The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1920-01-01

this very trail ycae after year. AMI !
now am nj loss as 10 how 20 pro
ceed from here"
Jack Dorman and his daughter had
been coming up 90 the mountains Tor
some years now. and II was a trip that
they both locked forward Ia very much.
Gladys was only twenty. but horn
mountain climber. golf aud tennis play
er. Healthy outdoor sports always mp
pealed 10 her. and To hike over the
mountains wns her chief hobby. To-
dey she had insisted upon going alone.
telling her father that she wanted 90
do some exploring herself before the
season was over. to which he consent.
I'd rather reluctantly.
After hiking for some hours heavy
mountain fog set IN. and the entire
mountainslie was enveloped In n dark
and threatening cloud. II was useless
for one 10 proceed until II passed over.
and. as n rule, u would last but few
minutes. But today Il heightened into
an hour.
sitting on huge rock. Gladys sat
there looking at the heavy mist, won
dering when the cloud would leave this
side Of the mountain. when suddenly
out Of the mist voice spoke.
Hello. what have hercl" ex-
claimed the invisible one which sound
ed very much like n masculine voice TO
Gladys. swell. I declare-it Is a boot 80
and hearty laugh could be heard near
Gladys. hut the fog was So dense she
could not see who Il was. Then some
one gave Gladys boot vigorous pull.
and for n moment she thought she was
going to slide on the rock.
'Well. whoever you are-kindly stop
pulling at my boot" cried Gladys Inn
patiently. Now she wished with all
her heart she had let her father or one
of the party nj the hotel accompany
her
Thunder and Mars :" exclaimed the
masculine voice again. Its girls
boot was pulling at" and again that
hearty laugh rang out. echoing down
cloud disappeared and the sun was
struggling 10 come out from behind
another cloud. and finally succcede'l
Then Gladys looked down and almost
at her feet was a young man looking
IN nj her In an amused sort 81 a way.
which at the time provoked her. and
still he continued staring. smile play
Ing around his lips. but not a word
could he utter.
Please don't stare at me In that
fashion-yOu look as though you were
a hungry bear and wanted To eat me-"
and Gladys smiled IN spite Of herself.
IL was surely amusing. she
thought. and at that moment she made
n movement as though about To rise.
when the young man jumped up al.
most instantly and exclaimed: ooh.
say. please don't GO" in pleading
voice. "And I do want 20 apologize"
and again he smiled pleasantly. but a
questioning look was In his eyes. and
his one thought was: would she
stay-lf only for a few minutes"
swell. Mr. Man. seeing that you have
recovered your voice and that you are
not going TO eat me up after all. III
stay for a few minutes" Then. as
though a second thought presented IT,
self: I'm almost starving for some
thing 10 eat-what say your
Say. I'm 80 hungry. little girl.
could almost eat you right now" he
cried eagerly.
"very well then. It's high time for
me 10 be going. when you want to eat
me up-but simply have 10 eat. and
that's all there h 10 H. SO please don't
eat me NJ yet" she smiled.
Gladys spread n hearty lunch on the
rock. and while munching away at the
delicious sandwiches that she herself
had prepared. they talked and laughed
between mouthfuls. and soon she
learned from him that he. too. like
herself. visited the mountains every
year, and that he was Fred Anderson.
a former well-known coach nc Mount
ford. and very good friond of hcF IA.
Tiers. II seemed strange 10 theIn both
that they had never met, but Il was due
to the fact that they both were away
AZ school during the TALL. aud lhmedl-
ately when vacation time set In they
both left the city. She also learned
that he had just been discharged from
the service.
When they arrived az the hotel, Mr..
Anderson's eyes nearly stuck out % his
head with surprise We'll, ~ all
things, Ted; when did you get back
"Got discharged about two months
ago, aud then beat II for the noun
talns." aud al the same time they both
shook hands heartily.
Ted was stopping AZ mountain hut.
some distance away. but he decided
that II WIS very necessary that he
should stay at the same hotel ms the
Dormans. and needless 20 say that
Gladys and he developed a strong
friendship. which later rpened into
love.
AT sunset one evening shortly before
n was time 10 return to the city, they
were sitting ON the yerandn % the
hotel. when suddenly Ted exclaimed