The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-12-17
zM EVENING y70nY

His Mountain Pal.
(By June Gahan.)
Hamilton: Smells sorter posyiike.
too"
Throw 1t down." Barty returned,
lastly. He was down At the waters
edge. mending q break in his canoe.
He thought Jerry was joking. There
Barty Hamilton Of Lower Black Eddy.
He had lived there in the old red
shack up above the ruins OF the tim
Der mill for five years now. and Jerry
err there was mail for him down at the
country store postoffice.
Yet here was q letter unmistAlkably
addressed to Mr.. Bartholomew Ham
ilton. and it was postmarked New
York. Jerry knew every mark ON the
envelope after his six-mile trip mp to
the Eddy, and still there was nothing
to kindle romance or arouse suspicion
about 1t, excepting the faint sweet fra
GRANGE that chung to its heavy cream
paper.
Jerry let the reins hang loosely ON
the bronch0's back, leaning forward,
seemingly watching the flight OF some
crows high In the deep blue sky over
ward. for no awaited q new sensation
and 1t came.
Barty Hamilton tore open the en-
veIope, took enc glance at the double
sheet with us few lines Of engraving,
and then began to ''cuss," deeply and
richly beneath his breath, and he
crushed the cream white paper in his
hand.
bad news. Barty?" asked Jerry In
friendly fashion. Whereupon Barty
rose to his fun six foot one. and In
simulated pointed ly that Jerry Millward
was wandering from the route best
adapted to 4 person Of his character,
and that his temperament required a
warmer climate without return
ticket
my business is my own. I belong
to myself. 7 let people alone, and
want them ~ do the same to me, un-
derstand? What time il the next train
east?" .,.s-.-s.s 49,
"Ain't no more out tonight. Last
one left at 3:34."
Something in the genial. sympa-
thetic tone Ut Jerfy's voice struck tho
loneliness in Barty. He reached up
his hand.
you've been mighty decent to me
since I landed here. I'm going back
where I came from now. Take what
you like up at the shack"
amt it?" asked Jerry mildly. Lord.
know the yank they can give. And
it's all right. too. Going to marry
herr" s 49,
II was. some day"
'I colldnetvbring her up Here. could
II" Barty reached out both arms to
the splendid isolation Of the noun
tains. II hadn't lived right, Jerry.
Too much crowded in between sunset
I lost my grip. and my faith in myself.
in the man wanted to be, under
stand?"
There's lots Of them drift up here.
It's the last ehore." Jerry agreed medi-
tatively. "But when there's a woman
90nnR nIAGa-- even mnthaH that
thinks you're straight. it keeps you
from going under. Even IL you float
up with the tide 1t amt like going UNI
der. boy. You can float right out
again."
'But-'' he held up the envelope
grimly. 1--WE got her wedding cards"
$50 you're going to the devil, amt
you? And right down yonder''- Jer-
road he had just traveled-''right
down past the clump Of red rocks
there's the sweetest, incest little girl
in the world waiting for you to wake
r You mean Miss Evans-Betty
"You know darn we'll who mean"
flung back Jerry, as he started away.
"And she's ten million times too good
for you That train east leaves about
sun up: II you want e catch IT..
mediately. He went up the timber
trail toward the shack he had sbuilt
for himself four years back, Every
log in it he had laid himself, every
rock In the huge fireplace he had car
Of books over the couch In the corner,
with the wide eastern window where
the sun wakened him daily. On the
wall over the rude desk was her pic
ture. Madge Jocelyn's.
He stared at 1t NOW. modify. There
was beauty in every line OF 1t, in the
fair. upcurling hair the curved lips,
the cool. Interested gazo. OF the eyes.
They were blue eyes, blue al ice.
He had not told Jerry all, not how
she had sent him out to Colorado to
put up his tight alone, with the half
promise II he returned a victor ehe
would wait for him. Now she sent
him her wedding cards, and he had
wanted to take the nrst train east and.
kill the man who had won her from
him.
He turned away and looked out Of
Of the mountainside, there where the
break In the timber showed the little
white chimney Of Betty Evans house
Betty had always seemed n much n
part of the general Landscape a. tho
birds or the flowers.
She had taught 1T Thunder Creek
schoolhouse for two terms now, rid
on her pony every day. He knew that
she had taken up the claim her shack
stood ON. He knew that somewhere,
back home in Kansas, she had mother
and father. and q lot Of small sisters
and brothers. and that this was her
way of getting the most out Of life.
She loved the bigneas OF the noun
tains, and the splendid peace they
brought. She had been the nrot to
make Rarty see how they had healed
his soul as well N his body.
But they had been only pals. Al
ways, when he said his silent prayer
before the picture over his desk. he
added remark to his own conscience