The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-01-15

WItn0l quite ouD6tantlnl looking. he
came up through the barn yard to q
gate opening into the house yard, and
as he was feeling thirsty, concluded he
would go inside the yard to an old
fashioned we'll which he saw there and
get q drink. AS he opened the gate, a
low, mufiled growl greeted his ear, and
an immense, tigerish-looking dog rose
up not more than twenty feet away.
He hesitated moment; then he saw a
young lady standing near the house
looking toward him. Thinking that.
he started in, when she cried out, ex-
| citedly:
Don't come ini He will tear You to
pieces!'
Instantly he sprang back through
the gate, and none too soon, for at the
same instant the immense mastitf made
lunge, and did not miss his coat tail
more than four inches.
"Don't attempt to come in again,
called the girl. Il could not possibly
keep him off. He won't mind me-
"Don't be alarmed" said Smith,
grimly. Il am not coming in. There is
not the least intention on my part OF
feeding myself to dog
The girl stood where she was, making
no further reply, and evidently en-
barrassed. Smith thought she acted
somewhat queer, but he determined to
get drink, if possible, so he said /:
"Since Imay not come in. will you be
so kind, lady, as to bring me drink Of
water?"
Without replying by word she took
up tin dipper hanging by the side of
the well-curb, and brought him it,
filled with water. When she came
close, he recognized her as the young
girl he had seen on the road with the
! Swamp Angel. He was too astonished
at first to take the dipper, but stood
staring into the prettiest eyes he had
dropped, and she blushed wildly; then
he came to his senses, and saying, or
rather stammering. Il beg your par
don, lady," he took the dipper. Just
Mt that moment the form of the Swamp
Angel appeared in the doorway, and
she said, roughly, "Ray Scranton, l
want you" The girl, thus addressed.
flushed still more painfully and STAN
mered: I'll have to CO." Smith
emptied the dipper at one gulp, almost
choking himself in his hurry. Then
she hastily took the dipper from his
hands, and in their mutual trepidation
their hands met, and at his touch her
bushes came anew, and the next IN
slant she disappeared in the house. He
saw that, in addition to her sweet face,
she had beautiful form, pretty hand.
and melodious voice. He slowly
turned to walk away, being greeted by
farewell snarl from the ferocious dog,
which had oil this time been restlessly
pacing up and down the yard. He
seemed now to have strong desire to
come outside and continue, or rather
complete the interview. "Come out
here, you old murderer, and I'll lay you
out in short ORDER" muttered Smith,
with his hand on the handle of thirty
eight caliber revolver which protruded
from his hip-pocket. He walked along
some distance before he made any
further remarks. Then he stopped
and delivered an Grafton to himself.
which consisted of words more forcible
than elegant. He was thoroughly in
terested now, and he determined to
know more of the girl Ray Scranton.
How to go about it was the question.
On arriving at his uncle's, he told of
the episode, and, in consequence, was
made the subject of good deal of rail-
lery from his fun-loving relations. He
made further inquiries about the
Swamp Angel. His uncle said that her
Ill 4l.&
on the death of the former
owner of the land-a peculiar old
bachelor-she came on as the benefci-
airy of his will, all his property being
willed TO her. She had been there ten
years now, and had from the first lived
a very secluded life, spending but little
money, though she had quite respect
able income from the rental of her farm.
The girl, Ray Scranton, she had
brought out with her, she being quite
a small girl then, and claimed she was
her niece. She never allowed her to
form acquaintance at all. A few of
the neighbor women had on the start
called on her, but one call, with the ex-
cessive cool treatment they received,
was enough, and they never repeated
the civility. They were from the vii
lage of Gienville, New York, and none
of their friends or relatives, to his knowl-
edge, had ever been out to see them. Il
will find out more about them" said
Smith, 'see if don't. am interested
in that girl" After weeks thought,
he decided to disguise himself, call as
an insurance agent, and try to insure
her house. The main trouble would be
to gain admission and escape the dog.
"That internal dog had better not fool
with me-" he muttered. A few days
afterward o gentleman looking totally
unlike Harry Smith, and one looking
entirely different from Jarvis Smith,
drove up to the Swamp Angels front
gate (the house, by the way, was a half
mile off the road, and several gates had
to be opened to got to it,. The dog
made himself heard as soon as they
drove mp, and they wisely kept on their
own side of the fence. Then Smith
called Justify, and soon the door open
ed, and out marched the Angel. "What
is wanted, gentlemen" she inquired,
CURLY. They told her they wanted to
insure her house, "and,' added Smith
| ingeniously, IAN examination Of the
| buiIdtnO will l,a nacasaarv