Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-03-01

me of you. Say, but it looked like a
lonesome hole. I used to love this
place-but l didn't love it last night.
1t seemed about the most cheerless
and depressing spot 1 could have
picked. I think 1 should have ended
up by touching a match to the whole
business and hitting the trail to some
new country. l don't know. I'm not
weak. But 1 don't think 1 could have
stayed here long"
They stood silent in the doorway for
a long interval, Bill holding her close
to him, and she blissfully ~contented,
careless and unthinking of the future,
so filled was she with joy of the pres
ent.
do you love me much, little per-
SOM" Bill asked, after a little.
She nodded vigorous assent.
"Why?" he desired to know.
"Oh, just because-because you're q
man, 1 suppose" she returned mischie-
vOusly.
"The worlds ~chuck-full of men,
Bill observed.
Surely" she looked up at him. But
they're not like you. Maybe it's bad
policy to start in fattering you. but
there aren't many men of your type,
Billy-boy; big and strong and capable,
and at the same time kind and patient
and able to understand things, things
a woman can't always put into words.
Last fall you hurt my pride and nearly
scared me to death by carrying me off
in that lawless, headlong fashion of
yours. But you seemed to know just
how I felt about it. and you played
fairer than any man I ever knew
would have done under the same cir
cumstances. l didn't realize it until |
got back into the civilized world. And
then all at once I found myself longing
for you-and for these old forests and
the mountains and all. So I came
back"
"Wise girl" he kissed her. you'll
never be sorry, 1 hope. 1t took some
nerve, too. It's a long trail from here
to the outside. But this north coun-
try-it gets in your blood-if your
blood's red-and I don't think there's
any water in your veins, little person.
Lord! I'm afraid to let go of you for
fear you'll vanish into nothing, like a
Hindu fakir STUNT
mo fear" Hazel laughed. give got
Il pony tied to a tree out there, and
four Siwashes and q camp outfit over
by Crooked lake. If l should vanish
I'd leave a plain trail for you to fol,
low"
"Well," Bill said, after a short 81.
lente, tits 4 hundred and forty miles
to a Hudson's Bay post where there's
q mission and a preacher. Let's be OF
our way and get married. Then wei
come back here and spend our honey
moon, eh?"
She nodded assent.
Are you game to start in half al
hour?" he asked, holding her off a
arms length a%dmiringly.
SIN game for anything, or 1 wouldn'
be here" she retorted.
"All right. You just watch an eX
hibition of speedy packing" Bill de
clared-and straightway fell to work
Hazel followed him about, helping t.
get the kayaks packed with food. The,
caught the three horses, and Bill
stripped the pony of Hazel's ridini
gear and placed a pack on him. The
he put her saddle on Silk.
Hes your private mount hence
FORTH" Bill told her l%aughingly. "You'
ride him with more pleasure than yo'
did the first time, won't your"
Presently they were ready to star
planning to ride past Limping George
camp and tell him whittier they wer
bound. Hazel was already mounted
Roaring Bill paused, with his toe i
the stirrup, and smiled whimsically q
her over his horses back.
81 forgot something" said he, an
went back into the cabin-whence b
shortly emerged, bearing in his han
Il sheet of paper upon which some
thing was written in bold, angula
characters. This he pinned on til
door. Hazel rode Silk close to sc
what it might be, and laughed amused
ly, for Bill had written:
"Mr. and Mrs. William Wagstaf wi
be at home to their friends on an
after June the twentieth"
He swung up into his saddle, an
they logged across the open. In til
edge of the first timber they pulle
up and looked backward at the cabi
browsing silently under its sentin
tree. Roaring Bill reached out OF