The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1920-01-21
THE TEAKETTLE
BY RUBY q. sPEER.

&c. 1880. BY Mcclure Newspaper syndicats.I
swell, l like that" mute red Mary
Knapp, in tone that negatived her
words. as she raised her eyes from the
note to look after the retreating mes
senger boy. Again she read the note.
Dear Mary-I'll be away a few
days. Suddenly remembered that we
forgot to empty the camp teakettle.
and don't want 1t to freeze. Leaving
on the 1910. Yours. Ed"
"Of all foolishness," breathed Mary.
Rushing OF 100 miles into another
state to empty teakettle. There's
something more in the wind" she hint
ed darkly. as she closed the door and
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 bust
ness often took him on sudden trips.
He had babe her his usual affectiOnate
goodsby on leaving after.breakfast, but
his curious quest vexed, while 1t
amused her. With her thoughts still
in 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 line announcing the
opening Of the deer season in a neigh
boring state.
$50 that's it," laughed Mary, drop
ping into chair. 'The teakettle had
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 go
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 good shot
in her youth and she still hunted and
tramped. Years ago she and Ed had
er's daughter. he city sportsman.
Unknowihgly 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. The cares of
the crowding years soon took Mary's
time from craftsmanship, but each
year the family spent its vacation in
cabin near the site of her old home.
II 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 shot at
it, too. l took a deer from him once,
Internationally. and I'll do it this time,
malice aforethought."
Mary flashed glance at the clock.
It was 8 80 and Ed was leaving on the
1890 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 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 tattoo
as she took her seat in the train aftel
seeing Ed enter the smoker. AS thu
train whizzed on she laid her plans
Ed would doubtless go to the nortf
village, from which a good road around
the mountain led to camp. He nigh
walk or hire a rig. She decided tt
stop at the south village; for she knew
short cut over the seemingly mac
cessible mountain. She had not spen
\ her girlhood in that country for moth
ing. She feared that Ed might see he
when she got off the train, but all wa
well. She hired a village boy to carr!
her load over the mountain while sh'
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 fir
! while she loaded her gun.
Down through the pine woods sh
slipped toward the brook to await he
, quarry. Determination sparkled iron
, her brown eyes and animation gloves
in her rosy cheeks. Ed might come a
any minute. also the deer. Hardly ha
she hid in clump of pines when E.
r swung In view. 1t was evident t
: Mary that he. too, was hunting
! Mace to hide before 1.-THE stag at ev
!. had drunk his fill."
Mary's heart missed beat as r
, headed for her covert, but he stoppe
Q by a big tree and began putting hi
gun together. Convulsed with siler
g laughter, Mary sat in her thicket. Sh
' longed to call out, "Have you emptie
I the teakettle. Ed?" But instead sh
o kept silently alert for the deer. e
o had adjusted his gun and was searcl
i ing for ammunition when the big buc
stepped daintily from thicket on tn
q rDv>OClfo hauk A. Ed'o dtSma vod q,