The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-04-01
The Evening Story

1 III =
On Cougar Hill.
(By Louise Merrineld)
He wa4 waiting for her. Jeanette
stepped back INTO the store and
bought another pr md Of crackers
and asked for more 2 cent stamps.
1t was after four now, and the trip
around the mountain took two hours.
Pete was beginning to move restless
| ly around the hitching post outside
and paw the ground. Yet the silent
figure sitting patiently on the top
step never budged.
She wondered II he had heard that
she was going away. A little wave
of regret swept over her as she
looked out of the open doors at the
lfar-reaching panorama of mountains.
Across the railroad tracks the river
flowed at the foot OF the slope. No
steamer had ever travelled on 1t. Huge
submerged stumps and trunks of trees
projected from the water like protest
| ing arms. Sometimes when she rode
down after mail and provisions she
had seen a deer swimming across It,
| not the timid wapiti Of the uplands.
but some thick set. brown buck that
| seemed to defy pursuit as he went over
| his old domain.
And Walt Roberts had been a part
| of all this to her, just as much a
part as the spirit of Pan was to the
laughed at him at first when he
would stalk out OF tho forest to stand
at her door and ask the privilege of
| cutting logs for her fireplace. That
had been in the late fall Now it
was summer. But all through the
| to see that she was standing the
siege all right.
He had smashed through the ice
when the water froze over at the
river, and had carried up water for
her. He had brought up her mail
and provisions when the roads had
been impossible for her and Pete. He
had brought down his violin and
played for her until 1t had seemed as
II he had imprisoned the music of the
wind through the pines. and the rip
pies of the spring that tumbled down
the mountains.
But through 1t all he had never
been anything to her except a half
| wild spirit Of the hills He had never
| told her of himself. She knew he
was still in the twenties, and he could
talk when he pleased of the things
! that went to make up her own world
outside.
Down at the store. old Packard
told her Walt had come to Cougar
Run two years before. He had built
himself a shack five miles up the
| mountain side, and he seemed to have
some reason for not going back to
where people congregated. He re-
| ceived no mail. and sent none. He
seemed to have money enough for his
needs, and asked no favors.
jeanette felt oddly disturbed. Just
| why she should feel responsible for
Walt Roberts peace of mind, she
could not see, and still she dreaded
! UninQ a nd 0otS ~;
! Getting late for you, amt it, Miss
Tyler" asked Packard. cheerfuily
| Its sOrter lonesome trip for YOU
alone. If rs you. I'd get Walt to ride
up with me- The boys say there's
cougar signs around
I've got q revolver with me-"
jeanette answered absently. drawing
on her gloves And Pete's never
afraid"
He'd bolt all right II he felt a
cougar reaching for him. Know what
the creeturs do? They crouch along a
limb and pounce down on a pony's
back and crunch the neck. II you
happen to be on the pony you get hurt
first. see? Amt many around any
more. Most Of them skipped farther
| north up into British Columbia when
the settlers opened up this land. Going,
are your
Jeanette smiled and nodded. Out
side, she had to pass the figure on the
steps. and he stood up. hat on. to look
at her. Somehow all the splendid joy
of living had died out OF his face In
just a day. she thought. flushing under
| that direct, half accusing gaze. Old
Packard stood in the doorway watch
ing them as they rode away, Pete in
the lead, with Waits black pony at
| his tanks.
Seems like the two Of them been
cut from the same piece Of goods he
unused. Waits got some sort Of a
ghost riding his soul. and it's driven
him up to this fOrSaken place to live.
She's come along to hang on to her
parcel of land and prove up her claim,
and she's wearyin' now for the back
east life. and he can't hold her. And
I'd be willing to bet my coon coat
against next winter that he loves her
shadow"
did you give Walt his letter. Joe7''
called Mrs. Packard from the back
room. II stuck It up over the looking
when he came down. It's the first he
ever had"
Forgot it," said Joe. simply. .I'n
take it up later. There's cougar signs
round. and some of us are going hunt
ing
Jeanette rode steadily ahead. nom
committal and half on the defensive.
They reached her shack just az the first
darkness was settling down over the
hills. In the west the light lay in long
trays Of rose and amber.
/ Walt built her fire as usual In the
wide rock fireplace. The nights were
cool, and she liked one. Jeanette sat
before It, her chin on her palms. star
| ing down into the blaze.
| sThat all I can dor he asked. nm
ally.
THANK you, yes
You're going away. Joe told me-
FOR q while. It's been q long win
ter. I get starved for my own people
land my own life. III come hack IN the"