Show lost on the 1 1 1 I 1 trail by H LOUIS copyright ADGE sat on a fallen log trying i M to recall just exactly what you yon were supposed todo to do when lost la in the woods all she bad baa remembered so far was that one should sit down where and collect ones thoughts and this she had bad done picking out a as comfortable for table a 4 seat as possible la 1 the tangle of juniper raspberry b bushes ferns ferni and what not that matted this particular section of the lone trail mountains southern slope madge was not quite sure about that and was the trouble it if it was the southern slope elope it must face the lake and sooner or later if she kept on going down she would reach the shore and by follow ing the shore she was bound to reach the hotel she had bad wandered olt off into the woods to make mind regarding a tall su sun n browned young me man a n whom she hall seen but three it times s once on tile veranda lu ILI conver bation once in the little sur summer niner post ollice where the elderly postmistress had introduced ailein and tile the thaid time on that memorable morable ine occasion when lie hid had happened along in a canoe in shadowy bay where she had been reading and if where liere for an hour they hall had sat talking their canoes ode by side it wai iraq jl useless seless to deny that there was some subtle attraction for her lu in the young bolest ranger it lind had been distinctly a pleasure to learn that ills hia birth and edi education cation had been as unimpeachable as her own orn and considerably better than those of the elie millionaire lio lion alre slip was contemplating marry irs ing I 1 but now that she was lost Slie hal had something else to do than to toy with willi the possibility of 0 counting wealth well lost for love she must endeavor to find her way before darkness settled she would not be missed at tile hotel until that time and even then nobody would b be q able to tell in which h direction she had strayed Q she looked up op through the trees toward the peak of the mountain it she could only climb a little higher and get a view through the trees or of the lake she would have some idea will which I 1 eh way to work by continuing to descend she might find herself in some terrible ravine quite on theother side she rose and started to ascend carefully breaking twigs here and there in what she considered approved woodcraft fashion suddenly she stopped short and drew in a quick little breath smoke the acrid tang of burning wood just a whiff that vanished all at 0 once nee and did not return but it was enough to alarm her immeasurably and instinctively she plunged on the more frantically upward as it the bare knoll could offer protection from that red plague of the woods A break jn the wall of foliage ahead told her she was already nearing her goal A dozen more steps step half a dozen she shrank back into the depths of the woods again her hand band at her throat on the nearer side of the knoll a man bent over a fire it bad been the smoke of that fire which she had bad smelled and the man who was evidently cooking ills his supper was jack marbury carbury he spoke without turning around dont turn back bach miss madge I 1 happened to see you on the trail and came on ahead to get a little supper ready for you madge her lovely face swept i with blushes stepped forba forward rd slowly how how could you possibly have seen reen me I 1 was lost miles from the trall trail not all the time I 1 hesitated about letting you know I 1 was near but some thins thing told me you were trying to deac reach this spot spot and it seemed better somehow to wait until you came out in the opening before speaking to you happened to have my emergency rations with me and well it you think you can manage a meal on six strips of bacon and a mu mug of coffee well have a little spread I 1 madge curled up on the rock above him slie she had been rl right ht about the view there below far down lay the clear waters of the lake its scattered island ringed with the green ot of surrounding round hig shallows beyond stretched a jumbled mass of peaks 4 youre probably wondering how bow I 1 happened to bo be over this way continued the man la in a matter of fact manner eiAs As it chin chanced ced I 1 was on my way to see you you have a right to know I 1 guess that I 1 love you as I 1 could love no other woman yes I 1 think you have a right even if you only want to reject my love and anyhow ary how I 1 just had to tell yowl you madge lifted her gray eyes to the alaks sett aks alq abase heki her gl swept the lie 9 glorious panorama pa nornma or f fore and lake and distant hills oh she said halt half breathlessly A sudden sodden conception of the choice that was ivas being offered her swept over her A five eve course dinner in the note hotel below for the rest of her life in ahe he company of a middle aged gentleman of portly build or bacon and coffee on the top of the world with jack what girl of any sense would think of best madge slie held out both hands bands to the man looking at her so wistfully oh she said found so much more than my way this afternoon on lone trail mountain |