Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1923-08-29
CHAPTER XVI


,,.-irg exhausted All tHe ISSoul CeS
na,, r,,orptain, such that had interest
d j" .som AIadeliI.e's guests settled
m ~ down for rest, which Made
i''p t,ov would soon end in a desire
DS 1razed comforts. They were al
!a . trad OF roughing II. Helen's dis
D'@ manifested Itself in her re-
E o. guess nothing is going to hap
i' ,,.5orine awaited their pleasure in
..J to the breaking Of camp; and
'' .orbiIe, as none of them cared for
D'. avprtion. she took her walks
D .sort them, sometimes accompanied
mo of the cowboys, always by the
",.5oDnds. One day, while walking
' ao, before she realized ii she had
,os long way down dim trail
L,5inr among the rocks. 1t was the
r1go of a summer afternoon, and all
's,n, her were shadows Of the crags
.,s,irg the sunlit patches. The quiet
W, nrdlsturbed. She went on and on,
a. hind to the fact that she was per-
s.rs going too far from camp, but
.,tng II because she was sure Of her
rov back, and enjoying the wild,
,.,cgv recesses that were new to her.
FrsIIv she came out upon bank that
aoEe abruptly into beautiful little
tade. Here she sat down to rest be-
h-p undertaking the return trip,
Suddenly Russ, the keener Of the
caghOunds, raised his head and
rOvIed. Madeline feared he might
have scented a mOuntain-lion or wild
at She quoted him and carefully
looked around. The little glade was
OPEN and grassy, with here a pine tree,
bera a boulder The outlet seemed to
3 20 down into q vii 1erness of canyons
and ridges. Locking in this direction,
Madeline saw the slight, dark figure of
1 woman coming stealthily along I'M
Ter the pines. Madeline was amazed,
hen little frightened, for that
ceathy walk from tree to tree was
nggestiye Of secrecy, If nothing worse.
Presently the woman was joined by
1 tall man who carried a package,
which he gave to her. They came on
lp the glade and appeared to be talk
hg earnestly. In another moment
Madeline recognized Stewart. She had
10 greater feeling of surprise than had
It first been hers. But for the next
moment she scarcely thought at all
merely watched the couple approach
1s In a flash came back her former
Gdosity as to Stewards strange abb
&DceS from camp, and then with the
return Of her doubt Of him the recog-
Ailm Of the woman. The small, dark
bead, the brown face, the big eyes
Madeline now saw distinctly-be-
nsed to the Mexican girl Bonita.
NeTart had met her there. This was
ne secret Of his lonely trips, taken
6eF since he had come to work for
Madeline This secluded glade was a
HaoezYous. He had her hidden there.
quietly Madeline arose, with a ges-
ne to the dogs, and went back along
ne falI toward camp. Succeeding her
upHSe was a feeling of sorrow that
@"aFts regeneration had not been
onpete. Sorrow gave place to in
'Iegaole dlStruSt that while she had
wen romancing about this cowboy,
aanlng Of her good influence over
lDA' ne had been merely base. Some
low II stung her. Stewart had been
|amg TO her, she thought, yet she
-au oeen proud of him. She tried TO
'O'e the thing, to be fair to him,
WI every instructive tendency was
s4peI MIN, and all pertaining to him,
.'I ner thoughts. And her effort at
%IPS'hy, at eXtenuation, failed utter
Oel0re her pride. Exerting Der will
ald. - = ~ ~
=. Madeline did not think Of him again
'a'e mat afternoon, when, as she
." 'eaylng her tent to join several OF
guests Stewart appeared suddenly
NTg,- y,
-,SS hammond, I saw your tracks
@'4 me trail,' he began, eagerly, but
s, woe was easy and natural. T'm
A, 1se,,''S-Well, maybe you sure got
.., 10 not wish for an explanation"
~sfrupted Madeline.
,' stewart gave a slight start. His
MI ,I"Sr mad a sembIance of the old,
\. 'uaacity. AS he looked down at
% nj II subtly changed.
we. wat etfrontery, Madeline thought
p, la.e ner before her guests with an
~ '4 ., OF his conduct! Suddenly
v, ,s'. an Inward flash OF fire that
an. p Jam so strange, so incomprehen-
n, 1o u.o' 0er mind whirled. Then an
a b assessed her, not at Stew, It, but
.bl,.ee'-' mat anything could rouse
stg,.,, raw emotion. He stood there.
.ar,Ss~ cool, serene, with level,
,,,N9 eyes upon Stewart; but in
rsna' Sae vas burning with rage and
ebE- sure not going to have you
4 Sr,,.. ne began passionately, but