The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-06-03
CHAPTER XIV
The Best Laid Plans

he Best Laid TIanS
Father McGrath had insisted tina
Lee should remain as a guest at TN
mission during the two following days
and he insisted on supplying him VIII
an outfit OF clothing. He asked theil
plans and Lee told him.
1.-THE best thing In the wurrld," NJ
said. yell be safe at the house, ant
dinna ha' any fear of those de1l's
agents at siston lake. for they'll ker
all aboot the pair O. We long syne, ant
they darena interfere wi we the moo
But dInna prolong your honeymoon toe
long, for We must be DOT O. the range
before the heavy snaws begin"
Lee and Father McGrath had long
talk together that night. Lee told him
the whole story of his encounter with
Joyce In the range, the dynamiting,
and his pursuit of the band at Slston
lake and rescue Of the girl, culinnat-
ing with their flight into the forest and
Joyce's loss of memory.
At first the father listened and In
terrupted, and kept giving vent TO ex-
CARNATIONS of amazement and indlgna-
ton; but as Lee went on with his
story he fell into silence, putting at his
pipe beside the stove and looking at
Lee intently.
'"Tis amazingp he said, when Lee
had ended. II Gamma understand 1t.
For, look you, Anderson, it isna as If
this was a country O. savages, whaur
base man could do what he pleased.
IT'S true they sell their feelthy hooch,
but that's deterrent fra kidnapping
women and attempting murder.
There's something ut the back O. this
that we havena hit upon"
Next morning Lee slept late-so late
that 1t was the recitations Of the school
children across the open space that
aroused him. From his bed he could
hear Joyce's voice directing them, and
he smiled happily at the thought Of
her. The morrow was his marriage
day The evening Of the morrow they
would be together in their log home,
shut of from all the world.
It was renascence of youth, this
tender Joy that filed him. He dressed
and strolled across the interval to the
schoolhouse.
That was the happiest day OF his
life. Joyce, at his mandate. agreed to
q half holiday, and all that afternoon
they strolled through the snow-bound
woods, their arms about each other,
planning their life together. Lee came
more and more to see that to Joyce
happiness consisted of the wilderness.
She would wilt in city. She had
endured the period Of her medical
training only as preliminary to re-
turning into the wilds.
They decided that they would make
their homes there Lee reslgning from
the police the following spring. They
would take up work under Father Nc
Grath, enlarge the log house, create
a garden; In time to come settlers
would flock In, the whisky traffic would
go-they dreamed for hours until the
advent Of night sent them homeward.
Next afternoon an old Indian and
his wife were requisitioned for wit
nesses; and in the little schoolroom, in
the presence of the entire population
OF the settlement. which consisted Of
the children, two half-grown girls, and
a young boy, with an aged squaw or
two-all legacies Of the great small
pox epidemic Of four years before
which had decimated the region
Father McGrath performed the simple
ceremony that united them, taking the
gold ring from his own finger. and
handing 1t to Lee who put 1t on his
brides.
And Lee, looking at Joyce with
new wonder that was almost fear, dis
covered the purpose that had sent
him into the range.
1t was for this. and this alone, that
he might find not only his love, but
that comrade OF his hearts desire
whom he had sought all the days Of
his life.
Anu ia Joy &C . NOAluSCu anu piuSH-
ing face, in her eyes as she raised
them shyly toward his own. he read
their mutual happiness.
With Joyce's arm drawn shyly
through his own. and his shoulders
aching from Father McGrath's hand
clasp, he left the schoolhouse. Out
side, the horse stood harnessed TO the
sleigh, which was loaded with the sup
plies. Lee handed Joyce inside and
followed her. Father McGrath took
the box seat Of the big sleigh, which
had originally functioned In the streets
Of some provincial city. Father Nc
GratA had driven 1t to his destination
by detour round the range with all
his worldly goods packed inside 1t.
The journey was slow one, the
morse slipping ON the frozen snow and
plunging through the crusts that had
sn-med over this surface. 1t was even
colder than before, and there seemed
no doubt that winter had ser in at