Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1917-12-27
ADIRONDACK GUIDE.
BY GEORGE HAssLER

| dered why Miss Elizabeth CORTLAND
Van Rensselaer,, aged 25, did not
marry. She was rich, handsome, and
one of the 400. She had refused many
offers. So society finally gave it up
/ and put down the heiress as decidedly
eccentric.
Now, John Turner Osgood was one
of many interested in Miss Van Rens.
salaer's matrimonial intentions. He
was looking for a rich wife. He had
no objections to good looks and social
position, but never having been in
love. Riches were the main considera-
ton with him. And being rather
clever young man, after a fashion all
his own, Mr.. Osgood did not rush in
to try his fate. On the contrary, he
took good care that Miss Rensselaer,
should not even see his face. Instead,
he had a confidential talk with his
clever young married cousin, Mrs.
! Thomas Carstairs, who, not long af-
forwards, struck up quite friendship
with Miss Rensselaer,. In due course
of time Mrs. Carstairs reported to Mr..
Osgood that she guessed Miss Van
Rensselaer, did not marry because she
! was looking for real man and had
not been able, up to date, to find one
in her exclusive and limited set.
! This report must have borne fruit,
for 9ueerly enough, last summer when
Miss Van Rensselaer, and camping
party went into the Adirondacks one
,of their guides was new man-John
Turner, he called himself-who was
just little different from any other
guide in all the region round about.
One afternoon toward the last Of
the camp, Miss Van Rensselaer, got
into her boat, remarked that they
needn't wait for supper for her and
pulled leisurely across the lake. At
supper time 1t was suggested that
someone ought to look her up. Turner
volunteered and pulled across the lake
to the mouth of stream where he
had last seen her boat. A little way
up the stream he met freshly plucked
pond lily floating down. Further on
he saw more lilies, birch bark and
beech leaf wreaths. 1t was a trail
blind man could follow and even after
it was dark he rowed on, confident
that she was upstream. Finally he
found her on the bank busily engaged
in broiling a black bass over small
camp fire. A substantial lunch basket
showed she had come prepared.
Miss Van Rensselaer, did not seem
at all surprised to see the guide and
the guide expressed no surprise at
finding her cooking her supper alone
at a distance of ten miles or more
from the camp. He merely remarked
that the party had asked him to hunt
her up and tell her that supper was
ready. She remarked in turn that the
fancy had seized her to eat supper,
alone in the woods and asked him to-
get some more wood for the fire. Then
she made him help her with her cook,
ing and finally handed him a tin plate
and a knife and fork and told him to
fall to. Afterward they sat about the
fire and talked casually about the
woods. @f
At last she remarked casually that
she supposed he knew how to build a,
shelter for her for the night. He re-
piled that he did and proceeded to put;
together Il light lean-to of saplings,
boughs ana bark, and to heap the floor
with fragrant hemlock and cedar.
When it was done she asked him to
pile up enough wood by the fire to last
all night. When this was ready She
remarked:
I've set my heart on sleeping here
i'll the woods. OF course, it would not
be safe for me to stay alone?'
NO" he answered, there are pam
theirs and wolves in these woods"
Il want you to stay and keep watch.
Then in the morning you can go back
first to camp and say you couldn't find
me-"
II See," he remarked, sail right"
ThereupOn Miss Van Rensselaer,
went to her lean-to, made herself snug
with blanket.
Presently Miss Van Rensselaer,,
much to her surprise, dropped off to
sleep. Promptly with the first blush
of dawn Miss Van Rensselaer, opened
her eyes and looked into the guides
face. He was staring straight in front
VI Kill, dHu HIS luce WIS ufaWu anu
hag@ard.
"Who are your" she said suddenly.
"a fraud,' he replied. He did not
even seem surprised ut her question.
u saw YOU in Washington last wins
ter" he went on. Il knew had no
chance there, but l thought luck might
come my way up here in the woods.
l imagined you We're deadly tired Of
your world. / wanted rich wife. I
spied on you and here I ANA hired
guide"
why do you tell me this? Why not
keep up the pretence-wl,y not talk Of
love-why not threaten me? You hold
the cards.
Because do love YOU"
oh" III