The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-06-07
Epening Story
A Camp Honeymoon.
BY IzOLA FORESTER.


We'll, it's seven miles from No
where, sure enough" Dell declared
with a sigh, after they had climbed
the trail for three hours, and still
the camp on Mirror Lake lay far
ahead of them. IT don't care, tho.
we'll never see a white man all the
time we're here"
Wah-tonah, the guide, heard, and
never changed his expression. If the
white women who camped on the
lake chose to think nobody else cared
to camp there likewise, it was not his
fault, nor his duty to instruct them.
Two weeks before he had climbed the
same trail with the three men who
wanted to be where there were no
women. One had been very i'll. One
was his brother and helped him over
the rough places along the trail. The
other sang much. His voice rang out
in the wilds like some clear-toned bird
call. The guide remembered, too. that
he had been like the hero hunters to
look upon, tall and slim and strong.
and he had laughed much and cheered
the other two.
There was no fear that they would
meet unless the curling smoke of the
camp fires betrayed them to each 9TH
err but Wah-tonah felt his conscience
was perfectly clear in the matter.
They each had a whole side of the
stay on their own sides there would
be no trouble. And here he had
happy thought. Gravely he looked at
the three, the one too fat, the%one too
thin, the one with the hair like sun
light and eyes like deep water in
shadow. He did not know their
names, but this one he liked best, so
he addressed her.
'sToo much bear on lake" he told
her. Not where you go. All good
fthere. Too much bear other side
lake"
wen stay right on our own side,
thanks. Wah-tonah," Beth said
promptly. Anyway, we're all pretty
good shots"
But she remembered what he had
said. After the second week at the
camp one day she had swung out into
the woods to pick berries, and there
came a suspicious cracking in the un-
derbrush. Watching keenly, she heard
the slow, heavy movement of body
pushing it's way thru. and before she
thought twice she had slung her rifle
to her shoulder and sent a good shot
straight at the moving bushes. Almost
instantly there came a good, heavy
broadside of strong language, and
Beth sat tight on a log, longing to
laugh and, only glad the shot had not
taken effect.
Out from the woods came her big
game" feet 2, dressed in khaki, and
frankly furious. At sight of her he
stopped short, stared and then laughed
with her.
"Wen, you did clip my hat" he said
ruefu1ly, showing the two neat holes
thru the peaked crown. DO I look
like a bear?"
You acted just like one" said Beth.
How was to know? Wah-tonah,
our guide. told me there wasn't a soul
up here but us. and there were bears
on the other side of the lake.
THE cheerful liari" exclaimed the
intruder. He took our whole outfit
up there month ago, and knew we
were going to stay, and he's been up
with supplies twice since, and never
told US anybody was here but our
selves"
We've got a dandy camp down on
the shore in that little curve where the
pine grove. Probably he didn't tell
us about YOU because-well, my aunt 6
with US, and Dell, that's her daughter,
Delfs just had really terrible expert
ence. She is completely disillusioned,
and the engagements broken, and we
came up here to try and make her for
get. She had heard of the lake from
him, and always wanted to come,
believe"
Isn't that too badr' Stanley set
tied himself beside her sympathetical-
ly. May I help pick berries, too?
Maybe we can fix up a truce whereby
L
huckleberry pies; hows that? I'm
dying for a whole pie. We're not
much on cooking, any of us. There s
Frank Carter-maybe you've heard of
him; awfully clever fellow, scientist
at Columbia-and his brother Hal 1
roomed with Carter during our post
grad. years. and when he had to come
up here with Hal, I told him I'd stand
by He's been pretty sick, nervous
breakdown and worry
Hal aalbert t.n, Garter? queried Beth.
know
1.-The MANI"
yes, the one Dell was engaged to,
and they were to be married this fall,
and she went to visit girl friend.
Madelaine Collier and she found out
he'd been engaged to her, too"
"Well?" Stanley tried to look seri-
Gus.
But he had told Dell she was the
only girl he had ever loved"
Didn't that prove it when he'd
found out the other was a mistake -
II don't know" Beth looked away
from him over at the waters of the
lake. Il suppose to men engage
ments are just happenings. but per-
haps they don't realize there are girls
who are different, who really do be-
lieve in"
What p"
why. in romance, don't you
know" she flushed little. but went
on, feeling she was pleading Delrs
cause against one who was an infidel
| in the faith of loving. "It was an
awful shock to her to find out he had
been all thru a real engagement be-
fore. Madelaine told her she had
even started her trousseau."
TT may do her good to tell her
his tone took on quick sternness as
he stood up-"that Halls absolutely
smashed up over her silly nonsense.
He loved her completely. He made
US bring him up here because it
seemed they had planned to spend
their honeymoon here in camp"
| That's what Dell told me. I must
get back or they'll miss me-
! He stopped and a sudden smile
| broke over his face.
! 81 f,-x- 70 IF