The Topeka state journal., 1919-06-23
EVENING STORY
A Tent for Two.
BY IzOLA FORESTER.

They must nave received nef eafQ ca
the noon nail. She was tired and
dispirited after the long trip up from
New York, and it is not conducive torl
10y to be left on a dingy, barn en- lit
tie platform at 9:45 p. m. in wilder
ness of hflls. with nobody to meet
you
But she knew her way around from
the trip last year, and found a con
veyance at the village store to drive
her up to the Bascombs 1t was a
long, dark drive of seven miles, but
the boy kept her awake telling her
the local news. Evidently the Bas-
combs were making money out of
their tent and shack idea, the way
he spoke of them
They've got seven tents up there
now, army tents. real ones, and had
to put UP two board shacks besides,
he related hap ply. AID the season
amt even begun yet. Folks coTe up
this time of year outer sentiment, my
mother says. She says they get
spring fever in the city and have to
run away. Is that Sc, Miss Drew?"
Gueu laughed. 1t was mostly habit,
she told him. If you had ever been
fortunate enough to become a paying
guest at Rest Awhile farn1 here on a
spur of the Catskills, you would surely
/ come as often as you could. He
stopped at the two tall white posts
that marked the entrance to the Bas-
coR1h lane.
"Guess it's too late for me TO drive
way up there, cause dad don't like
| the horses out SO late. There amt
any light UP at the house. neither"
nOh, can find my way" Guen
said positively. Bring up my suit
case and typewriter the first thing in
q
only got a few things in this bag, and
L need the rest
He was right about there being no
/ light in the farm house, and yet it
( could only be about half past ten. The
white shapes of the tent colony show
| ed here and there along the winding
lane and down toward the glen She had
asked for the some one as last year,
because YOU caught the sound of the
waterfall there and the pines over
| shadowed it. 1t was easy to find, too,
because it stood alone just at the edge
| of the ravine. She would just steal
! IN and not disturb any one until morn
ing.
The flap was down and seemed to-
| be fastened. She set the handbag
down on the ground, and began to
| tumble with it, when all at once there
came the quick switch of light from a
| f1ashlight inside the tent.
WHO'S there ~ called a male voice,
and GHen gasped.
Haven't you made a mistake?" she
faltered. This is nay tent"
Il was under the impression 1t was
rpiHes came the answer in somewhat
| of a gToWl Wait q minute and Tll
| be out there"
But Guen never stopped to argue
the point Catching UP her bag she
fled back along the lane to the house
and raped for admittanee.
/ Land. Child" laughed Mrs Ras-
| comb when she heard what had hap
peAed. I suppose Pa got you both
| sort of mixed up on your dates. He's
} real nice young man, run up for
rest. He. always used to come here
when he was a boy, and after the
| war, he wanted to get his grip back.
I believe he was wounded little bit.
| Anyhow, we told him to come along.
! and he must have got your tent. I'll
put you right to bed for the night
and we'll fix it in the morning."
But in the morning, by the time
she was up and out of doors, her tent
| das ready tor her. Mr.. Bascomb
I had hurried the former occupant out
and was all smiles and apologies. She
did not see her fellow boarder until
the noon meal. when all members of
the tent colony went up for lunch to
| the main house. He stood near the
water pail by the screen door. laugh
ing with Mrs. Bascemh, nd Guen
Recognized even the turn OF his head
/ that first glimpse
! And he was even telling about her,
/ how he had met her down in New
1ork before he had enlisted and she
/ had told him all about this resting
| place for tired bodies and spirits
| Il used to think often. ever on the
| other side, that if 1 was ever lucky
enough to get back, I was coming up
! mere to rest awhile in one of those
i tents by the waterfall" he said
| Guen looked down at her plate He
was not adding how she had sent him
l 70. be a worker and a fighter instead
OF just dreamer. He was not telling
I them what she had already heard
from their mutual friends. how he
had won his war cross and had re-
| turned with many honors
She had wondered If he would try
| to find her, OF would only remember
how she had sent him away from
her and told him he was only a
drifter And now she had found him
in her tent at the edge of the water
fail
He followed at her side as she
walked down the lane to the ravine,
| and she listened as he talked of his
I service abroad. of his trip up to Rest
Awhile Farm and of how he had
asked old Mr. Bascomb to put him in
| her tent until she arrived
II wanted TO lie there and listen
| to the falling water just as you had
| told me You used to-" he said. II
have thought of that when 1 was living.
hidden in uHderbrush wounded and in
the hospital. too. and all the way over
II i wanted to show you you'd done
4 some good" He hesitated boyishly
over his words. when they paused be-
fore her tent. and looked down at the
falling veH of water in the ravine.
| You told me once these were the
! waters of healing to you. Guen Did
you want to keep them all for your
self? Do you think I'd better go
| away?"
T would You go If I told you to p"
she asked teasinglr Yen did be-
fore"
n Pa BaScome was coming along the
| lane with pals of fresh well water
l for hiz taRters ha