Show IT HAD TO HAPPEN by JEAN DICKERSON oliver im sure you 11 meet some backwoods girl out there and marry her sighed olivers married sister oliver penfield laughed heartily my dear dot you have a wrong idea of the northwest forest preserves they aro not the scene ol 01 garden parties or picnics or pink teas I 1 doubt it I 1 see a woman while I 1 m there for my district will be on the northernmost boundaries 0 the reserve believe me dotty your young brother oliver the forester will re turn home entirely heart tree and quite ready to marry whatever nice parl you have picked out during his absence mrs west smiled tolerantly I 1 never wanted you to marry anyone except sylvia Bra lUlng she eald she was my dearest alend almost a sister in fact never I 1 deny that my attentions to miss Bra lUlng ever approached the danger point protested oliver she never liked me anyway he added cheerfully or she never would have married that idiot ot a stewart as soon as I 1 went away to study for estry well all past and over said his sister but oliver dear kemem her what I 1 tell you don t fall in love with an ineligible garl out there you wont meet any refined people olivers firm jaw stiffened into obstinacy please don t talk about it dot he requested quietly the girl I 1 marry will be one that I 1 love no matter what her social position but am not look ing for her in the forests there won t be any girls there to distract my at of all the dangers that beset me in the forests believe me falling la love wont happen to met six months later oliver penfield was of the same opinion many weeks of patrolling the northwestern forests had weaned him entirely away from the life of the cities he felt that never again could he confine himself within brick walled communities 1 I must have breathing space he muttered one morning as he rode under the giant pines whose tops appeared to touch the clear blue sky and whose lower branches were 25 feet above hla head on some strong western wind there came a subtle salt smell of the pa that lay tar beyond the cascade range and the smell of the sea aln aled with the becent of the pines all clean healthful odors with no bint of defiling city smoke olivers sure footed horse had turned into the narrow steep trail that led down the mountain side toward the eastern boundary of the reserve he had covered many miles since daylight that morning and he was growing very weary hla toot slid into a chipmunks hole he stumbled promptly sat down on bis haunches to save himself and so maneuvered that oliver was neatly catapulted over his head to fall heavily to the ground olivers last recollection was that his horse wandered down the trail alone then darkness blotted out everything oliver awoke in a cool sunshiny room with a sewing machine near the window A table beside his bed held various bottles and an electric stove on which something steamed A very modern and knowing looking french bulldog sat in a chair at the foot of the bed and regarded oliver with friendly bulbous eyes hello said oliver feebly Is this new york or heaven A joyful rumble came from the throat of the dog it was immediately drowned by a woman a sweet voice hush pedrol my name pedro protested oliver peevishly please tell me what happened A girl came within bla range of vision she was a sight for weary eyes young and fresh pink checked cheeked blue eyed golden haired lovely she wore a gown of soft pale blue material made in the latest mode and her glittering hair was plied on top of her head in her bands she carried a cup of bome teaming liquid please don t come any nearer begged oliver just stand there and let me look at you thanks I 1 hobble skirt and all its the loveliest coe tume ive seen since I 1 left new forkl and before I 1 left I 1 was a bitter enemy of the present fash lona absence truly makes the heart grow fonder the girl cast a startled glance at him and stepped to the door do hurry dad she whispered hes delirious im not protested oliver but I 1 ve been in the foredt tor six months wd I 1 thought I 1 d stepped into broad way nonsense laughed the girl with a note of relief in her voice you are within yards of the forest now here drink athla this proved to be a nauseous mess which oliver meekly drank while the girl slipped her arm under his pillow and lifted his head thank you be said as hla nurse stepped back some one entered the room it proved to be a tall elderly man of benign countenance dressed in flannel shirt with corduroy trousers tucked into woods mans boots delirious did you say nant be asked in a low tone I 1 thought BO at first dad said the girl now 1 m not sure he talks of bobble skirts and broadway the man laughed pleasantly it J 1 I don t wonder honey he mo to the elde ol 01 the bed and