The Penn's Grove record., 1920-07-09
THE TEAKETTlE
BY RUBY B. SPEER.

note to look after the ~EetredlHlS nv"
senger boy. Again she read the note
Dear Mary-Tl be away a few
days. Suddenly remembered that we
forgot to empty the camp teakettle'
and l don't want it to freeze. Leaving
on the 10 10. Yours, ED.
"Of all f~oolishness," breathed Mary.
Rushing off 100 miles into mother
state to empty a teakettle. There's
something more in the wind" she hint
ed darkly, as she closed he door ana
went toward the dining room.
She was not really hurt or grieved
at his sudden going, for they were as
calm and undemonstrative as the aver
age middle-aged couple, and his busl-
ness often took him on sudden trips.
He had babe her his usual affectionate
good-by on leaving after breakfast, but
his curious quest vexed, while II
amused her. With her thoughts still
in a fog Mary stopped to pick up the
morning paper that had fallen beside
Eds chair at the table. As she
glanced carelessly at the paper her
eyes caught a Zine announcing the
opening of the deer season in a neigh
boring state.
$50 that's it," laughed Mary, drop
ping into a chair. 1.-The teakettle a
to be emptied, indeed" Ed Knapp was
was never happy without his full
quota of deer every season.
"Why didn't he tell me he was 60
ing? Afraid I'd think he ought to
stay home working?' she chuckled.
I'D like to go, too" she added regret
fully, for Mary had been a good shot
in her youth and she still hunted n
tramped. Years ago she and Ed hay.
met one hunting season, she a farm
er's daughter, he a city sportsman.
Unknowingly they had shot at the
same deer and it was Mary'S shot that
felled it. Friendship sprang from
their similarity of tastes. and love and
marriage soon followed. h cares OF
the croWding years soc took pMaryS
time from craftsmanship, but each
wear the family spent its vacation in
n cabin near the site of her old home.
81 know the very deer he is after"
thought Mary. "'the big buck that drank
every evening from the brook below
the cabin. I'm going to have a shot at
it, too. | took a deer from him once,
unintentionally, and FL do it this time
malice aforethought."
Mary flashed a glance at the clock.
1t was $50 and Ed was leaving on the
10 80. Well. she would be on the
same train, seeing. but unseen. She
thought rapidly of preparations - her
bag to pack, her rifle to examine and
oil. and her house to close. First she
called a cab. AS she donned her hunt
ing suit her busy mind checked OFF the
necessary details. She found her
hunting license and cabin key snug'y
buttoned in an inside pocket. She
must pack some clothing for Ed for he
had gone %unprovided. Some provisions
would be a good idea. She must put
out a note for the milkman and tele-
phone the dressmaker who was com
ing tomorrow so her mind ran on.
Mary's heart was beating a tattoo
as she took her seat in the train after
seeing Ed enter the smoker. AS the
train whiZZed on she laid her plans
Ed would doubtless go to the north
village. from which a good road arounc
the mountain led to camp. He might
walk or hire a rig. She decided tc
stop at the south village; for h knew
a short cut over the seemingly mac
cessible mountain. She had not spent
her girlhood in that country for moth
ing. She feared that Ed might see hel
when she got off the train, but all was
well. She hired a village boy to carry
her load over the mountain while sht
led the way towards camp.
Light snow had fallen and the gaun
trees tossed and strained.
At the cabin she set the boy to worl
airing the bedding and making a fir
while she loaded her gun.
Down through the pine woods sh'
slipped toward the brook to avail he
quarry. Determination sparkled from
her brown eyes and animation glowe'
in her rosy cheeks. Ed might come a
any minute, also the deer. Hardly hat
she hid in a clump of pines when E'
swung in view. 1t was evident f
Mary that he, too, was hunting
place to hide before "the stag at ev
had drunk his fill"
Mary's heart missed a beat as E
] headed for her covert, but he stoppe'
by a big tree and began putting hi
gun together. Convulsed with silen
$ laughter, Mary sat in her thicket. Sh
longed to call out, Have you emptie
the teakettle, Ed? But instead sh
kept silently alert for the deer. r
had adjusted his gun and was search
ing for ammunition when the big buc
stepped daintily from a thicket on til
opposite bank. AT Eds dismayed en-
clamation the big fellow threw up hi
head, affording Mary a wonderful she
and the deer fell.
A ghost could not have surprised f
more than Mary did as she emerge
j from the thicket. MARY" he gaspeC