The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1920-10-15
An Involuntary
Crusoe
BY ALVAH J. GARTH

"a change, some excitement, new
visions and motivesJin life and you'll
come back brlsked up was the proph-
ecy of his physician at home, and
this was the beginning OF all that, as II
turned out
lie had decided TO put in week at
Brompton and had taken boat, row
ing through chain Of little lakes and
finally seeking n shady spot upon an
island in the center of the last one
OF these, had met with the mishap
/ described.
L Bradley started to get TO his feet
and then desisted, for one limb had
sustained severe sprain. The pain was
, so intense. the injured member 50
useless that he dragged himself with
difficulty to a fallen tree and cnlcu-
lated the chances Of getting back to
his boat. AS he located the little
skilf he uttered IA sharp cry OF dis
may.
Worse and WORSE" he uttered
luSubriously He had left the boat
at frail moOrings, keen breeze had
come up and it was afloat headed for
a continuous run until halted by the
mainland two miles away
Twice Bradley rose up intent on
renching the beach of the island and
sank TO the ground with a groan. He
| imprOvlsed Il crutch from Il tree
branch, but found locomotion still in
effective. His face became serious.
Bradley realized that he could not
| count upon leaving the island except
! through outside help. Then a CLEAN Of
hope supervcned. A little distance
away there presented evidences of
picnic party having visited the spot
recently, too, for the papers scat
tered about were new and clean. Some
wooden plates and empty bottles made
heap under a tree. Bradley crawlcd
toward il, for he was hungry and
realized the necessity Of food should
he be marooned for any length of time.
There We're pie tins, tissue napkins,
empty cans, and he laughed quite
jubilantly as he drew from the mass Il
box marked Crackers" and still
sealed.
BLESS the kind soul that left this
behind = he solioquized gratefully.
Marked two pounds, won't starye
for Il day or two, anyway
Bradley opened the end of the box.
II contained plain sodas crisp and
clean. lie sampled one and it tasted
delicious He paused with the Gfth
nno-half ,InnoIiehau-
1T is probably well to ration
myself reflected Bradley, and began
mental apportionnent Of his only
possible food supply. a little distance
away was bubbling spring. Bradley
resigned himself to patience and rest.
1t was getting towards dusk. lie
slumbered and did not awake until
morning.
His limb was more useless than
when first injured, for it had stiffened
and grown sore to the touch. Bradley
managed TO reach the beach. He tied
two handkerchiefs to a stick ready to
signal any possible passing craft. He
was ah expert swimmer but crippled
to an extent that prohibited safe water
locomotion.
1t was the second morning that he /
made his breakfast on the last of the
crackers. AS he emptied out the finai
one with it came card. On one
side was printed the chronicle
Packed by No. It'll" On the other
side was pasted small medallion
photograph. 1t was one of those twen- !
ty-five cents for dozen pictures pro- /
duced at plcnics. water places and
fairs by intinerant camera men, but /
the subject was very lovely of face
and even quick work could not spoil /
the perfect control.
Bradley allowed his mind TO drift
into pleasing day dream. He some
what strained reality by declaring k
that No. III had saved him from
He planned out whimsi-
cally how he would trace down the
original of the photograph Then he
forgot all about ii for over week,
for just then two fishermen passing
in boat discovered his signal, and
until he was restored to normal Brad
ley recuperated in luxury at the hotel
ut Bronpton.
Ross Bradley did not have TO work
for living. There was Il profitable
business which he had inherited, but
he had entrusted its operation to a
trustee. with time hanging heavily
on his hands. as the incident of the
cracker box recalled to his mind he
the excitement of the adj
venture Of fcrreting out No. Ill" He
enjoyed fancying he was following out
approved detective methods in l0cat-
ing the factory, in finally tracing down
No. Ill. But II was to find hoyden-
sh girl of eighteen, full of tiirtatious
nonsense, not in any manner resem-
bling the little photograph. She had
packed the fateful box. but out Of
mischief, had pasted on the picture
II Miss Mabel Whiting, so Bradley
inaly unear,hed the fact, who was
he secretary of the president of the
employing both.
One sight Of the original of the pic
ure and Ross Bradley had, indeed,
'ound motive in life. Romance had
ed him on 10 follow out an idle whim.
Iow genuine love impelled him. II
vas not until they We're on their
,oncymoon thar Ross revealed the