The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-26
EVENING STORY
Cupid $ New Weapon.
(By Lois Crayton.9

All day he lad watched her on the
trail as the horses wound around high
rocky cliffs, across tracts of shale and
thru deep valleys. Hedgeman, the
leader, who knew the country we'll,
went ahead; then came the venture
some spirits. ready to take risks of
slides and places on narrow lodges,
where pieces of rock might have fallen
away since the last ranger passed on
his lonely patrol.
But the mountain ponies were sure
footed-too sure footed, for they Went
close to the edge sometimes. The
horse the girl rode insisted on walk
ing as far away from the cliff as pos
sible He was pack horse, and &C
customed to keeping away from the
rocky wall. where a bump might send
him over.
The man kept his eye on the girl.
Most of the time her left foot was
dangling over space, but she gave no
sign that she was afraid
When night came they camped in a
valley and after supper most OF the
weary souls crawled into bed They
had made thirty miles that day over
the mountains A few still fingered,
however, around the great fire, for the
nights here even in midsummer were
like November. Two college boys and
the sister of one sang everything they
knew. The man and the girl sat apart
talking.
are you?" he said.
| She laughed Goodness, yes
spiders and mice, measles and bur-
glars
Il doubt it,
''Why?''
you've done so many things the
others won't do. Take those rapids,
for instance, the place even the In
dams had never been over. Don't you
think you're foolhardy?"
Perhaps. It's always matter OF
discussion where courage and fool
neither word should exist They are
natural. 1t is cowardice that is un-
natural, the result of pampered civ
ilization. The craven is the oddly.
We were all brave once"
Il believe you are right.
| What did l do to make you think
| was-brave?
Most girls would have screamed or
tainted when that horse went so close
to the edge"
"And 1 kept quiet? That was only
the instinct of self-preservation. 1
didn't want to scare him.
And few girls would have kept so
quiet in that boat. You never moved"
'Self-preservation again. I was
afraid of tipping it, She was laugh
ing now.
THAT isn't true, I'm afraid. I in
sist on giving you the palm of cour-
age
And I insist that I am as much of
a coward as anybody"
What are you afraid of, them"
81 told you-burglars for one
thing
"And?"
You for another"
Yes You insist on dragging my
failings out into daylight and analyz-
ing them. l suppose you'll soon dis
cover that I'm fond of vegetable soup
! and hate to use SemicoIons and that
incidentally these riding boots have
rubbed my stocking into tatters.'
I'D forgotten You must be dead
tired" He got up instantly and help
ed her to her feet. GO to bed now
and be fresh for new worlds tomor-
row. Look at these stars; there aren't
SO many back East. Do these noun
tains. all this bigness out here, give
you the feeling that we don't count
for much in the eternal scheme OF
things?"
Yes" she answered. That's when
1 do lose my courage. It's the things
we don't understand that we are
afraid off,
You are right about that. Now go
to bed and sleep well. They will be
calling at five He pressed her
hand warmly and was gone
They were together a great deal af-
ter that; they rode side by side when
possible, sat together at meals and
had splendid campfire talks He in.
sisted on calling her brave as each
day brought new risks which she took
without flinching
Il don't believe you are afraid OF
burglars, either" he remarked one
night.
Yes, really 1 am. When I wa:
little 1 was afraid of the dark an6
COLLINS, after my nurse told me Little
Orphan Annie But since I've dis
covered the fraud--it's burglars
don't think I'd mind so much if on,
came without mask. But if he'c
cover his face and I'd wake up anc
see him I think I'd de-
The trip came to an end; that is
the mountain trip; the cooks ant
guides and horses turned back owe
the trail to get another party of tour
lists, the man took train for Seattle