The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-12-02
The Euening Story
The Captains Girl.
(By Izola Forrester.)

| Kapper's Spur lies on the west side
of Mount Lawrence, over the Wyom-
ing state line. And the very center
of Kapper's Spur, from a social as
well as a civic standpoint, was its town
hall and schoolhouse.
Early in August Cap Henty began
casting about for a teacher. Cap was
| chairman of the school committee,
keeper; so his word carried authority.
"Out of the whole lot" he an
nounced, waving his hands disdainfuI-
| ly over the heap of answers from his
ad, there's just one that talks real
turkey. and I'm going to send for her
Names Sidney Baxter Good sort of
name, too"
where's she FROM" inquired Mrs.
Henty. 81 suppose she'll want to
board with u.s."
mo, she won't She's got a good
shack already for her, and a new
stove in it, too. Writes good hand
and talks like she knew something"
Let me see. pa. please" Rita Hem
| ty begged 1T will seem awfully good
| to have a girl chum up here. L hope
she's nice"
might have taught school yourself
if you'd been a mind to, Rita" &
"I don't care to teach school, pa,
not on Kapper's Spur" laughed Rita
mischievously. us Len going to take
bookkeeping from the new teacher ?"
Len Walters. waiting for the judge
to sign some papers on a transfer of
stock, flushed at her tone
II will if 1 have time" he retorted
sturdily. IF she hasn't got any place
to board, we'd like mighty well to ac-
commodate her, Cap"
Rita lifted her pretty eyebrows and
looked just as provoking as she could.
The Walters's ranch was the largest
on the mountain, and they had good
house in the little town besides. But
she had been at school for four years
down at Laramie, and Len had never
gone beyond the course he had right
there at Kappers Spur 1t had been
part of the fun of coming home sum-
mers to tease him and show him the
decided difference between person
who has studied at Laramie and one
who has spent the best years OF his
teens herding cattle.
Miss Baxter was to arrive on Sat
urday, and just for nonsense Rita
went to the station to meet her. Lei
was there, too. There had been some
correspondence, and it was settled the
teacher was to live at the Walters's
house. But Rita was mighty sweet to
the stranger when she stepped from
the westbounQ train, clad in brown
with a white felt hat on her solt
blonde hair. And she took her away
from Len with a laugh. 1t was right
that the chairman of the committee
should meet her first. She would
take her home to supper, and take her
Len stood and watched them pass
down the street from the station,
thoroughly noulussed and resentful-
you're awful tame, Len" said
Scotty. the bus driver. sympathet1caI-
ly. Let that girl of Caps walk right
over you, you do"
But Len was not thinking of the
captains girl Just for a minute ne
had looked into Sidney's eyes and they
had been diverting. In the weeks that
ne
charm for him Twice a week he rode
in from the ranch, and Sidney grew to
look for the visits.
You know" he told her in a burst
of boyish confidence one day when
they were riding together, Il never
met a girl just like you You don't
flirt and you don't say lot of fool
things just to worry fellow, and
you're interested in things-like range
rights and forestry. and so on:
MY father was a ranger, Sidney
told him. I'm named for him. I was
born in the forest, so guess it's nat
love it best. That's Thy 1 wanted to
come UP here and teach school. After
he died we went back east to live, and
there 1 saw the ad. for teacher way
out here, and answered IL more Tor
fun; but 1 came"
sfWould YOU like to stay?" He
blurted it out clumsily, but she did not
seem to understand what lay behind
his words. How could she know that
he pictured her living out at the
ranch, his wife. and all the world
turned golden. Sidney shook her head
doubtfully. Perhaps if she could go
back east sometimes Rita had told
her how tiresome Kapper's Spur be-
came If her brother could come out
and take up ranching, then she would
like it.
send for him. I'll take him on
with me-" promised Len.
And the next few weeks Kapper's
Spur thrilled at the small drama en-
acted under its very nose. Big Al
Baxter, fresh from college, with a
halfback record behind him, sense
of hunor and plenty of good inten-