The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-08
THE EVENING STORY
IONS Catch.
by Louise Merrifeld. ]

by Louise M6rr1n6IQ-
Lon Herrick was up in the hills trap
ping that week Therefore it CHANGED
| that out of the whole community at
Three Cheers he was the sole male alb
| sent when Mrs. Buss arriN ed She came
without warning, even as stray cat,
and had settled herself in the ingle-
nook of Three Cheers heartsome hearth
/ by the time Lon came back.
"She's Il fine specimen of a woman,
Lonnie,' said Noonan tentatively, yet
with a sort of submerged enthusiasm.
About 38, may be-
What did she come after?" asked
| Lonnie, who was a sober and eau
tious individual.
ITO make living, same as the rest
of US. She's opened up a sort of home
! bakery. Said she couldn't be bothered
with steady hoarders, but she can cOok,
LOnnie.'
ITS the first hook they put into
US" said Lonnie. rs she fat?"
shes what an onlooker might call
nicely distributed said Noonan.
blithely And by the powers of Moll
Kelly's quart cup, she has a way with
her.
..I'm surprised at you, Dan. and a
wife alreary listening for your home
coming Let them alone if you Woulc
have peace, man.
TT didn't take" said Lonnie, gently
I'm not a fireside companion. There
none of them good for a trial mate"
on IL IKE MIS-. DuS- 4IA4hOO PASS'
lad. all the same, and it's me that
knows the taste of them
TRAP me one and bring it up" said
Lonnie. II have no time to go after
| the sex"
So it happened that the two did not
| meet Lonnie was away most OF the
hunting season, and only came INTO
camp at intervals. IN H., me iee e epri t5s
| rivers, he came home, and the long
wait had only made Mrs. Buss more
Indifferent to his existence. H.,
rs that him?" she asked, when
Noonan pointed him out, stalking leis-
| urely up the main street of Three
| Cheers, mis- old coonskin cap, with us
dangling tail, hiding his face from
sight his three hounds at his heels.
1.-The poor fellow
And why do you call him that
Mrs. Buss?" queried Dan, tenoeriy'
Hes a fine figure of a man. =,
I'm thinking what a lonely life II
is he leads" said Mrs. Buss. And
dangerous, too, no doubt"
s'The lumber trade is more so. I've
been shaking hands with death all
winter long. and nobody to sympathize
with me- ..-. =,
you haven't missed a day coming
down here. Go tell Lon Herrick l
want to see him"
He won't come
Dan carried the message and
brought back the answer dutitully. II
was simple and withal uncompro1nls-
ing. ,-4-..r =,
ale says he does his own cooking
Mrs. Buss' lips set firmly and then
parted in a laugh. And her answer
"s s.4 ed doesn't ,e.s know me- she said
The next few days found her some
what preoccupied and given TO mooos;
Dan caught spring IeVer anu 1S +, (,1-
her to marry him, but she shook her
head.
u mated once, Dan, and he was the
only man for me. Go down 70 Clle s.
enne and find girl your own age.
| It's only the call of the blueplrd III
: .sTIow Wen you know u.s. said Dan
respectfully. and yet admiringly
It know YOU all, but one" said Mrs.
Russ tWhv doesn't Lon Herrick get
married."
ssF5a saws the women folks are fire
side cats" returned Dan, morose s ~
ting the exact tenor of Ions remarks !.
l HE says they can't stand the trail.
Mrs. Buss meditated-
s'Where do the trappers ana hunters ls4r
around these parts sell their peitS'
DAMP she asked finally
ssThere's fellow comes through
: about this time and buys them up -
from Laramie. / can get ms naihe A.
: you want it.
/ Get it," said Mrs. Buss-
About a week later Three Cheers was
= startled to find an announcement IN
T Mrs BUSES window. 1t stated that
= therein was the agency for Barclay &
Burden furTfers. of LARAMIE. followed
BY a tempting list of prices for pelts-
1 It thought 7 could handle it for SIDE
' line she told the boys when they
stra ggled in to talk It over. They
. won't send anybody through here this
; year-not now.
Lon considered the situation from al.
points It looked stra tegic to him. and
vet he was a modest man. and knew mol
II The limit of a woman's patience Sew
II eraI times he spread out his season
III catch and looked them over-deer- bear
II fox. wolf otter and coonskins. He re-
= sented Mrs. BUSES assumption of an
thority IT had been part of the year y
d excitement the visit of the buyer to his
: cabin. and the swapping of stories over
the sale Yet the second week after the
?. sign anpeared in the bakery window ae
went down to the camp bearing his
catch with him and look of resig1la-
e ton
He had purposaIv chosen mid-after-
s noon for his visit The other men woule
be ND in the timber then. He wanted
as few witnesses 2s possible
: Come right in called Mrs. BUS
cheerf1v n : his long shadow fell across
It her threshold She lifted smiling
contented face from her knitting