White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1924-05-23
The Dude
w rangler
Caroline Lockhart
Copyright, Doubleday, Page & Co.
Continued from Last Week.

1t was not yet DARK WHeu WI. oCoII,
stepping briskly and carrying his
Gladstone bag raincoat and umbrel-
las in a jaunty manner, came into
camp, announcing breezily, that he
had decided upon reflection, not to
"bite off his nose to spite his face"
He declared that he would not let the
likes of Ellery Hicks upset his plans
for touring the Yellowstone, and
while his wife refused to return he
meant to carry out his original In
tention.
But the real reason for Mr.. Stott's
decision, as Wallie suspected from the
frequency with which he had discov-
cred him sitting upon log in Sc
Guided spots, counting his money,
was that the hotel rates and motor
fares were far higher than he had
anticipated.
1t was known beyond the question
of doubt that Mr.. Budlong had pur.
chased food and kept it in her teepee.
Therefore, when asked for something
to ward off faint feeling before din
ner and she had denied having any
thing, they were outspoken in their
resentment.
There she stood and lied to our
faces" Mrs. Appel declared to her
husband afterward, while her mouth
was shining. l could smell sardines
on her and big cracker crumb was
lying on her bosom. Indeed, it's a
true saying they have in this country
that to know people you must camp
with them. l never would have
thought that of Hannah Budlong!"
1t was because of this incident, and
the strained relations which resulted
from her perfidy, that none Of her
erstwhile friends responded to her In
vitation to join her in bath in
beaver dam of which Mr.. Hicks told
her when they camped early the next
afternoon.
Nobody could have been more oblig-
ing and interesting than Mr.. Hicks as
he guided her to the beaver dam and
explained its construction 1t had
long since been abandoned by the in
dustrious animals that had built it,
but their work had been so we'll done
that 1t was in as good condition as
when they had left 1t.
There was nothing to fear from
beavers; anyway, Hicks assured her,
he never had known beaver to at
tack anybody. In this isolated spot
she was as safe from intrusion as If
she were in her own bathroom, and
after tramping down spot In the
brush for her to stand on, he went
away declaring that he was sure she
would have an experience she always
would remember.
Left alone, Mrs Budlong felt Of the
water. 1t was, as Hicks had said,
even warmer than tepid from stand
ng-an ideal temperature. The brush
grew high around the pond formed
by the back-water and made perfect
shelter. No fear of prying eyes need
disturb her.
Then daring thought came to her
which made her black eyes sparkle.
Suppose she did not wear any bathing
suit! What an adventure to relate to
her intimate friends when she re-
turned to Mauch Chunk, Pennsylva-
mia! 1t laid hold of her imaginative
mind, and the result was that Mrs.
Budlong hung her.suit on bush and
went in all naturelle. !
She waded in cautiously, for the
bottom was soft and oozy and there
were little patches of green floating
on the surface that she did not so
much like the looks of. Otherwise con-
ditions were perfect, and Mrs. Bud
long submerged like submarine
when she reached the middle of 1t. She
came up and stood looking at the sky
above her, enjoying the feeling of the
sunshine on her skin and soft, warm
breeze that caressed her. She smiled
at an interested bluejay, then sub
merged again, deeper, and the tide
rose so that the water Tapped bushes
and pebbles that had not been wet
all summer.
Her smile grew wider as she
thought what the others were missing,
and was considering how much she
dared embellish the adventure with
out being detected, when, suddenly, a
look of horror came to her face, and
stayed there, while screams that
sounded more like the screeches of a |
lynx or mountain-lion than those Of
human being scared the bluejay and |
brought those in camp up standing. |
Piercing, hair-raising, unnatural as
they were, Mr.. Budlong recognized
them.
my wife! Help! Murder! Hicks,
where is she? Find weapon and
come with us."
Mr.. Appel, Mr.. Stott, and old Mr..
Penrose dashed into their tents and
dashed out carrying firearms that had
been sealed by the park officials, as
Is customary, while Mr.. Budlong in
his frenzy snatched pair of scissors
from Miss Eyester and headed the
posse which expected to. pursue the
murderer. He was not a murderer
yet however, for Mrs. Budlong's
screams had not diminished In vol
ume, although it was feared that .
worse than death might already have
befallen her. Her shrieks guided
them like lighthouse siren, SO they /