The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1917-08-16
The Great
Adventure
h Solved q Problem For
-Four Persons.
By cLARIssA MAcKIE

NA HAAAt~AAH tt&AEf ADft 0N less,
that I've said ! don't want 10 ID
married yet awhile. | want 10 en-
JOY my single blessedness for an.
other year. | want to have a good
time, and ! see my way clear 10
have il now that Aunt Bee has in
yited me 70 spend winter in New
York. Next fall, after the summer
abroad she has promised me, I'll be
ready TO marry you and 60 10 house
keeping in that dear, horrible. stufy
little apartment which. ! am sure. is
all We can afford"
"lou have evidently thought the
matter over carefully. Your reasons
are most escelient ones, and | dare
say you sill have Z splendid time
with Mrs. Frake. When are you
going 70 start on your journey into
the worlds"
a week from today. And shat
are you going TO do. Rodg You
spoke 81 joining Dick Ellis on his
hunting trip into the north. Didn't
you SAY you might get a picture up
there among the trappcn and
guides z" Edith Penlow spoke rather
abscntly. as one Who tried TO force
an interest 10 . very tiresome sub
ject.
am planning 70 Join Ellis on
Thursday. We shall be gone al win-
ter. withheld my answer until ]
might know your decision, Edith.
vail see you before ! GO"
Ont in the silent street Roderick
Wakely strobe swiftly along the
frosty pavemenla. his hands thrust
deep In bis coat pockets, his eyes
searching the gloom ahead, as II
they wcFe trying 10 pierce the gray
veil Of the future that seemed
stretched before him. Before the
veil Edith Pcnlow's dainty figure
seemed 10 dance alluringly. yet
with diminishing ciearneas, until 1t
last che vanished and there was
nothing bus the gray veil and little
else beyond.
On Thursday be set forth with
Dick Ellis. bound for the Canadian
woods. AZ they left Boston be-
hind In . mist Of smoke Roderick
thought. with . sharp pang, that
spring would haze rolled Ground be-
fore he saw i again. And Edith
Ter she would return at Easter be-
fore going abroad wish her aunt-
would sue have forgotten him
uould she learn to care for another'
When they reached the hunting /
camp at Anjou Ellla took his gun /
and Frederick made several sketches
that might develop into the great
picture, bat he felt no especial en-
thusiasin about pushing bis work
forward. Edith'e attitude had some
how set the machinery Of his life
out Of adjustment. he told himself
that only she could make matters
right again. Every mail he watch
ed for q letter from her, but the let
sers came rarely and were lacking
IN the great essential that he crnved
her assurance that she missed
him in her new life; that she Ionged
for the time when they would no
ongcr be separated But she never
wrote Of these things. Her letters
zero mere frothy jottings Of her
gay lifc--of her happiness-and q
.arelees word Of affection at the
md, sometimes forgotten after all.
One morning he took sketching
block and pencil and went forth on
he trail Of Ellis, who had been
zone hours before hot on the track
il a brown bear which had invaded
heir storehouse the night before.
Roderick paused TO rest on the
ALLEN trunk Of q giant beech when
lis startled glance took 10 Q scene
hat be never forgot.
Beyond him IN a small clearing
.arpeted wiGh soft drift Of newly
alien snow there stood q girl and
deer, quite unconscious Of his
iE18tNtts ~ was NstAtNA AtAst S@&a
lad emerged from the woods on
opposite sides Of the clearing and
Vere nov poised IL startled contem-
lIation Of each other.
The girl, small and slender and
racefuI, wore long rcd cape that
her like the cloak Of Lit
lc Red Riding Hood Of nursery
ales, and over her fair hair was
Irawn q red hood. framing the pale
val Of her lovely young face, out
( which shono eyes as shy and
Irown az those Of the deer, which
TODD IN an attitude Of pitiable
right.
SO they stood for a whole min- \
te while Rodcrick transferred their !
eads to his block with quick sure
trokcs Of his crayon. Then he
hrust both in his pocket and made ,
sharp sound with his lips. In
family tie animal turned about |