Show t tI I TheY ry THE CAPTAINS CAPTAIN'S GIRL By IZOLA FORRESTER Copyright 1916 1915 b by the McClure Newspaper Syndicate Cappers Kapper's Spur lies on the west side of ot Mount Lawrence ever nver the Wyoming Wyo Wo o ming state line And the very ery center centero o of Kappers Kapper's Spur from a social as ns aswell aswell well as a n civic standpoint was its town hall halt and schoolhouse Early in AU August st Cap Hent Henty began cR casting about for a t teacher acher Cap was chairman of the school committee local Judge undertaker and hotelkeeper hotelkeeper hotel- hotel kt keeper ler so his hlA word carried author author- it ity Out Of or the whole lot Jot ho he an announced announced an- an d waving his hilS hands disdainfully disdainfully disdain disdain- fully over the heap of ot answers answer from his ad ad theres Just one that talks real turkey and Im I'm going to send for her Names Name's Sidney Baxter Good sort of ot name too Sheres Shere's sh she from inquired Mrs Henty I suppose shell she'll want vant to board hoard with us No 0 she wont She's got Sot a good shack already for her and a new stove In It 11 too loo Writes rites a good hand and talks like UkE she knew something Let me see pa please Rita Henty len Hon ty ti begged It will se seem m awfully good to to have a girl chum up here I hope she's nice Might have taught school yourself yourself yourself your your- self if It you'd oud been a mind to Rita I II dont don't care re to teach school pa po I Inot not on Kappers Kapper's Spur laughed Rita mischievously Is Js Len going to take bookkeeping from the new v teacher Len Walters Valters waiting waiting- for the Judge to sign some papers on a a. transfer of ot stock flushed at her tone I will if it I 1 have hae time he retorted sturdily If It she hasn't got any place to board wed we'd like mighty might wen well to accommodate her Cap Rita lifted her pretty eyebrows and looked Just as provoking as R she could The Walters Walters' ranch was as the lar largest on the mountain and the they had a good goodhouse goodhouse goodhouse house In the little town besides But she had been at the school chool for tor four years down at Laramie and Len had never gone beyond the time course ourse he ho had right there at Kappers Kapper's Spur It had been part of the fun of ot coming home homes s summers summers to tease him and show him the decided difference between a a. person person person per per- son who has studied at nt Laramie and andone andone one who has spent the bt best st years years' of at his teens herding cattle Miss Baxter was to arrive on a Saturday and just for nonsense Rita went to the thc station to meet her Len was there too There had been some correspondence and it was settled the tho teacher tN was to live 13 at nt the Walters Walters' house But Rita was mighty sweet to the stranger when she stepped from fromI I the westbound train clad in brown with a a. white felt hat lint on her soft blonde hair And she took her away from Len with a lau laugh h. h It was right that the chairman of the committee should meet her tl first t She would take her home to supper t and take tako her to Mrs 1113 alters Walters lat later Len stood and watched them pass down the street tre-et from the tIme station thoroughly nonplussed and resentful Youre awful tame Len said sald Scotty the bus driver sympathetically call cally Let that girl of or Caps Cap's walk rl right ht over you ou you OU do But Len was not thinking of ot the captains captain's girl Just for tor a n. minute h ho had looked into Sidney's eyes ces and th they had be been n diverting In the weeks that f followed the they never lost that first charm for him Twice a week he rode in from the ranch and SIdn Sidney grew to look for tor the visits You kno he ho told her in a burst of bo boyish confidence nce one day when the they were vere riding together I never met a girl Just like you oU You dont don't flirt and you OU dont don't say a a. lot of oC fool tool things just jURt to worry worn a fellow teUo and youre you're Interested rf sted In things things like like ran range rights and forestry tor and so on My father was waR a ranger ranKE-r Sidney Sid n ney told him Im nam named d for tor him I IWa Iwas was waa born In the forest so I guess Its It's natural for mo me to feel at home there thc and love it best hest I wanted d to come up here and teach school After he ho died we went back East to live and amI there I I. I saw the ad for tor a teacher wa way out here and I 1 answer answered d dIt It more for tor fun un but I came c. Would you ou like to eta sta stay He blurted it out clumsily but ut she did not seem seeni to understand what hat lay be behind behind he- he hind his words How could she kno know I I that he ht pictured her living out at the ranch his wife and