The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1918-09-19
.uuumuuus
MOUNTAIN SUE
BY AGNES G. BRoGAN.

OnlOn.l
With n sigh of relief, John Burrows
sank down beneath a sheltering pine,
breathing in the clear mountain air.
Here his longing for solitude could
be realized; in undisturbed quiet, with
the inspiration of "the everlasting
hills" he might store mind and men,
DRY with wonderful material of shade
and color for paintings to come.
John Burrows was nm artist, and his
latest canvas promised future success.
AS he lighted his pipe he unused grim
ly that if it were his fortune to be-
come a celebrity, he would remain per-
manently in isolation, rather than fol-
low the entertainment and adulation
attendant upon such honor. Johns
friends had delighted to fete him, and
he was heartily sick of it all. In the
opinion Of his own doting family, he
was already a genius. Their wealth,
he reflected, had much to do with his
own achievement. His dear, narrow
minded mother would be already look
ing to find him a suitably a%ristocratic
wife. His fathers usual pomposity
would become more impressive than
EVER. Literally, John had run away;
a deserted cabin was to be his pres
ent abode, a mountain guide installed
as cook.
John Burrows reveled in his free
dom as he lay looking up at the sky.
He wondered, idly, If he would ever
marry so many charming girls had left
him heart-whole and untroubled; he
fancied that love might be found near
er natures realm than in the haunts
Of society. This setting, for instance,
would be aptly fitted for romance. His
gaze wandered to a break in the UNI
lerbrush beyond, then he stared in
charmed establishment.
Holding back overhanging branches
with her small brown hands stood a
girl-such q girl! Eyes brown rs any
wood nymph's, wide now, in startled
wonder; crimson lips parted above
ven white teeth, a girl more lovely
in her pink calico than the very love-
Hest who had attended his studio teas.
"Maid or vision," murmured Bur-
rows smiling reassuringly, "be not
afraid. If you intended passing this
way, come along"
The girl shyly returned his smile.
"I-wasn't going nowhar," she con
fessed. The quality Of her voice was
low and thrilling. Stake, he cooks fer
you, he told us bout you; strangers
don't much come our way, so l."
$50 you thought you'd have a look
at one," the artist laughed as he fin
ished her sentence.
The girl nodded ingenuously and
seated herself on a fallen log, swing
ing her bare heels to and fro.
"Tell me-" she demanded, "'bout
that place whar you come from"
Burrows told her of great cities and
their hum and noise, delighting in her
eager face. Then while the sun went
down behind the pines, the girl jumped
to her feet.
II will dance for you," she offered
suddenly her dark eyes twinkled back
at him. II dance with my shadow"
Motionless the artist sat, lost in ad.
IlllullOus AduSllIIS oOAlly oAC CAuCO
her dance before him.
"Good-by," said the girl, and was
gone.
John Burrows thought about eor all
the way down the lonely trail, thought
of her still as he sat in the starlight.
Then he questioned Jake. Surely so
beautiful q creature must be known
through all the mountainside. Jake's
information was brief.
"The girl lived in a clearing above,
with an old couple moved from town.
She called herself Sue-Mountoin
Sue.'"
But each day as the artist sought
his chosen retreat, Sue was bound to
appear. Sometimes she was there be-
fore him, sitting on the fallen log,
swinging her small heels; sometimes
she kept him waiting until his sketches
went all awry and he savagely broke
the underbrush to watch for her.
John Burrows forgot all in the love
Of q winsome mountain girl whose
garb was calico. When immediate
business made it urgent that he return
to h city, he-remembered; and all
through that night he fought with his
problem. Love %triumphed. In the
morning John Burrows went to Noun.
tain Sue and asked her to be his wife,
Her answer was as elusive as herself.
Sue had grown white for a momant
then quickly she had kissed him, and
fled.
At the house designated as her home
he could learn nothing from the cou-
pie who were it's inmates. "The girl
had gone away; she might come back
later" they said. Snow she was
gone."
Burrows was obliged to return home
without further word. Had some idea
Of self-sacriice caused little Sue to
hide herself away from him? Gloom
lily he considered the question as he
went through his mail. There were
complimentary tickets among the pile,
to see Jane Gordon, a famous actress.
| 1~o1r H. IL. ,-1~ ~rv~fk%0~ M nm