The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1921-09-02
Ride to
Paradise
By MARTHA MeWILLIAMs
$~~~~~~~> - ~~~~~~~~~ Z
t@ 1921. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate

Upon a lovely, languid June after
noon Hopley Dean suffered a sufro
eating sense Of newness. His clothes
were fire-new, his car likewise; n
had driven it along new street In
town that, old on the map, was who'll,
new to his experience. Moreover, ht
had In his pocket many new bushes:
cards, by. help whereof he hoped te
make new acquaintance promising
much profit.
The first Of these potential acquaint'
ances were, however, ancient, indeed
almost venerable, In the eyes Of their
neighbors. This partly from age, part
ly also from the fact that they had
owned n farm where now the new
street ran, and had been TOO canny to
sell a foot Of tall the new homes
were leaseholds, on long and easy
terms, to be sure, but inalienable with
out a by-your-leave to the first own
ers.
H0pley had gone straight from col
lege into real estate-and with great
success. "Send Hop O. My Thumb
iiS IL lctSus GILL; Anu 6iVhh W NC III
Office jest when things kinked or
snared. Especially with women--he
had surely a way. Yet he was not
bit spoiled--all the witchcraft he ever
used was CHEEKY manner, pleasant
soft voice, breathing Difference before
1t could be spoken, and spirit of
genuine fairness, exc of kindliness-he
would go a mile to do errands that
could profit him nothing.
Naturally Hay & Hawkins cherished
him, gave him the cream Of their
business, never batted an eye over ex-
pense accounts nor frowned II he
stretched weekend leave day or so.
The firm was. happily. daughterless-
else 1t Is safe to guess there would
have been battle royal for the Hop
ley prize.
A power in the big city, the firm yet
ran strongly to- developments. Hence
Hopley's presence here, where still the
scent Of roses and. the tang of ripe
Iruit haunted the summer air. Today
his quarry was to be the Finley SIS
ters-three single ladies-no whit I'M
certain either, as to their ages or
their business. He stepped inside their
gate, smiling little at the house front
lit was OF the solidest red brick and !
was redeemed from forbiddingness
only by a brick penthouse above the
that was as humorous as a
Hopley grinned ingratiatingly at 1t
,efore lifting the big brass knocker.
Three times he Knocked In vain. AS
le turned to leave he heard faint sing
ne from somewhere back, so picked
lis way along rearward path that
nded lower down In tangle OF plum
nd brier thickets. An outlaw cherry
rec rose tall and slim from the mid
lie Of the thiekets. 1t was loaded with
ead-ripe fruit-so darkly red 1t was
lack. And up In the very top. there
Fas boy In overalls singing and ,
winging perIlously by one hand and
DOT, the while the other hand plum
cred the .twigs farthest to reach.
Again HopIey grinned-cherries
ead-ripe ones, were his special weak
ess. He all but ran toward the tree,
alling as he went: Throw down
atful, sonny-Pll pay you all right.
d climb for 'em myself IL the tree
nd room for us both"
Sonny started visibly-swung too
If out and over, lost foothold, chung
Y both hands to the trunk, which
ranched a little below, and brought
lif OF 1t down with u crash upon s
opiey's head The overalled one lay 1
one upon the plum boughs, but |
lied from them to the earth, and
awled out, saying angriIy: ''Td like t
know what you are here for?"
Cherries! The same as YOU" d
Dpley began-then stopped short,
ushlng crimson. Inside the overalls G
ere was no boy, but girl. pretty In c
lite Of scratched face, snub nose, t
d sleeve ripped out of the dress n
derneath her disguise. Il
You're ninny!" she said sue b
lctly. I'm freebooter. Just that.
did want cherries-less to eat than n
gather them-so offered those three
cats ten dollars to let me do IT. ii
~ turned me down cold-any way,
~ hate granny and all her works
when l saw them go OF In their old
ariot put on these" looking proud 81
at her outer integument. land came ~
or the good Of their souls" II,
How happened 1t you had emp" tn
pley asked with twinkling eyes. tn
Lou-that's the other one of us, to
cousin. you know-fell for that dc
merette fool doings-these are tn
s." the girl explained. "Pity you m
Int on some Just look at your so
I. You'll never get the stains out. st,
ope you can afford new one" an
After while-maybe. Now, let's all
our fill Of cherries" Hopley re- rit