The Mena weekly star., 1912-04-04

| euniS anu sandals, she might nave stood for Diana and she wouId nave had no cause to blush bv com. parisoD with the finest model of Fraxiteles' chisel or the most snIan. uio ana glowing example of Appelles' brush. F'''eS
 uncle Robert was delighted with her; his contribution to her western outnt was a small Winchester. She uispiayed astonishing aptitude under his Instructions and soon became won. uerfully proficient with that deadly weapon and with a revolver also There was little danger to be appre. nended in the daytime among the
 mountains. the more experienced men thought, still 1t was wise for the girl aiWays to have weapon in readiness. so in her journeyings, either the Win. chester was slung from her shoulder or carried in her hand, or else the Colt dangled at her hip. At first she took both. but finally 1t was with reluc- tance that she could be persuaded to take either. Nothing had ever han pened. Save for few birds now and then she had seemed the only tenant or the Wilderness of her choice.
 One night after a camping experi ence Of nearly two weeks in the noun. tains and just before the time for breaking up and going back to civil izauon, she announced that early the next morning she was going down the canon for a days fishing excursion.
 None of the party had ever fol lowed the little river very far. but it was known that some ten miles below the stream merged in a lovely gem. like lake in sort of crater in the mountains. From thence by a series of water falls 1t descended through the foothills to the distant plains be yond The others had arranged to climb one especially dangerous and ambition provoking peak which tow. cred above them and which had never before been surmounted so far as they knew. Enid enjoyed mountain climbing. She liked the uplift in feel ing that came from going higher and higher till some crest was gained. but on this occasion they urged her to ac- company them in vain.
 When the fixity of her decision was established she had number of offers to accompany her, but declined them all, bidding the others go their way. Mrs. Maitland, who was not feeling very well. old Kirkby, who had climbed too many mountains to feel much interest in that game, and Pete the horse wrangler, who had to look after the stock, remained in camp; the others with the exception of Enid started at daybreak for their long as- cent. She waited until the sun was about an hour high and then bade goodbye to the three and began the descent of the canon Travelling light, for she was going far-farther, indeed. than she knew-she left her Winches- ter at home. but carried the revolver with the fishing tackle and substantial luncheon.
 Now the rivera river by courtesy only-and the canon turned sharply back on themselves just beyond the little meadow where the camp was pitched. Past the tents that had been their home for this joyous period the river ran due east for few hundred feet. after which 1t curved sharply. doubled back and flowed westward for several miles before 1t gradually swung around to the east on its prop CT course again.
 It had been Enid's purpose to cut across the hills and strike the river where it turned eastward once more, avoiding the long detour back. In fact, she had declared her intention of doing that to Kirkby and he had given her careful directions so that she should not get lost in the noun tains.
 But she had plenty of time and no excuse or reason for saving 1t. she never tired of the charm of the canon; therefore. instead of plunging directly over the spur of the range, she fol- lowed the familiar trail and after she had passed westward far beyond the limits of the camp to the turning, she | decided. in accordance with that ut terly Irresponsible thing. woman's will, that she would not go down the canon that day after all but that she would cross back over the range and strike the river a few miles above the camp and go up the canon.
 She had been up fin that direction a few times. but only for short dis tance, as the ascent above the camp was very sharp, in fact for a little more than mile the brook was only succession of water fall; the best fishing was below the camp and the | finest woods were deeper fin the canon. | She suddenly concluded that she would like to see what was up in that unexplored section of the country and 1 so, with scarcely a momentary hesi- tation. she abandoned her former plan and began the ascent of the range. Upon decisions so lightly taken what momentous consequences de- pendy Whether she should go up the stream or down the stream, whether she should follow the rivulet to its source or descend 1t to It's mouth, was apparently matter of little mo ment. yet her whole life turned abso- iutely upon that decision. The idle and unconsidered choice of the hour was drought with gravest possibilities. Had that election been made with any suspicion. with any foreknowledge, had it come as the result of careful req soning or far-seeing of probabilities, l it might have been understandable, | k..4 .. ,..,~.,t.o a wbtnn tho va o-ranf