The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1921-07-21
How the Trapper
Won His Bride
BY FREDERICK CLARKE.

&c, 1871 Western Newspaper unloh)
"Will you remamber me when / am
gone Leona? Tell me-" The tone was
masterful.
Perhaps"
The man gave a sharp exclamation,
and catching the girf by the wrist he
said sternly:
Don't speak thai way. When you
do it cuts like knife" and his other
hand fell half unconsciousy upon the
hilt of the hunting knife in his belt.
How dare you? You know, Jean
that | love him."
ACTIONS speak louder than words,
the man returned coldly. "rhose
glorious eyes of yours say yes, when
your lips form no. You have listened
to my words of love and never turned
away"
They interested me as long as they
were different" the girl returned, mad
denlngly.
when you have something new to
say, expect me to remember you; but
until then do not care to even listen"
and the trapper was left alone with
his rage and love. Until his depar-
ture on the following day the spoiled
beauty kept out of his way, and once
he had disappeared, she drew a deep
sigh Of relief.
Smiling Il little to herself, and yet
wondering If he would study some
thing new to say to her when he
emerged from the dangers Of the I'M
broken path into the wilderness she
hummed a song he favored, and was
so wrapped up in her own thoughts
she did not hear the stealthy step Of
man who stole upon her. Small won
der that she did not, for he was skilled
in tracking down the widest kind Of
game, and hiding his presence from
the keen-scented wild things of the
lneXplored North. The first that she
realized that she was not alone was
when Leona felt a mans arms about
her and mans mouth pressed to
hSiSi anu ilShlCncu uiluOol W uCath
she looked up into Jeans dark, flash
ing eyes.
you told me to make love differ
emily" he said after he had kissed
her GREATNESS, land so have. l knew
no other man had ever held you In
his arms or taken kisses from your
lips. Now l have put my stamp on
you"
With a heavy sigh, and yet with the
light Of hopeful love In his face, Jean
retraced his steps, and this time fairly
began his long journey. For weeks
afterward, Leona felt her cheeks burn
crimson at the very thought of Jeans
kisses, and yet in her heart she was
not angry, for she did love him, though
her untamed grish nature rebeled
ut restraint. AS the days crept on, she
belonged to this mighty hunter, and
she began to plan her future as his
wife Suddenly her happiness was
crushed as the tender verdure beneath
the branches of the felled forest tree.
After a day that had seemed unusual
ly long to her impatience, although
one of the shortest of the year, she
was sitting in the chimney corner idly
listening TO her father, when some Of
his words recalled her to attention.
II didn't think that of Jean. He
ought to be ashamed of such a thing"
"WhatT Leona asked.
Marrying an Indian girl" was the
careless answer.
"He never did, she said fiercely,
her eyes blazing in the freight.
For a week she lay i'll, and when
she finally crawled forth into the open
air she loved so well she was like one
smltten. All her proud, young cour-
age was gone She Stunned the trap
pers who flOcked to her fathers store,
and spent her time out In the woods
where Jean had kissed her maiden
lips and held her in his strong arms.
Into this retreat no one dared pene-
trate, not even Long John Hathers.
He would not give up the secret hope
In his heart, and tried to court her
although he said but little. His eyes
glowed a red fire that nothing extin
guished. LeOna at first scarcely mo-
ticed him, then hated him for the love
she saw he bore her, and prevented
him from speaking Of it until one day
when the sun was beginning to feel
warm, and she was once more in the
woods. Believing herself entirely
alone, she began to- live over once
more the love scene of the fall be-
fore, when suddenly Long John stood
before her, speaking madly of his
love, and pleading madly with her to
return 1t.
The girl fought like a young tiger.
She knew now that he had been a
witness to her last scene with Jean,
and 1t drove her mad with rage. FL
nally. seeing the hateful, bearded face
coming nearer and nearer, she cried
aloud for help, and in proyidential an
swer to her cry 1t came, for suddenly
Long john HlehhuIcu MS lchSth oh lh'
grass, and she saw Jean like one In
dream.
Come. Leona, sweetheart" Jean
said tenderly, give me the welcome
back | deserve" and he held out his
arms.
How dare you" she gasped. "What
viii your wife think when | tell her?
"What about the Indian grip" she
continued, for the man looked puz-