The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-02-18
Eoening Story
A Wilderness and Thou
BY JESSIE DOUGLAS

isn't it funny that 1 should find
you here?" she asked in her high
fluted voice. How have you ever
stood this wilderness?"
II think it's funnier to see you
here" the girl on the railing an
swered.
She looked at Alice with an honest
her opposite. She was slender and
delicate and fair: she had the look of
wildflower in her pale blue frock
with the wide hat and the long velvet
streamers. Under the hat Agatha
Holmes saw the eyes that looked like
forget me-nots, with the penciled
brows above them. the white skin. the
scarlet of lips that was not quite nat
uraE
That was why Alice Disbrow seemed
so out of place here. she decided. She
was no more an accompaniment to
ca mp life than en-orchid. Her frail
dress, her high-heeled suede slippers
were not made to tramp these woods;
Agatha looked down at her own high.
rough boots. at her tweed skirt. her
brown hands with a sudden Astaste
For one instant she longed orall the
artificialties that made the other girl
so charming. But they would not
have suited Agatha she was too sim
pie. too sincere. to resort to subterfuge
to cover her lack of prettiness-
Besides, she thought ruefully. moth
ing could make her pretty. Her fine.
strong white teeth, and her eyes, large
and gray and honest, were ner only
good features
II like the wilderness" Agatha said
simply. 'Td been working so hard
that just to get away and smel the
breath of the forest and drive my
canoe acros sthe lake has made my
life worth living again!
"Oh, my dear. how do you stand
working? never could There are
SO many nice things to do, when there
are men. dancing and flirting and
she Knocked the other girl out OF the
corner of her blue eyes.
''Then 1 shouldn't think you would
want to come up here!" Agatha said
honestly. You'll hardly see man
all season unless you mean the guides
or the men who only stop to get meal
on the way with their camping out
fits" a.
Alice was silent. She studied the
other girl as possible adversary
Then complacently she took out her
tiny vanity case and powdered her
nose in the very sight of the forest
aisles Alice knew that Jere Warren
was coming up here; that was why she
had chosen to come. She had wanted
to know him all winter. wasn't ne
the most prominent OF the young IL
Illustrators. and hadn't people told her
time and time again that she was just
like the illustrations OF ms preteles'
girl?
Alice studied the watch on her white
wrist and then she said: I'll leave
| YOU now'-a1id trailed into the camp.
She had staged too many scenes TO
miss the chance to play this one
artistically.
So it was Agatha Holmes. who. still
sitting on the railing of the camp, met
the dark eyes of stranger as ne
came up the trail. His first look OF
| frl in IL
derness changed to one of pleasure
when he met her friendly eyes.
This is Humphries's, camp" he
asked in a pleasant deep voice.
IT wonder if he is expecting me. 1
walked over from the stage and left
my duffle to come behind"
'Humphries is out catching fish for
dinner now" Agatha smiled.
He stood beside her on the rough
veranda of the camp and listened to
| the modulations of her voice she
would be a very pleasant companion,
he thought, to go tramping with, to
I hunt out secrets of the fores, with.
Then Jere Warren turned TO see an
other girl come singing thru the door
way She lifted blue eyes Of -surpris-
ing innocence to his, and dimpled,
"Oh. 1 didn't mean to intrude-"
by jove, she's lovely." the man
thought in his one swift glance.
Agatha Holmes introduced them,
| feeling awkward somehow and as tho
she were the intruder. when she heard
| Alice say. "Oh, are You Jere Warren.
the illustrator? If you knew how 1
admire your drawings
Jere Warren seemed flattered at the
! girls words: and Agatha blushed
hotly. for she remembered the scrap
book she had at home with his illus
| trations pasted in it, But the words
she wanted to- say would not come
| and she stood there feeling more an
| outsider as she saw Jere Warren lose
| himself in admiration of the Other
girl. Agatha stole away in a few
i minutes.
| 1t was Jere Warren who insisted
that they three should dine at one
| table together in the camp, which
| separated them from the guides and
| trappers who were getting ready for
: tho season Agatha, watching the
other two with her clear gray eyes,
wondered how a man like Jere, who
was so clever in his work. could be
fooled by the empty little tricks of
! Alice Disbrow. But she was the first
to agree with Jere when he sang the
praises of the others loneliness in her
ears. She had fought against her
| jealousy and won
| She acquiesced with more pain than
pleasure in his proposal that they
/ he had discovered not far away
III the wal<ing's too hard. I'll carry
| you" he smiled TO Alice Disbrow.
] "Oh. Mr.. Warren, how can you say
such thingsi" Alice pouted-
Jere and Agatha waited before the
| camp for Alice. When she appeared
Agatha heard the man draw in his
breath sharply Agatha was charm
ing in her white serge skirt and short
coat belted in scarlet. Her tiny white
| felt hat with les pheasant's wing and
her high boots of white suede made
! her more than ever one of his illus
: trations.
l. In a few minutes they left the trail
| that led away from the camp and
struck inward thru the forest. They
walked on and on until the light
sifted down thru the treetops, but they
| did not strike the stream.
Agatha turned when she heard a
faint cry. Alice had slipped and twist
ed her foot on a. hidden stone. When
she reached her the girl was suddenly
| sick and dizzy.