Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-07-28
"There, there. wen talk of that

When he had finally elected the In
formation that her life work" was a
subject to which Joanna had given no
thought he sighed.
~ fear you do not take existence Sc
rious1y enough, Joanna. You are TWEEN
ty-two. You should have formulated
some notion of what you wish to do to
leave the world a better place than
you found it,
"Oh, I dare say I'll get married some
day." said Joanna casually. "Arethere
any amusing men In town."
"Amusing!' gasped Mrs. Baxter.
"Amusing~ Numbered MT. Baxter.
Having thus precipitated the catas-
trophe, Joanna learned in three min
utes that she was designed, In default
of any nobler choice on her own part,
as a helpmeet for the Rev. Lemuel
Towers of Lucknow, India.
HE is at home on the first visit In
eight years" said her father. HE is
his estimable first wife Is no nor In
the mission field a man needs a wife.
He has been-er-impressed with your
pictures and-er-what. we have told
him Of your true character. He once
met your sister Cornelia. He wishes
an opportunity to win your-regard."
Joanna had recovered her breath.
"Stop!' she commanded imperiously.
"It Is horriblei How can you want to
send me away from you, away from
my home? And 1 won't marry him. I
won't marry any minister! I won't!
1 hate them alHall but you, father!"
She began to sob tempestuously.
Three days later, having contumeli-
ously refused to make her appearance
whenever the Rev. Lemuel Towers
came to the parsonage, she was ship
ped to Eliza in the Rocky mountains.
Eliza had always had influence with
her, her parents recalled thankfully.
"What is that man doing?" Joanna
demanded Of the stage driver In whose
taciturn company she was finishing the
journey to Eliza.
She indicated a stalwart figure stand
ing astride of two rocks In the clear,
rushing stream beside which the road
twisted through the mountains.
"F1shin'. Can't you sees much as
that7"
"Oh, of courser' murmured Joanna,
abashed- II see the rod now"
At that second the fisherman wound
his reel swiftly, and there flashed in
the afternoon sunlight a ~glttering
something at the end OF the slender
line
GOOD catchr roared the stage driv-
er above the rumble of his wheels and
the foaming of the water. The fisher
man looked up to a an acknowl-
edgment Of the compliment; but. see
ing Joanna, her slim body bent for
ward, her young face smiling and IN
terested, he pulled his battered cap off
his head and stared until the wagon
disappeared at the next bend
"Who Is her asked Joanna
Dunno. Campin' a mile or two up
here. Brought up his own things. so I
didn't have Mo cnance to get acQuaint-
ed with him. Here we are" And he
swung into sight of the ~picturesQuely
rough hotel where Eliza awaited her
sister.
Perhaps her heart was q little heavy
as she wandered alone the next morn
ing through the woods behind the hotel.
She made no effort to read the book
which she had brought with her. On
the spacious heights with yet higher
heights above and a crystalline blue
ness GROWING all, with pines and as
pens marshaled up and down the slopes
and grasses and Wild flowers and sun
fiecked shadows flooring all the noun
tains. mere existence was enough.
Hunger, Of course, reused her from
this Nirvanic ecstasy. She looked at
her watch, sighed, arose and wandered
back toward the hotel.
The trail seemed longer than she had
remembered it, but she had a convic-
ton that no other path had crossed it.
That conviction had gradually given
way to doubt and that to desperation.
when finally she saw ahead a CLEAN of
canvas and the curling Of smoke. A
man bent owe a fire, cooking.
Pardon me- began Joanna clearly.
The man turned-the tall, strong
smooth shaven, homely fisherman of
yesterday.
"Ohi" said Joanna Imply. TITS your
"And your he answered kindhngly.
Joanna blushed.
1T beg your pardon she said formal
~. ~ want to find my way back to the
Cascade hotel. 1 was-or I thought 1
was-in the woods just behind it, but
I seem to be astray."
"You are somewhat out of your road"
he answered as formally. "But I shall
be very glad to take you to the point
where you took the wrong turn
1.-The wrong turn?" unused Joanna.
"The right turn" declared the young
man firmly.
They looked at each other and
laughed.
II don't want to interfere with your
luncheon" Joanna began again politely.
sIf 7 cOuld Dersuade Won to share itr'