Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1920-06-23
A WILDERNESS
AND THOU
BY JESSIE DOUGLAS


&C. Is2s. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
Alice Disbrow looked down at the
girl who sat on the railing Of the
rude camp.
isn't II funny that I should find
you hereT' she asked In her high-futed
voice. How have you ever stood this
wilderness?"
~ think It's funnier to see you here, /"
the girl on the railing answered.
She looked at Alice with an honest
admiration. Alice was In all things
her opposite. She was slender and
delicate and fair; she had the look
of wild-iower In her pale blue frock
and the wide hat with Its long velvet
streamers. Under the hat Agatha
Holmes saw the eyes that looked like
forEet-me-nots, with the penciled brows
above them, the white skin. the scar
let Of lips that was not quite natural.
That was why Alice Disbrow seemed
so out OF place here, she decided She
was no more an accompaniment TO
camp life than an orchid. Her frail
dress, her high-heeled suede slippers
were not made to tramp these woods.
Agatha looked down al her own high.
rough boots, at her tweed skirt, her
brown hands, with a sudden distaste.
For one instant she longed for all the
artihcialities that made the other girl
so charming. But they would not
have suited Agatha she was too sim
pie, too sincere. TO resort to subter-
fuge to cover her lack OF prettlneSs.
Besides. she thought ruefully. moth
ing could make her pretty. Her fine.
strong white teeth, and her eyes, large
and gray and honest. were her only
good features.
i like the wilderness" Agatha said
simply I'd been working so hard that
just to get away and smell the breath
Of the forest and drive my canoe
across the 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 ! shouldn't think you would
want to come up herei" Agatha said
honestly. "Youn 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"
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 War
rem was coming mp here; that was
why she had chosen 10 come. She had
wanted him to know all winter.
Wasn't he the most prominent Of the
Young illustrators, and hadn't peo-
pie told her time and again that she
was just Ike the Illustrations Of his
prettiest Eirl7
Alice studied the watch on her white
wrist. and then she said: "rn leave
you now"--and trailed into the camp.
She had staged too many scenes To
miss the chance to play this one ar
tist'caily.
81 IL was Agatha Holmes, who. stu
sitting on the railing Of the camp. met
the dark eyes % stranger as he came
up the trail. His first look OF surprise
nj seeing the girl In this wilderness
changed to one OF pleasure when he
he met her friendlr eyes.
This is HUMPHREYS campT~ be
aSEed in pleasant deep voice.
II wonder II he is expecting me.
walked over from the stage and lief,
my duffie TO come behind"
"Hdmphries is out catching hsh for
dinner now" Agatha smiled.
He stood beside her on the rough
veranda of the camp and listened Il
the modulations Of her voice. Sh,
would he very pleasant companion
he thought, to go tramping with. I,
hunt out the secrets Of the fores
with.
THIN Jere Warren turned TO see an
other girl come singing through tn,
doorway. She lifted blue eyes Of sur
nriSlng innocence TO his. and ilmpled
"Oh. didn't mean to intrude-"
"Ry iove, she's lovely" the mai
thought in his one swift glance.
Agatha Holmes introduced them
FEELING awkward somehow. and as
though she were the intruder, wher
she head Alice say: "oh. you ar,
Iere Warren the illustrator? IF yol
knew how : admire your drawings :"
Jere Warren seemed fattered al
the girl'J words: and Agatha blushe,
hotly. for she remembered the scrap
hnok she had NJ home with his Illus
trations pasted In II! But the word
she wanted TO say would not come. an,
she stood there feeling more an out
slider as she saw Jere Warren lose him
self In admiration OF the other girl
Agatha stole away in a few minutes