The Glenwood post. (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) 1897-current, 1921-01-15

were the standards of the mountalns
valuing strength and self-reliance
above all things. He didn't stop to
question why, every day, he trod SO
many weary miles to be with her
She was as natural as fawn; and
many times she had quite taken away
his breath. And once she did 1t liter
ally He didn't think that so long as
death spared him he would ever be
able to forget that experience. 1t was
her birthday. and knowing OF II In
time he Ind arranged for the delivery
of certain package, dear to u grlish
heart, nj her fathers house In the
trysting hour he had come trudging
over the hills with II, and few expert
ences in his life had ever yielded such
unmitigated pleasure as the sight of
her, glowing white and red, as she took
off its wrapping paper. II was Jolly
old gift, he rccollected-and when she
had seen it she fairly leaped n him.
Her warm, round arms around his
neck, and the softest. loveliest lips in
the world pressed his. But In those
days he didn't have the strength that
he had now He felt he could endure
the same experience again with no
embarrassment whatever. His first i'm
preston then. besides Astounding in
credible astouishment, was that she
had quite Knocked out his breath But
let 1t be said for him that he recov-
cred with notable promptness His
own arms had gone up and closed
around her and the girl had wrigged
free.
But yon mustn't do thntl" she told
him.
"But, good Lord, grill You did 1t
to me! Is there no Justice in women ?"
But did 1t to thank you for this
lovely gift For remembering me
for being so good-and considerate.
You haven't any cause to thank me-"
He had many serious difficulties in
thinking II out. And only one con-
clusion was obtainable-that Snowblrd
kissed as naturally as she did any
thing else. and the kiss meant exactly
what she said 1t did and no more.
But the fact remained that he would
have walked good many miles far
ther II he thought there was any DOS
sibility Of a repeat
But all at once his fantasies were
suddenly and rudely dispelled by the
intrusion Of realities. Dan had been
walking silently himself in the pine
needles. AS LennoN had wondered Mt
long ago. he knew how by instinct
and instinctively he practiced this at.
tainment MS soon as he got out into
the wild. The creature he had heard
was fully one hundred yards distant,
yet Dan could hear him with entire
plainness. And for while he couldn't
even guess what manner of thing II
might be.
A cougar that made so much noise
would be Immediately expelled from
the union. A wolf pack. running by
sight, might crack brush as freely
but wolf pack would also bay to
vale the dead. OF course It might he
an elk or steer, and still more likely
bear. He stood still and listened.
The sound grew nearer.
Soon 1t became evident that the crea.
ture was either walking with two legs
or else was four-footed animal put.
ting two feet down at the same in.
slant Dan had learned to wait. He
stood perfectly still. And gradually
he came to the conclusion that he
was listening to the football of an.
other man.
But 1t was rather hard to imagine
what man might be doing on this
lonely hill. OF course 1t might be a
deer hunter; but few were the valley
sportsmen who had penetrated to this
far land. The football was much too
heavy for Snowbird. The steps were
evidently on another trail that inter.
sected his own trail one hundred yards
farther up the hill. He had only to
stand still, and in an instant the man
would come in sight.
He, took one step into the Tickets
prepared to conceal himself If il be.
came necessary. Then. he waited Soon
the man stepped out on the trail.
Even at the distance of one hundred
yards, Dan had no difficulty whatever
In recognizing him. He could not
mistake this tall. dark form. the solled
slouchy clothes, the rough hair, the
Intent, dark Textures. II WAS man
about his own age, his uwn height