Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-12-10

some fish? Who'll make a fire? Doyle,
why don't you try a canoe? Wake up"
He got them all to work, all at play.
They began to enjoy themselves. And
then out near the middle of the little
lake Doyle and the little ~Stenographer
upset themselves, and Il yell went up
for help. One of the clerks began talk
ing off. his shoes, but John Clayton
dashed into the bushes and in a mo-
ment was out in bathing trunks, first
wading, then swimming, toward the
two.
1t was small work to drag them in,
suffering and ludicrous, to be dried
out by their now hilarious friends.
When John Clayton again emerged
from the thicket. clad and happy, he
went straight to where she stood wiring
ing out a wet skirt. His eyes were
very kindly.
st won't be so bad now. They have
walked up. Is it very dull for you?"
The utter sincerity of his tone made
her meet his grave glance. Then she
looked away. smoothing her wind
blown brown hair to hide her confu-
sion.
Your hair is beautiful with the sun
il it like that" he said and strobe
away to make coffee over the camp
fire.
The rest of the day she basked in
this new knowledge of the sardonic
man.
The day passed swiftly, and the
drifting crowd became a sort Of happy
family with It's coffee brewing and fish
frying. it's ~dishwashing and joking.
Mary Shaw found herself keeping
near John Clayton and was trcmulous-
ly content, listening to his voice while
he talked, but hardly knowing what he
said. And the afternoon waned.
When evening fell and q big sum
mel moon sailed up a cool breeze blew
from the lake, and a fire was made.
John Clayton told stories of his boy
hood while all watched the flames,
and Mary Shaw sat on the ground be-
side him feeling like a cave woman.
At last there was a wild scramble to
get things together for the last city
car. for oil had been oblivious to time.
1t was a rather d%isorderly retreat, and
they had trailed through woods and
fields to nearly the last fence when
John Clayton stopped. speaking to
Mary Shaw beside him.
Pm sure hat fire isn't clean out. 1t
might start a blaze. l must run back
l may be able ven then to make the
cor. You had better go with the rest
He was off through the trees ut {;
dog trot.
Mary Shaw looked ahead at her com
panions. They were all in pairs.
Then. without hesitation, she 1UrlpI
and ran with all her might back Hftr
John Clayton.
At last she came up behind him, he
slim figure like Il shadow in his path
He looked back over his shoulder.
"rll-go ~back-too, if you-don'
mind" she painted.
"All right" he replied, not pausin2
while she trudged at his heels. agai
the a v woman, but not content, ia
humiliation and fear infolded he
Didn't he want her with him, or wa
he only in a hurry?
Her dignity asserted itself and file
her with self contempt. There in til
g dim woods the tragedy of the lone W,
=. man smote her. Plainly he did nc
It want her. She should have stage
with the others.
" He stamped out the last furtiv
lie sparks Of the campfire while she stoo
a by silent. outlined with silver by tla
moonlight Sitting through the tree
is He seemed trivially painstaking for S
remote a danger. Then he STROBE ove
h to her, not stopping Il moment. Az
took her arm.
"Come-we may make it even We
1 haven't heard the whistle"
He led her rapidly along until the
=. reached the path, when she fell agai
behind him. following blindly. Sll
" knew now how much she cared, an
the humbled realization numbed a
! other feeling.
"a Finally he helped her over a roug
W field, and they reached the last fenc
just as the car changed i%neXorably pas,
!, They stopped to breathe, and he nut
LCACu VI lilpat1Clt Will DSI"Gtu LII
teeth.
II hoped to get you herein time,
he said steadily.
He stood thinking a moment. the
g, laughed Il little.
y "Well do the best we can. If 70,
, can walk another half mile I can reac,
1 a telephone for a carriage or taxi, /
they'll come out to these wilds.. Don
~ worry; I'll get you home.' Then h
Il suddenly jerked her almost from he
=" feet, close against him. as with a deer
i Earring whir a huge motorcar pure
D past them at a speed indecent and I'LL
y lawful. The sardonic man gave a SUD
den clear shout. but the driver had no
y heard him.
. "They might have taken us in" h
Ii was saying when they heard a repor
y like a pistol shot.
e Blowout" he commented. They