Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1923-08-31


thinking the while that it must have
been Stewart who had chained them
near her. Close at hand also was a
cowboys bed rolled up in tarpaulin.
The cool air, fragrant with pine and
spruce and some subtle nameless tang,
sweet and tonic, made Madeline stand
erect and breathe slowly and deeply.
1t was like drinking Of magic
draught. She felt 1t in her blood, that
it quickened it's flow. Turning to look
in the other direction, beyond the tent,
she saw the remnants Of last nights
temporary camp, and farther on a
grove of beautiful pines from which
came the sharp ring Of the ak. Wider
gaze took in a wonderful park, not
only surrounded by lofty crags, but
full of crags Of lesser height, many lift
ing their heads from dark green groves
Of trees. The morning sun, not yet
above the eastern elevations, sent it's
rosy and golden shafts in between the
towering rocks to tip the pines.
Madeline, with the hounds beside
her, walked through the nearest grove.
The ground was soft and springy and
brown with pine-needles.
Florence espied her under the trees
and came running. She was like a
young girl, with life and color and joy.
She wore q flannel blouse, corduroy
skirt, and moccasins. And her hair
was fastened under band like an In
dams.
"Castleton's gone with a gun, for
hours, it seems" said Florence. "Gene
just went to hunt him up. The other
gentlemen are still asleep. 1 imagine
they sure will sleep up heah in this
air."
Then, business-like, Florence fell to
questioning Madeline about details Of
camp arrangement which Stewart,
and Florence herself, could hardly see
to without suggestion.
AS the day advanced the charm Of
the place grew upon Madeline. Even
at noon, with the sun beating down,
there was comfortable warmth rather
than heat 1t was the kind Of warmth
that Madeline liked to feel in the
spring.
Presently a chorus Of merry calls
attracted her attention, and she turned
to see Helen limping along with Doro-
thy, and Mrs. Beck and Edith sup
porting each other. They were all
rested but lame, and delighted with
the place, and as hungry as bears
awakened from a winters sleep. !
Then they had dinner, sitting on the
ground after the manner Of Indians;
and 1t was a dinner that lacked merri-
ment only because everybody was too
busily appeasing appetite.
For a few days the prevailing fea-
lures Of camp life for Madeline's
guests were sleep and rest. The men
were more visibly affected by the
mountain air than the women.
This languorous spell disappeared
presently, and then the days were full
of life and action. Necessarily, Of
course Madeline and her guests were
now thrown much in company with
the cowboys And the party grew to
be like one big family.
Madeline found the situation one Of
keen and double interest for her. If
before she had cared to study her
cowboys, particularly Stewart, now,
with the contrasts afforded by her
guests she felt by turns she was
amused and mystified and perplexed
and saddened, and then again subtly
pleased.
From the thought Of Stewart, and
&oLf EEL n,1t nf
she discovered more about him. He
was not happy; he often paced up and
down the grove at night; he absented
himself from camp sometimes during
the afternoon when Nels and Nick
and Monty were there he was always
watching the trails, as If he expected
to see some one come riding up. He
alone Of the cowboys did not indulge
In the fun and talk around the camp
fire. He remained preoccupied and sad,
and was always looking away into dfs-
tance. Madeline had a strange sense
of his guardianship over her; and, re-
membering Don Carlos, she imagined
he worried good deal over his
charge, and, indeed, over the safety
of all the party.
A favorite lounging spot Of Made
lines was a shaded niche under the
lee Of crags facing the east. Here in
the shade Of afternoon, she and Edith
would often lounge under low
branched tree. Seldom they talked
much, for it was afternoon and dreamy
with the strange spell Of this noun
tain fastness. There was smoky haze
In the valleys. fieecy cloud resting
over the peaks, a sailing eagle In the
blue sky, silence that was the un-
broken silence of the wild heights,
and a soft wind laden with incense Of
pine.
One afternoon, however, Edith ap-
peared prone to talk seriously.
"See here, Majesty Hammond, do you
intend to spend the rest Of your life
in this wilderness?" she asked, bluntly.
Madeline was silent.
"Oh, it is glorious! Don't misunder-
stand me, DEAR" went on Edith, earn