.
Without noticing details, the man
felt the general effect as she limped
back into the room toward the table.
Her breakfast was ready for her. 1t
was a coarse fare, bacon, baked po-
4 tato, hard tack cr.sped before the fire,
coffee, black and strong. with sugar,
but no cream. The dishes matched
the fare, too, yet she noticed that the
fork was of silver, and by her plate
there was napkin, rough dried, but
of fine linen. The man had just set
the table when she appeared.
II am sorry Ishave no cream" he
said, and then, before she could make
comment or reply, he turned and
walked out Of the room, his purpose
evidently being not to embarrass hei
by his presence while she ate.
Enid Maitland had grown to relsl
the camp fare, bringing to 1t the appe
tite Of good health and exertion. She
had never eaten anything that tastet
so good to her as that rude meal tina
morning, yet she would have enjoyed
the trimming, smoking coffee pot OIL
it better, she thought, II he had onl.
! Shared it with her, II she had not beer
compelled to eat it alone. She has
tened her meal on that account, deter
! mined as soon as she had finished he
). breakfast to seek the man and hay
some definite understanding viii
him.
And, after all, she reflected tina
she was better alone than in hi
, presence, for there would come stea
ing into her thoughts the distressin
episode of the morning before. IT.
as she would to put II out of her mint
Well, she was fairly sensible gil
the matter was passed, 1t co,sd not b
helped now, she would forget It a
much as WAS. .possibls, She Youl
I trecur to itwith modification later OF
J but the present was so full of gray
problems that there was not any ROOF
for the past.