The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-06-04
HIS WOOD YMPH
BY AGNES C. eRoGAN.
Copyright. 1917. western Newspaper Union-)

dropped his gun among the thick
leaves, and lighting his pipe, leaned
lazlly back against a tree-trunk. Game
was scarce, but ii was the autumn
beauty of the woods, as wei as the
hunting which had called him. This
day of warmth and sunshine seemed
borrowed from the summer so lately
passed.
what a glorious spot Ii was :" His
dark eyes took in the color scheme of
gold and crimson. Back in the days
of chivalry, n wandering knight might
meet In such romantic surroundings.
a lady of wondrOus charm and beauty
"A wood nymph perhaps, with flow
ers twined in her hair. But in this
prosaic age of rusn and reality"
Carson smiled into the bowl of his
pipe. "the wonderful ladies competent
ly run their own cars about city pave
ments, or golfed at a country club"
Following his smile came a rumina-
tive frown, why was he always
doomed to find the companionship of
the fair sex of such tiresome same
ness, was it because romance still
fingered hopefully at the back of his
capable business brain? A painting,
THE Daughter of the Wood which
hanging before his desk at home, had
not consciously attracted his atten-
ton. became now pictured upon his
mind. The girls long ripping hair,
the eyes of wide startled wonder, the
mischievous curl of lips as red as the
berries in her hair. Then with IA
sense of human nearby presence, Car
son turned to find the pictured sprite
perched upon a mound of leaves behind
him. This particular sprite laughed
in frank delight at his evident aston
ishment.
"Well?' she asked saucily. Still be-
wilderedly staring, he noted her round
brown arms escaping from their rag
ged covering. the wreath of mountain
ash berries browning her shimmering
hair; hair rippled far below the waist.
Could it be girl or vision?
THAT is what | must ask you" he
replied. "Well?'
She laughed again. "You wonder
how | came here she questioned, in
lIlS SOllluue, lar IIOiu ldblldLAOh'
He nodded. 81 fancied at first that
l had conjured up your image. My
mind was at the moment filled with
such poetic imaginings."
1--WE will then" the vision replied.
continue the fancy. l am, sir, ii
daughter of the wood" She pointed
to his gun. you, l fear, have been
destroying my ~feathered friends; the
cruelty must cease"
ut will, fair nymph," the man re-
piled, joining whimsically in her pleas
ure. with no habitation within many
weary miles of walking, may l ask
where is your abode?"
The girl pointed upward. I'm the
sturdy oak. sir, beneath which l sit"
asking pardon of a woodland
daughter" Carson replied, "the tree
beneath which you sit is a sturdy
BEECH
The girls laughter went ringing
through the silence. What does it
matter?" she said, "at night the tree
makes a sheltered resting place and
by day" she arose hastily to her tiny
sandaled feet-"by day 1 must be busy
gathering nuts for the winters store.
Sir, / must leave you"
Carson arose also. The girl put forth
a protesting hand.
IF you please" she begged, and left
him looking after her r%etreatlng fig
ure.
The episode filled his thoughts dur
ing days which followed. He smiled
In happy reminiscence looking at the
picture Of the wood nymph above his
desk. These pictured eyes were not
half so beautiful, he thought, the
curved lips not so %alluring, as
other. And the remembered face
would not be dismissed. Merrily 1t
laughed at him from the cracking
flames of his own fireplace, gravely 1t
regarded him from shadowy corners.
Carson knew that he must 90 back
back to the far wooded country where
he had seen her. Now that romance
had at last found him, he must claim
1t for his own.
He had reached this decision, when
to pass a restless hour, he entered
a mouon-plcture house. Absently he
watched the changing scene cast upon
the screen. There was something
vaguely familiar, In the wooded, billy
country, then Carson sat up abruptly.
Amusement and delight fitting across
his features.
Down a narrow path, ever nearer
ran a graceful glfish figure, her flow
ing hair crowned with a wreath Of
berries, her barred arms outstretched
before her, a creature wild and free
she was, o pausing TO laugh in his
very face, now dropping upon a mound
of leaves, mischievously hiding from
the lover who pursued her-Carson
knew the hero-lover wen, his face was
pictured In many magazines, but 1t
was the girl who claimed his atten-