all the world turned golden Sidney shook her head doubtfully Perhaps If It she could go back East I sometimes Rita had told her how tiresome Kapper's Kappers Spur became If It her brother broth or could como come out and take up ranching then she sho would like lIko It Send for tor him Ill I'll take him on with me promised Len And the ne next t few tew weeks Kappers Kapper's Spur thrilled at nt at the small dr drama ma en enacted enacted en en- I acted under its Ita very nose Big Al AI Baxter tre fresh h from from college with a Do halfback record behind him a n sense of humor and plenty of ot good Intentions intentions tion not only came cam on and wont went after ranching as if it had been trout fishing fishing- but also after Rita Henty The trouble with you QU U Western Vestern girls Is 18 that youre you're trying to be he like Eastern East East- em ern girls he told he-told told her flatly Why dont don't yu U drop these latest style flub flub- dubs and get got into a short skirt and flannel wal waist t and ride over to see us with Sid Ski After Arter were we're married some someday someday da day Im I'm going t to teach y you u how to enJo enjoy life I 1 wouldn't marry you for any any- thing Mr r. Baxter Rita told him teasIngly teas teas- Al AI easily Well ell maybe not said Did you ou know Len and Sid Ski are en engaged engaged en- en Really 7 C Certain sure He nodded his head solemnly Last Jast night tight This big gold yours our does wonders I J saw how things were going as soon as I came cam West Vet BO so I 1 rather hurried them up Told Sid shed she'd have to go goback goback goback back with me that I didn't like the place or Len or the ranch If It you want a a. girl to go a certain way you ou pull pun the bridle opposite Ritas Rita's brown eyes flashed at t the tho big complacent fellow Ho He was so serenely ly sure of himself and his power pow pow- er r to win It was fearfully slow at nt atthe atthe the tho Spur Spun Somehow Miss 1 Hant Henty be beJan began began be- be gan Jan to find Interest in teaching the Easterner Western ways as She was waR hospitable to him and nd comradely The captain liked him and Rita Invited him to the house often onE Sidney would not be married until spring Then Ill I'll be going back East said Bald Al AI I 1 came West Vest to please Sid Its It's a fearful worry this having one small brother broth r on your mind It takes courage and pluck to be bea told him with tittle lit littie little tit lit a A. ra ranch ch Rita a 8 tle tie half smile Youre a quitter arent aren't you OU 7 No Im I'm not little girl It takes more courage and pluck to buck the game of life in the cities against big odds and I prefer the larger range This Is bull bully for Len and Sid likes it it too T To you and Cap the Spur is IR the tho Jumping off ort place of endeavor and opportunity But Im I'm going going tack hack When 1 She almost whispered it it Her back was wa turned from him Not for words would she have let him see her eyes ees filled with tears after she had laughed at him and been so self self- sufficient tAny t. t Any da day after the first wind of spring blows this way He looked at her sideways as he hf sat on the side of or the porch Th The first tang of ot winter winter winter win win- ter was In the air It was nearl nearly 9 9 and a dull dun orange glow showed along alonS' the edge o of the thc timber where here the harvest moon was rising Still its it's some Borne time to wait walt till spring I cant can't help looking forward though Im I'm going to be married in April long about the that's m my birthday Perhaps she would rather be married married mar mar- ried on on her birthday When is it Rita 1 She turned on him passionately I think you OU are the tho most most most- No you dont don't he caught her up Lip oue ou e Just been spoiled that's all nB er E Every man In twenty miles wishes he had a fighting chance to win sou ClU and I haven't wished d. d The I first time I saw you OU I made up m my mind to marry you If Jt you OU dont don't like April 10 make it your our o own n birthday birth birth- da day Ill I'll let you OU I asked the captain and nd he told me to go 0 ahead ahad and win with his blessing So I have ha The Thc captain came strolling leisurely up from th the tho corral the light of his hla pipe making a fire spark In the dark dark- ness He was humming to himself but stopped when hen he saw the two to up upon upon upon on the porch Just as the moon rose roseand roseand and filled the nl night ht with glory glory- I Just jUt h heard ard about Len getting tIme the he called up You Youcan Youcan Youcan can teach t If It you ou want vant to to Rita enas engaged d. d Cap Baxter Batt t an answered answered answered an- an genially He put out his hand hanel handas as Rita IUta tried to rise have to advertise |