Smyrna times., 1919-05-07

Bare little Cupe, snoopy fairy
Finally gets them all.
And in your breast he'll shaft his
dart;
l swear this unto you
And pierce your now rebellious heart,
For he's contrary, too"
Mary Rayburn knelt in her canoe |
and clung breathlessly to the low
hanging branches overhead that
screened her as she watched the sing |
er lift his paddle and suddenly with |
one long sweeping stroke drive his |
own canoe into the hiding place be-
side hers.
"A-h," he smiled, Eat last"
Mary was startled and only stared. |
after all this time" he went on,
"Tve found you"
"Why-have you been looking for
me?" she at last found her tongue
Don't you remember?" he chided
her. Don't you remember that day l
saw you on the beach at Coronado?
You wore a blue bathing suit and a
yellow cap"
She shook her head. "Ive never
been there"
81 guess you're mistaken" she said
as he hummed the air of his song
smilingly, "and-and 1 think I'd bet
ter be going"
She half arose to disentangle a
dead branch that had caught over the
bow of her canOe-it tilted and with
little gasp of chilled surprise she
found herself, in the water. Almost
instantly he was beside her. Then he
took hold of her and held her high in
his arms.
'YOu-yOu needn't hold me so long"
she protested Indignantly.
Long" he chuckled. I'm only let
ting you drain before l put you back
in the canoe. Believe me, you're one
wet woman"
And finally he hunched over and
sat her down in her .canOe.
Here" he ordered. Drag my
canoe along behind and I'll tow us up
around the bend where there's sand
bar we can land on"
He procured a bathing suit and a
rain coat.
go back up there somewhere" he
directed, land put on these dry
things. Then bring your things back
here and spread them out on that
bush. This sun'H dry 'em in a couple
of hours"
She studied him silently for mo-
ment and then silently took the things
he offered and went back toward the
thickly wooded shore. And a few mo-
ments later she returned with the
raincOat wrapped about her and her
hair tumbled down her back.
"COld?" he asked.
She shook her head. He got out a
coffee pot and a frying pan, talking
in his drOll way entirely unconscious
of her shy reserve.
After they had eaten they sat there
while Chalmers smoked. She studied
him cOvertly at every opportunity as
they chatted and talked, but she had
persistently refused to give him any
knowledge of herself other than the
first name Of Mary, which he had
guessed. She watched him curiOusly
as he took a charred stick and
marked a mystic sign on the smooth
skin of her arm.
"What is it?" she asked looking
down on the circle he had made.
"Pve put my brand on yOu," he
smiled into her eyes. "Tve ranch in
California, the Circle Bar-and that's
my brand"
"Oh!" she murmured, rubbing the
mark off with her hand, at the same
time realizing regretfully that it was
time for her to go. So she gathered
up her clothes and went back into the
trees to put them on.
Sadly wrinkled, but nice and dry"
she laughed, as she climbed into her
canoe a few moments later.
''Am going to see you again.
Mary?" he asked earnestly.
perhaps I'll come this way again,
she smiled, as she swept on down the
river and out of sight.
That night Chalmers took the
punchers outfit that hung as a deco
ration on the wall of his shack anC
dressed himself for the costume bal
that was to be held several miles be
low at the famous Windermere inn
one of the most interesting resorts in
the Maine woods. When he arrived
the ball was in full swing.
In the center of one group stood 0
delightful Spanish dancer who turned
gayly to speak to some one passing
and revealed to Chalmers a round
bare shoulder, on which had beer
printed with a black eyebrow pencil
/ the brand of the Circle Bar.
E. Instantly he stood before the grouI
u I and swept his high-crowned hat
IF which bore the same insignia, deeI
! Spanish bow, as he took the dancer'i
hand.
"The brand is mine," he explained
apologetically to the rest of the group
/ indicating the mark on her shoulder
sand ANYTHING that haarS fba brand n