The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-03-21

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Lon Herrick vas 10 II ths hilIs
trapping that week. Therefore e
chaneed that out Of the whole CONF
munity at Three Cheers be was The
sole male absent when Mrs, Buss e.
rived. she came without warning,
even as q stray cat and had settled
herself in the inglenook Of Three
Cheers heartsome hearth BY the time
Lon came back.
"She's q fine specimen Of a woman,
Lonnie," said Noonan tentatively, yet
with a sort Of submerged enthusiasm
About thirty-eight, maybe"
What did she come after!" asked
Lonnie, who was a sober and eau
tious individual
no make a living, same as the
rest Of u.s. She's opened up sort Of
home bakery"
Its the first hook they put into
Vi" said Lonnie. rs she fat?|
sShe's what an oraooker might
can nicely distributed" said Noonan,
blithely.
It happened that Lonnie was
away most Of the hunting season, and
only came into camp at intervals In
the spring, when the water burst the
Ice on the rivers. he came home, and
the long wait had only made Mrs.
Buss more Indifferent to his ex-
istence
rs that him?" she asked. when
Noonan pointed him out, stalking
leisurely up the main street Of Three
Cheers. his old coonskin cap, with its
dangling tail. hiding his face from
sight, his three hounds at his heels.
"The poor fellow"
sand why do you call him that. Mrs.
Buss?" queried Dan, tenderly. HES
. fine figure Of q man.
I'm thinking what lonely life it
ls he leads" said Mrs. Buss. And
dangerous, too, no doubt"
aThe lumber trade IL more so. i've
been shaking hands with death all
winter long and no body to sympa-
thize with me"
go long, you artful creature, =
laughed back Mrs. Buss, merrily.
''You haven't missed & day coming
don here Go tell Lon HesTick
want 10 see him.
Hewon't come
"TBF him"
Dan carried the message and
brought back the answer dutlfully. Il
ms simple and withaI uncomp1omls-
tns
He says he does his own cooking =
Mrs Buas' lips set firmly and then
parted In laugh And her annwor
WIS enigmatical.
He doesn't know me- she said.
Where do the trappera and hunters
around these parts sell their pelts9''
There's fellow comes through
about this time and buys them up-~
from Laramie. can get his name Il
+ you want It"
"Get II. !" said MRS. Buss
About 8 week later Three Cheers
was startled tofind an announcement
IA Mrs. Buss' window. Ii stated chat
therein was the agency for Barclay &
Burden, furriers, Of Laramie, followed
by q tempting list Of prices for peIts.
Lon considered the situation from
all points It looked strategic to
him, and yet he was modest man.
and knew not the limit Of woman's
patience. Several times he spread
out his seasons catch and looked
them Qver-deer, bear, fox, wolf. OF
ter and coon skins. He resented Mrs
Buss' assumption Of authority. It had
been part Of the yearly excitement.
the visit Of the buyer to his cabin, and
the swapping Of stories over the sale.
Yet the second week after the sign ap-
peared in the bakery window he went
down to the camp bearing his catch
with him and a look Of resignation.
He had purposely chosen midafter-
noon for his visit. The other men
would be up in the timber then. He
wanted as few witnesses as possible.
Come right int" called MRS. Buss
cheeriIy, as his long shadow tell
across her threshold. she lifted
smiling, contented face from her knit.
ting. why, hello. Lonnie" she said
Got pretty good catch there. have
MT you?"
Lon said nothing, but he dropped
the pelts.
shut the door, dear. added Mrs.
Buss. And don't get nervous. I'm
not going to hector you bit. Sit
down and talk"
Hadn't we better look the pelts
over frst2" asked Lon bewiIderedly.
Plenty Of time. only took the
s'eS''Vy 80 us 20 make sure you'd have
to come here to see me- The day I
got here, and found cut you were
away, I Just switched round and
changed my name and went to work.
Lonnie don't you set l0nes0me?9
7 do my cooking" Lonnie started
to explain, then out Of the corner Of
bis eye he caught a glimpse Of the
table with its freshly baked pies ana
cakes, and huge loaves Of white
bread.
Not this kind Mostly corn cakes
and bacon