Warren sheaf., 1919-01-15
When Bert
Weakened
copyright. 1915, by the Mcclure Nawspa-
per Syndicate.)
By JOSEPHINE MURPHY

Copyright. 1915, by the Mcclure Nawspa-
per Syndicate.)
Every holiday should be arranged
to arrive on a Friday drawled Ma
than Ware, frank antagonist of the
life strenuous one Saturday morning.
It's so easy to stretch them over Sat
urday; and then the blessed Sabbath
gives us another day in which to rest.
Tomorrow Bert you and Miss Thorn
ton can have the sport of your lives
hunting gray squirrels. The woods
are full of them, and if there's any
better fun than chasing squirrels,
don't know what it is unless making
love to a pretty girl beats it.
'You and Miss Thornton got along
famously today teased Nathan. IF
you and Dora aren't to be congratu-
lated before leaving here Sunday,
Phebe Ware is going to be the most
disappointed woman in America"
REALLY p laughed Bert "Your wife
ing. ~
"Shen be after me soon if I don't
60 out and Join her." said Nathan,
rising and placing his hand on his
friends shoulder. 'Hope the but is
not serious, Bert Miss Thornton is a
brick and she likes you. Good night.
Have your smoke out, and if there's
anything you want and can't find, why
keep on looking for it, or spring
the burglar alarm"
:. It had been a, day full Of pleasure
for the little house party at Wares
place-"a bungalow IA miles from the
city and million miles from vexa-
tiOn."
The evening before as they sat in
the library, various topics had been
discussed, chief of which were, "wom.
ans rights" A charming exponent OF
this subject had been Dora Thornton
and thus the thorn that pricked the
love and admiration of Bert. Yet the
former day dreams of a clear-headed
bachelor held no vision such as this
It was the creature of another world
that appeared in his dreams-a girl,
gentle, home-loving and dependable.
Now in the fairy smoke circles that
foated from his cigar, another form
is visible; girl, muscular, brown
armed and alert; who paddles a canoe
like an Indian, and whose archery and
rifle scores are among the best; vet
possessing none of those soft feminine
traits which the average man admires
most in a woman. 81 {. =. .
Bert threw the end of his cigar into
the fire and mounted the stairs to his
room Half an hour later. hesitatins
between accusing himself of being
either a prig or an idiot, he fell asleep.
Saturday morning dawned clear and
beautiful. An early coach brought
several more to the little house-party.
"Sorry I haven't another rifle, Phil,'
said Ware to a shooting guest; "you
might catch up with Bert and Miss
Thornton and catch some squirrels"
"yye saw Dora and Bert as we came
over the HILL" said Alice Bates.
Sand a jolly time they seemed to be
having all by themselves" said Phil.
'T whistled. but they were too busy
to hear me-
"Guess they'll come back squirrel
less. It's dollars to doughnuts Bert
wouldn't see a squirrel if he fell over
one. However, we won't blame him
under the circumstances" remarked
Ware.
He was mistaken, for just about this
time Bert had caught sight of the first
squirrel, fat gray one, which bounded
to a tall chestnut tree a hundred feet
s away
1T see the rascal" he said. "Stand
here, Miss Thornton. Look up between
those two branches. Do you see him?''
'sYou don't mean that brownish ex-
crescence on the barl1?''
That's the chap"
81 don't believe'it.'
"Try him with shot, and you'll see
Squirrels We're not behind the door
when protective coloring was handed
out in the animal kingdom Steady
now
The girls lips closed firmly. Then
a mufled report was heard.
.
The SQUIRRELS clutch on the barh
slowly relaxed and he fell
Bert. went over and picked up the
yet Guivering creature.
'Whatsa beauty" he cried. ''It was
3 a splendid shot.
AS he approached the girl she shran)i
s from him. He put the fluffy animal
into tlle. pocket of his hunting jacket.
Dora, dear" he said, placing his
hand tenderly on her shoulder.
Don't she cried, passionately.
'sTm a BRUTE u
"Oh, what a cruel thing to do! The
poor, harmless little fellow Oh, how
could IT, Here her voice broke in 4
sob, as she leaned against a tree and
& wept. her head buried in her hands,
Gently, Bert. l7nwound the fingers, that
{ held her rifle.