The Monmouth inquirer., 1924-04-24

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Nell did not enjoy her Cousin
and listless. gazing out over the sea
of faces, scarcely needing the rising
and falling of the curtain.
Maud watched her favorite's face,
and said to herself:
Surely, the child must not be feel
[. ing we'll"
But Nell shook her head in the neg
alive when questioned; what could the
matter be?
Now, Nell was feeling vexed about
something, but she was not at all in
clined to be confidential. The truth
was that the ache and soreness in
the region just under the braided
front of Nelps Mary Jane dress was
due to the appearance of two hand
some beaver hats on the pulled heads
of Kathleen and Ernyce Charleton.
The hats were prettily trimmed with
ehoux and ribbon flowers, and they
certainly did not cost less than $40
apiece, if they cost cent. Nell was
bitterly aware that her own felt hat
with its perky little wing had cost but
one-third of that sum. Ermyce had
nodded so patronizingly, Nell thought,
that the latter determined never to
speak to this proud damsel again.
Such were the bitter thoughts serging
through Nell's brain when Cousin
Maud's voice broke in upon them:
"Come, Nell, before the crush.
must match that piece of silk and get
some floss before it grows toglate."
Nell followed Maud out of the thea
tire and into the big department store,
where hats were sold. Beavers, beaV-
ers, beavers, they confronted the dis.
tracted girl on every side-in pict-
ures, in the windows, on the heads of
the shoppers. Oh, how happy would
she be if only she, too, had a beaver
hat.
They were soon out of the store
and mingling with the Saturday after
noon crowd that was congesting the
sidewalk. On crossing the neutral
grounds they passed a girl who was
wearing a most becoming gray bea-
yer, and Nell was just turning her
head to get a second glimpse, when
thudi she was struck to the ground,
and as heavy blow fell on her chest
she lost consciousness.
Night gathered in over the forest,
and with night came hundreds of
shadowy forms creeping down the
river side. They set busily TO work.
and as they toiled some of them talk
ed in subdued tones.
"Oh, if only the hunters do not
come this way before dawn! This
house must be mended and re-enforc-
ed by morning. II / am killed, how will
my young ones fare?"
IF this unexpected rise in the river
had not come we might have been
spared this extra labor. What with
the dams going UP, ! am so weary
can scarcely drag my limbs along"
sighed the first toiler.
"But our children, they will at least
have place of refuge when we are
gone," said the first one. tHushs
What was that?"
@Hush!" cried the first. What was
that?"
"only the swapping of Dough.
Make haste with that willow branch
what ails your"
"Oh, every time that hear sharp
noise / expect to feel shot"
'Tt is not the shots that l fear
said the first beaver. ct is the traps
that we must keep clear Of"
All the while they were talking they
carried bits of driftwood to the house,
which they were constructing of will
low branches, stones and mud.
The first beaver was looking at a
nice little pile of wood under some
bushes,
~ think that these Will be just what
| need to finish the job" she said
But they were the last words she
ever spoke. The tempting materials
were only cunningly arranged snare
and the baby beavers were motherless
that night.
ooh, oh, OH" walled the one who
-@~