The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1915-01-07

problem for her and promised mucn
needed month in the mountains.
JIMMY" she called to her brother
who had not as yet left his Office
''listen to this chance for me to get
into the country for awhile" She
read the lines to him. Ito Dress
makers-A splendid holiday at Cha
teaugay, in Adirondacks, for one
month; board and lodging free in re.
turn for making few summer
dresses Mrs. Drake, Amble Cottage,
Chateaugay, NJ " There! Isn't that
q dandy opportunity for me and you
can have a glorious month of bach.
elordom." She Rugged her big broth
or in an ecstasy Of excitement, and
went over to her desk to write a
hurried note to Mrs. Drake offering
that lady her services as seam.
stress.
Two days passed before Helen's re-
ply came, and still another before she
could get comfortably packed up and
started on her way.
Helen had not been in Amble Cot.
tage two days before she knew the
real state of affairs.
1T seems" she wrote to her broth.
er, that the brakes had not expect
ed to meet anyone whom they cared
to cultivate, up here in the mountains,
but Enid, the daughter, has made
the acquaintance of one Mark Austen,
who has taken the camp next door.
and clothes are needed in a hurry
to ensnare the said Mark 1t seems,
from all I can learn, that he is most
eligible catch. Hence it is Mr.. Aus!
ten of Camp Fire that l must thank
for my lovely holiday-isn't it?'
1t was during one of Helen's ram.
bles along the edge of trout stream
that she came suddenly upon a fish
erman. Helen would have quietly
passed him had he not turned laugh.
ingly toward her.
Il suppose there is not the slight
est chance of your having match
with your he inquired boyishly. Il
had the misfortune to drop my box
in the stream while bending over this
beauty, He drew up a rainbow trout
for Helen's admiring eyes.
II often make my tea in the woods, y
she told him by way of explaining the
presence of masculine equipment in
her own pocket.
"By jove! am the lucky dog" he
nft0n to la
this walk before breakfast" he quel.
led with appalling disregard for the
conventions Il fish here rain or shine
every morning from six o'clock to
lunchtime; and since am no good at
making tea or anything, have to go
home to camp"
II only walk here when the fancy
pleases me-" she told him with only
q slightly elevated dimpling chin.
Good morning." she added, and
would have turned on her heel save
that she slipped on wet rock and
would have fallen.
There he said catching her,
that is what you get for behaving
80 abominably to me-" He put her
carefully on her feet then and re.
sumed his fishing. After that she
could do nothing but reward him
with one Of her most lovely smiles.
1T was good of you to save me
from a ducking," she said, land If
had been properly introduced to you
I would be delighted to cook some of
those beauties on camp fire." she
pointed to his basket of trout. las it
is, l must hurry back, since my time
is not entirely my own" She went
then and the lone fisherman watched
her out of sight.
His catch that morning was excel.
lent. They were piled SO high in his
basket that he stopped on his way
home to offer his neighbors a dozen
for their lunch.
Enid Drake met him on the wide
veranda of Amble Cottage. "Oh, Mr..
Austen, you disreputable person." she
exclaimed laughingly, as she viewed
his great boots that were muddy and
his ola flannel shirt that was weather
. beaten from many rains. Neverthe'
less it was her best smile that she
gave him, for he was the most elig'
ible Mark Austen of Camp Fire.
The smile was completely wasted
on Mark Austen, because at that mo-
ment he caught sight of sunny head
bent over a pink something that she
was sewing on.
The next letter that she sent home
to her brother ended with LONG
paragraph OF eulogy on one Mark
Austen
He fell in love with me instead OF
Enid" Helen wrote. He is fright
fully impatient. and it looks as if you
will have to keep bachelor fiat until
such time as you find the right girl. u