Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1915-04-24
RUNAWAY KATHERINE
In Her Wanderings She Meets
Cupid, Well Disguised but
Efficient.
By DAN LA GRANGE.


She had reached the age of nine
teen without anybody having sus-
pected her of a weak brain. On the
contrary, those who knew her best
said she would make her mark In the
world, girl though she was.
Her parents had planned to go away
for a week, and Miss Katherine was
to boss the manor house during their
absence. A good-by and then the folks
were gone. The girl dumped down in
to the hammock and did some THINK
ing and musing preparatory to going
crazy.
"They get ready and go right on as
if didn't count for shucks!' she pout-
ed. "Then go and be hanged, but l
shan't always be here to be snubped.
Everybody has a good time but me.
Does any one call except on motner
Has ever young man driving past III
an auto stopped and asked what time
it was? OF course not! don't amount
to pumpkins, DON'T"
1t is generally believed that people
go crazy with whoopee, and make a
bee line for the kitchen and the butch
er knife, but there are exceptions 10
the rule. Miss Katherine raised up
on her elbow and gave the hammock
pillow swat with her fist.
'Tll run away-thats what | Will
dol"
And she didn't put the matter OH
until next Christmas, but walked right
upstairs and looked for the Oldest
things in her wardrobe. She hadn't
planned where she was to go nor what
she should do, but sort of instinct
told her that she should have old
clothes on when she did it.
The cook was singing in the kitchen
and the gardener loafing, and neither
one of them saw the crazy girl as she
passed out of the gate into the road
and down the highway forty rods until
she got the shelter of bit of woods.
There was an auto coming, but 1t was
yet a quarter of mile away when
she was sheltered.
So far so good. She had gone crazy
and had made fair start toward run
ming away and having adventures ga
lore. Where should she run to? With
no money in her purse and very SIM
pie role Suppose it was that of a
hired girl? She'd hire for a week and
then skip back home, and there would
be incidents enough to keep her relat
ing for month.
Miss Katherine was about to ap-
proach the highway and sit down.
This cut her off from the road, and
she went farther into the woods. She
thought there was another highway
back Of the woodland, but she did not
come across it in half miles walk.
She was wondering if she should not
suddenly regain her senses and return
to the house when man stepped from
behind tree and gave her an awful
fright
He was a bent and withered old
man, with hands more like claws, and
he eyed her in malevolent way as
they stood for a moment.
I'm looking for the road over here,
she almost whispered
you are liar" he croaked.
But there-there is a road?"
you have come to spy on old
joint" he shouted.
Il didn't know you we're here.
"You are lying to me. There's a
reward Of a hundred dollars for me
dead or alive
'But don't want it, said the cir
in a voice she tried to make wheed
ling. ."All want is to find the road
and go home"
you can't go!"
She sprang away from him and ran
at her best pace, but he had her before
she had gone 100 feet. She screamed
once, but he raised his fist to strike
her, and she was silent. When he
took her by the arm to lead her along
she realized that he had fierce grip
and though she tried her hardest te
break away he could easily handle
her A few rods from where she en-
countered him was a brush shanty
with small fire smoldering near by
"Sit down." exclaimed the old man.
Miss Katherine drew in her breatl
to scream.
"If you do, I'll hit you'll" warned
the old man.
The girl had always heard that in
sane people must be humored, ant
1
finding herself in his power and il
danger of violence if she provoked
him, she forced smile and a half
laugh and said:
"Oh, we'll, l don't want to go HON,
yet anyway. so We won't care abou
the road"
Isn't that a pretty good house To-
an old man to build?" he asked afte
a grumpy silence
Indeed, but it is real cute" wa
answered.
| And | built it in a day."
Then you are smarter than mos
men half your age"
do you know my name?"
| mo, | never heard it."