Show j f A pursuit in uie the wilderness by H LOUIS 0 1 Copy copyright richt T to alee alec dallard that never had bad he seen io so ancient a forest as this one in the depths of new brunswick Brunsw lck such giant troa such hoary cloary dra draperies s of duoss suspended efrom om thear gaunt limbs uch ouch an atmosphere phere of desolate remoteness he had come to new brunswick Brunsw lck because he was wag afraid that if lid he went to malile maine n lie he might inadi inadvertently run upon all alice ce efte rogers r s nt lit some of their old ha haunts ants an end d it atwould would be tough having r to be friendly with some one you had bad expected to marry up until the moment you found she was engaged to somebody else and considering that his family and ahles had been going to mine together for years the possibility of n meeting aas ft ns not ly to bo be ridiculous alece ali alice C e alice ile he said them the dear name lame over softly to himself as he sa sal there how flow suddenly ull his dreams had find collapsed like a pack of c cards ards nan at a breath when alice had find admitted nil cited tier her betrothal to bruce forties Forbe 4 the very next morning he had packed up and left home divulging his hii destination ti nation tp ho fio one but his mother lind and enjoining tier her to io reveal it to io no in crA shouldering his pack alee alec rose to retrace his way to the tributary of the which lie he had followed in already lie he had find penetrated ns as far into tile th wi wilderness id erness as he cared to and while he had not exactly burled buried his love lov for tile the faithless girl there lie he thid brought himself during tile the solitary weeks into something like illie resignation suddenly he stopped short and lifted his chin quickly sniffing the air kerWell IT ivell if jt it were lire fire he grim ly ahle hl goose was probably cooked the little little pond pd he had just left could b be e easily bridged by any one of tho those se huge trees jall an fn hig ng aflame afla me then he spied a telltale tell tale wisp ol of smoke winding among the trunks alfend and recognized it for what it was some woods mans alre hurrying forward he burst out into a tiny liny clearing and then fell buck back in thun thunderstruck derst ruck amazement as one by one he took in the thel group gathered over their meal doug roges rogers mrs aar rogers a guide 6 and allce alice for an instant Ine ns tant he was terribly angry did alje they y think thinh this was maine did they think they could pursue him film against his will did they think they the owned the earth then tile the absurdity 0 of f such an emotion struck him it was ivas m of strange prid and inexplicable perhaps perlina allce actuated by the same fears fear s of a meeting as himself had persuaded the others othere tolore to forego maine and try this new vacation country ue he found himself slinking shaking hands I 1 with them all comparing notes us to the routes they lidd each followed commenting on the fishing as tried in various streams he did not ask for bruce F forbes although curio curious us ns as to his whereabouts our main camp Is over on the eap exp explained bained alle alice e whose eyes had avoided d tits his even when she directly addressed him this Is just one of the side trips we have been making in fact were headed back now nov the others othere looked at her I 1 quickly and it did not take much keenest on alecs part to comprehend that abit gome thing lied had happened recently to upset a previously bously arang arranged id schedule when they started alee alec realized at once that he fia wa was being maneuvered to the rear and that alice was going to companion him whit what was was a if it all about hel he wondered had bruce thrown her down had she found that she had bad made a mi mistake but it because she had preferred bruce to him that bad ro hurt alee alec it was because up tip until the very last night every took look every smile every avery word had deemo to io convey affection for him film and for him alone if ever a girl had bad led a man 0 on n to thinking that she cared for him that girl had been alice rogers and now he found himself at her fier side with the others far enough ahead ad to be out ut of earshot 1 daresay she began with a quick sidelong glance yon are wondering about bruce For forbess Forbe besl sr more lakel likely said alee alec stiffly bruce forbes Is ie wondering about you 1 I dont tont so EO said allce alice with a funny litle grin then she plunged oh heavens heaven sl 1 I 1 dont know why I 1 should mind humbling myself to you otter after all ive done already in th the tiu hu mil initiation lation linel going to your and begging her alm list on an my be bended nc led knees to tell roe me where you were Tp asIng my father into helping his til proud d daughter chare a abah man welt here bere goes I 1 I 1 he have ve lovea you ever elece we were ere children alee alec it seemed see in ed as asif if you were never going to let me know whether hot her or not you cored cared for me I 1 thought you did but I 1 sure r Fl finally nallY or on that memorable i night I 1 was convinced you were about t to propose pro posie y you an and I 1 had a mal momentary centary brainstorm which cost me dear it occurred to me that jealousy might accomplish my purpose I 1 mentioned bruce you jumped to ib the conclusion k I 1 was engaged to him lafin and left me abruptly T next morning you were gone alee alec looked nt her aghast had lie he himself actually been such 10 1 0 sure of a hasty blundering fool oh my dear deaf I 1 was nil all lie he could ila ray T humbly oh ny my dearl dear I 1 but it served |