Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-03-02
,ur DAiLY NOVELETTE,
The cal Of the Wild
rrIIEL NJ. FsNRMER

..d her sister sauarelN
faceu Nv. ,,, nearly flnished?'' she asked
.,,, assumed gaiety
W.T. no" Virginia answered. sieep.
narefuly scrutinizing the peaut'iui
hs, of embroidery in her lap
pe'1, don't YOU leave II for a Iiule
| ,.r. ." Eloise tcased
"nr could not possibly 90 tna''
,bo determined answer.
wi,b a final. wistful glance out OF the
.ao,r AT the wonderful snow-coVerea
N .,J the sttchcr's sigh mingled win
W. ,,oy,od buzzing of the exasperat-
u' ,ocbipo But 1t did not buzz Tor
nh r,r shc soon threw her work
""s ,d iumped to- her feet with a
laugh ,,, o,. be.
-, srovshocs and strike off for the
- ~ Lot us seek some thrilling ro-
- IN the cold, open country
1,s, know that romance Is only WAITING
go Perhaps some daring hero viii
eating TO rescue us from some wild
sr,maI IN the heart of the woods y
"ponance?" Virginia spoke in dis
"Tbat word was not meant for
ssi And who ever heard oil WIG am
u,,ls in our woods? Bloise, please pe
ssnsiblc and let me work.,
N,m,T"ry we'll. fair sister," Eloise spoke
ucbtIy' but T must be off, for ] hear
ibe Urging call Of the Wild ana she
ran happily from the room. ,r,,. o,od
IN her sports costume. with snowshoes
,,ci,ed undor her arm. The bright red
o,, matched the flushed cheeks and
ianghIngly antagonized the bright
snarkir i'm the fair. blue eyes.
'P"t am only answering the call of the
,nd " she laughed softly, and seeking
NV lost romance" and the front door
banged .,. ,,,, ,h, .,os
en- insistcntly refused the invitation Tor
,To hike for her work was already be-
onr,ing tircsome. She watched her en-
thusiastic sister strap on her snow
shoes and start gracefully along. stop
ping only long enough TO wave prlsht
nIttcncd hand at her.
EIoisp was happy and brenthed deeply
tbr yharp. keen air that set her blood
tinglmg and filled her with eNultation,
On and on she tramped alone, entirely
formed against the sort sparkling
snow She only knew that 1t was
nerfectlv glorious world and she was
Infinitely glad to know that the sewing
machine was silent for while.
~ shall go into the woodsT she
II was not long before the open high
yav was passed and the dusky woods
lny before her. With a deep sigh OF
contentmcnt. she passed into their ma
jestic quietncss But as she wandered
along her joyful spirits began to lower
and her thoughts wandered back to
other days She was thinking of the
many happy times passed in. these
woods with Tom. Each gray tree and
snow-cuvercd stump seemed to tell a
story of its own. She began to wonder
again why he had so suddenly stopped
corresponding and coming to see her
during his vacations. She recalled the
happy Comradeship they had enjoyed
together ana Thought sadly of the
strange ending.
It hardly seemed possible that she
had not heard from him for oyer a
year
Il must forget it," she said to herself
aud with new determination started
triskly along.
Some tiny tracks in the snow at
traCted her attention.
"Why not follow this rabbit trail?"
she asked herself, lightly.
Up hill and down dale she eagerly fol-
lowed the tiny prints. which seemed to
have no ending. Now they would circle
around a tree and then they would go
straight ahead, as straight as rabbit
tracks can 60.
Elosc wiped the perspiration from
her forehead and smiled at her appar-
emily endless undertaking, mentally re-
solving to 60 to the end. She did not
motto" how rapidly the woods were get
ting dark and that only the tip OF the
sun could be seen between the trees.
She was thinking only of following the
tlail Finally her search was rewarded
for th" tracks ended at the stump of a
tree.
'iood,' she sighed wearily. Now |
must hurry home and get something to
eat. for am Starved"
She "aned against n tree to rest her.
sIf. There was suddenly rustlng in
The undrrhrush. She listened breath
ltsS'l, and the noise became quiet. For
the first tim" she realized how dark the
woods We're and that the sun had sunk
''' OF SIGHT. Again came the sound of
cracking uuderbruSh. II sounded as
though a large animal were coming to-
Wdrd her Sne stood terrified and Won |
oered It n"rrhancc there were any wild
animals there,
TIL" crunchng sound came nearer,
s!u hlolS" could stand II no longer. |
win frantic cry she started to run.
tolgrlIu Iug that her feet were enCased |
IL "rg" snowshoes. Somehow the
Sho"SlorS became tangled in some half
concealed branches and, with another
cry sNr fen headlong into a bank of
SL"". She did not dare to move. for the |
sound was coming rapidly toward her.l
u was upon her! If 1t were bear, It |
would think that she were dead, but
80. ''''''N' 1T lIlt lnOuBHl
can't You get up?" somebody was
aSM"E pleasantly in her ear.
~ wa" lnIIr minute before she could |
eAu'"0lr herself from the snow enough |
10 ST. n III" owner of the voice We're |
,u. I"w. And his surprise was even |
Rr'"'"r when h" found out who this |
Ha,4l1"n SlOwshOc runner really was. |
Ma>. i"n ~ she gasped weakly.
"h% EIolSe'' he echoed happily.
.ri"o Inomrnt they eyed each other
N.rhIA, aud then they laughed There |
seemed - b" nothing else to do, for all |
"e.-proparcd speeches seemed entirely |
oul Of place when delivered from the re-
CsS+rs Of snow bank.
N'- did YOU rum he asked. good
Moud rustic in tho bushes" she
Tal'SN'rcI Shr'ptshly Listen, there 1t
., "m l'stoncd, and as he rose to his
t MNn an impromptu club in his
,TT'nu inc gentle face of a COW pecrcd at |
"',l ,.l"1gh the branches.
=, w., '"' gaSped in ono breath. and |
I," '"' Vut woods rang with laugh
ro W.. l"n laughed contemtedly. 81
"a. ."lnd my COW and you I know
, .", bay" been II brute and ! uru
fpD,'| "l, ! was TOO ashamed to explain
L,,"" (on see, ! wrote two important
a,,.,.8 ,,'8 4" YOU, and when you did not
"''. W. thought YOU did not care But
,r" ad}s ago | found my letters in my
\.'E'I" brothers. pocket, unmailed . |
40" ""m, We fix II all right"
~, ..' ''" not speak her answer. but
""'a side threw her arms around her
h I', "''N little later, she was
N' '"mplcte Novelette, "StOrm
Bound"