looked d at the young man feeling better n friendie friend be asked heartily you haa a nasty tumble thanks im feeling better cherr moment oliver tried to bit up and hla new acquaintance slipped another pillow under ats head please tell me went on the young forester how it happened that I 1 am indebted to your kindness well it s a short story balled the other bitting down on the adga ol 01 tha bed my name Is denson I 1 spend the summer months here with m daughter nan two hours ago horse wandered into the yard nan called me and together we went back along the trail and discovered you lying unconscious with a natty cut in your head we brought you here and that a all except that I 1 bound up your wound it may pala you tor a day or BO but after that you will have no trouble with it oliver suitably expressed hla bhanu tor the care he had received from the bennona Ben sona and then hla curiosity no longer within bounds he asked then how they had contrived this bit of chiv in the primitive forest john denson was professor of biology in a small western university he had built the camp as a secluded resting place during the summer months his children of whom there were several married and single took turns in staying with him and ahta being nans turn she had arrived that very morning oliver blessed his own good fortune and feeling better insisted upon get ting up and resuming his patrol the sun was drawing long reluctant ahad on the velvety lawn in front ot tho log cabin when he rode out of the yard sitting a little unsteadily in the saddle but strangely contented despite his painful wound the lonely aisles under the were peopled with girls charming girls golden haired blue eyed garla all identically like nan benson la fact they were all nan happened to you oliver asked daxon as they sat at supper that night beauty threw me and the tall dam aged my bead explained oliver who bad been unusually thoughtful during the meal you look more as it the fall bad damaged your heart retorted daxon ive heard you elgh five times before supper you were bumming thine eyes so blue and tender and lust now when I 1 asked you if there was any more butter in the pantry you murmured yes dear and let me tell you my boy I 1 don t permit such from any man no matter how young and good looking he may bel here daxon dodged under the table in order to escape the piece of cold corn bread which oliver had thrown at him and then oliver having gone to the door in order to cool his bum ing cheeks received another delight ful sensation there was a sound of hoofs on the forest road and there stepped into the moonlight two horses the ridera were professor benson and his daughter good evening mr penfield said the professor as oliver came forward to greet them nan and I 1 were wor ried about your wound and we rode over to inquire after it hope you are feeling better oliver assured them that he waa feeling better and having exchanged a few words with the father and daughter he walked along beside nans bridle rein until they reached a turn in the road which would bring the bensons near home oliver held nans little hand in bis own for a brief second then he stood hatless watching them until they disappeared down the winding trall he stood there motionless until long aft er they bad vanished from big sight suddenly he roused himself rubbed his ayea dazedly and slowly returned home here daxon having done UP the evening chores was reading the back number of a popular magazine he looked up ae his friend entered 1 I forgive you the corn bread oliver he said with mock berlon ness now that I 1 understand the mat ter understand what matter demanded oliver yawning sleepily happened to you I 1 what has happened to met repeated oliver why you re in love dont you know in lovet and not enow itt why that s the last thing I 1 expected would happen to me way out here muttered oliver as be stood in the doorway staring nto the moonlit forest and dreaming of the ehy look in nan beal sona eyes daxon smiled to himself and resumed his reading an hour later oliver turned around blinking at the lighted room 1 I s daxon have we any telegraph he asked abruptly daxon tossed the pad across the table and oliver scribbled a few alnea and cent the message to the nearest station early the next morning mrs west received the telegram that evening as she went down to d ner she read the yellow sheet alta flashing ayea it B happened to me at las signed oliver 1 I knew it would happen she carieo tragically beyond the fart heti reaches of civilization where on reasonably expect to find girl oliver has chosen to fall in io I 1 know I 1 shall detest herl but olivers sister coulden couldn t do anything of the ort after the w met nan wt by the mcclure N WP pr syndicate |