The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-04-09

wonder what makes the sea so smelly. /
don't like it."
ssYou never like anything that isn't made
Just for you" said Dick, bluntly. "Give
me the cartridges, and I'll try first shot.
How far does one of these little revolVers
carry?"
ooh. half a mile" said Maisie, promptly.
cat least it makes an awful noise. Be care
full with the cartridges; I don't like those
Jagged stick-up things on the rim. Dick, do
be careful"
Cali right know how to load. I'll fire
at the breal1water out there"
He fired, and Anomma ran away bleating.
The bullet threw up squirt of mud to the
right Of the weed-Wreathed piles.
Throws high and to the right You try,
Maisie. Mind, its loaded all round"
Maisie took the pistol and stepped deli
cately to the verge of the mud, her hand
firmly closed on the butt, her left eye and
mouth screwed up. Dick sat down on a
tuft of bank and laughed. Amomma re-
turned very cautiously. He was accustomed
to strange experiences in his afternoon
walks, and finding the cartridge box I'M
guarded, made Investigations with his nose.
Maisie fired, but could not see where the
bullet went
II think it hit the post, she said, shading
her eyes and looking out across the sailless
sea.
IT know it has gone out to the Merizion
Bell Buoy" said Dick with a chuckle. Fire
low, and to the left; then perhaps you'll get
it. Oh, look at Amomma! he's eating the
cartridges!"
Maisie turned the revolver in her hand
Just in time to see Amomma scampering
away from the pebbles Dick threw after
him. Nothing is sacred to a billy-goat Be
ing well fed and the adored of his mistress,
Amomma had naturally swallowed two
loaded pin-fre cartridges. Maisie hurried
up to assure herself that Dick had not mis-
counted the tale.
eyes, he's eaten two"
"HOrrid little beast! Then they'll joggle
about inside him and blow up, and serve
him right x Oh, Dick have / killed
you?"
Revolvers are tricky things for young
hands to deal with. Maisie could not ex-
plain how it had happened, but veil Of
reeking smoke separated her from Dick,
and she was quite certain that the pistol
had gone off in his face. Then she heard
him sputter, and dropped on her knees be-
side him, crying, 'Dick, you aren't hurt,
are you? didn't mean it.
"Of course you didn't, said Dick, emerg-
ing from the smoke and wiping his cheek.
ABut you nearly blinded me- That powder
stuff stings awfully." A neat little splash
Of gray lead On stone showed where the
bullet had gone. Maisie began to whimp6T
Don't, said Dick, jumping to his feet
and shaking himself. ''Im not bit hurt"
mo, but might have killed you," pro-
tested Maisie, the corners of her mouth
dropping ''What should have done then?"
"Gone home and told Mrs. Jennett," Dick
grinned at the thought; then softening,
''Please don't worry about it. Besides, we
are wasting time. We've got to get back
to tea, I'll take the revolver a bit"
Maisie would have wept on the least en-
enlargement, but Dicks Indifference, al
belt his hand was shaking as he picked up
the pistol, restrained her. She lay painting
on the beach while Dick methodically bonn
barded the breakwater. Got it at last!'
he exclaimed, as lock of weed flew from
the wood.
LET me try" said Maisie, imperiously.
s'I'm all right now" They fred IN turns
till the rickety little revolver nearly shook
itself to pieces, and Amomma the outcast-
because he might blow up at any moment
browsed in the background and wondered
why stones were thrown at him. Then they
found balk of timber floating in pool
which was commanded by the seaward
slope Of Fort Keeling, and they sat down
together before this new target.
'sNext holidays" said Dick, as the now
thoroughly fouled revolver kicked wildly
in his hand, we'll get another pistol-cen-
trail fire, that will carry further"
'There won't be any next holidays for me-"
said Maisie. "rm going away"
seWhere to?"
''I don't know. My lawyers have written
to Mrs. Jennett, and I've got to be educated
somewhere-in France, perhaps don't
know where; but I shall be glad to go
away"
81 shan't like it a bit I suppose I shall be
left. Look here, Maisie, is it really true
you're going? Then these holidays will be
the last I shall see anything of yOu and go
back to school next week. I wish"
The young blood turned his cheeks scarlet.
Maisie was picking grass tufts and throw
ing them down the slope at a yellow sea
poppy nodding all by itself to the illimitable
levels of mud fats and the milk-white sea
beyond.
q wish, she said, after a pause, ''that I
could see you again some time. You wish
that too!"
eyes, but it would have been better Tiff
you had-shot straight over there-down
by the breakwater."
Maisie looked with large eyes for a mo-
ment. And this was the boy who only ten
DAYS before had decorated Amomma's horns
with cut-paper frills and turned him out, a
bearded derision, among the public ways!
Then she dropped her eyes; this was not the
boy.
Don't be stupid" she said reprovingly,
and with swift instinct attacked the side
issue How selfish you are! Just think
what should have felt if that hor1id thing
had killed you! I'm quite miserable enough
already"
why? Because you're going away from
Mrs. Jennett?"
mo