Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-12-02
1.-THE vicious beast!" gasped Miss

1.-THE vicious beast!" gasped Miss
Jane Smlthson, as soon as she was free
to survey her torn, disheveled gar
ments. II have said time and again
that I would not have him around"
Then, turning to the old crippled VEN
der who was looking dazed and Won
dering, she said: "I'll gladly pay you
If you will take that despicable little
animal where I shall never see him
again."
Lura stood palsied and speechless'
AS in hideous dream. she silently
watched her one dear companion being
taken from her. Suddenly she gath
cred courage, clinched her small fists
and cried out:
"How dare you! How dare you! My
daddy gave Beautiful to me! Oh, l
hate you, hate you!"
THAT will do, my lady," Miss Smith
son replied, tartly. Back you go IN
to the cellar; am unaware Of having
yet given you permission to come
out"
The door fell to with bang, Luras
brown curls barely escaping. A few
hot tears of anger came, then Lura
rushed to the cellar window. the one
through which, but a short
time ago, she had welcomed
her dear Beautiful. She had
now but one thought and ambition-to
escape and to rescue the plucky little
defender of her rights and privileges.
It was hard work pulling off the rough
boards and the poor fingers Lied more
than once before the task was finished
She heaped up the old carpets, and
breaking through a curtain of spider
webs, scrambled out.
With flushed cheeks and flying curls
she ran across the lawn and down the
street to the shore. Miss Snlithson's
Select School graced little village on
| Long Island Sound. Her anxious eyes
hastily and eagerly scanned the groups
of small fishing craft that dotted the
calm waters Of this picturesque arm CT
the great Atlantic.
At last! She saw them! There
they were, the old, bent lobster-man
pulling at his oars, and Beautiful-her
own dear Beautiful-sitting up as big
as you please on the seat of the stern
as digniied as the captain of an
ocean liner.
Beautifully" she cried. "Beauti-
full"
But it was no use; they were too far
away.
Now if Lura had been like most girls
of 13 or Whereabouts she would have
gathered up a corner of her pinafore
and cried it soaking wet, but you see
that wasn't her way. Reverses Gre
ated energy, not despair, with her. 1t
was scarcely moment before her small
feet were swiftly carrying her down
the long stretch of sand to the boat
house. Then she jumped into a dory,
slipped the oars in the locks, and be-
fore you could say "Jack Robinson"
she was in hurried, breathless pursuit
of her dear Beautiful.
Like the majority of children brought
up in towns close to the ocean, Lura
knew how to handle boat. Now and
then she adroitly rounded the bow of
an anchored vessel or sped past fish
erman who, with his long rake, was
busily digging oysters from out their
sandy ocean bed. She had never in all
her life rowed so hard before, and she
did not cease her strongest efforts for
what seemed hours to her. Her heart
gave a great bound when, after awhile,
she discovered that she had not only
gained in the race, but that the lobster
man had stopped to rest. How she
worked, lighting the waves that were
now running briskly and splashing in
white foam against the sides of the
dory. She braced her feet more firm
ly and pulled with all her might and
main. Then-oh, gladness-she heard
sound that brought thrill of joy to
her heart and caused big lump to
bounce up into her throat. 1t was
Beautiful He had seen and recognized
her and was barking his happiness
across the water.
There was a splash. Was it posi-