The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1904-06-01

very much
"Dcarlyl' I said, persuading myself
OF II sudden affection for the cranky
little brute.
She sprang upon her pinto III set off
down the trail. The pony was now
courslng up and down the slopes,
doubling like IL hare, instinCtivcly
avoiding the canyon, where he would
be cornered. lie was mad with terror ut
the huge bpltes that were silently but
with awful and sure swiftncss running
hin down.
The girl OH the pinto whistlcd shrilly
and called to her dog: "Down. Wolf!
Back, Loo!' But, running low, with
long, stretched bodies, they needed not,
but sped on, ever gaining upon the
| pony that now circled toward the pinto.
| AS they drew near i'm their circling, the
girl urged her pinto to meet them,
%loosening her lariat rs she went. AS
the pony nearcd the pinto he slackened
his speed; Immediately the nearer dog
gathered herself in WE short jumps
and sprnng for the pony's throat. But,
even as she sprang, the lariat whirled
ound the girls head and fell swift
and sure about the dogs neck, and next
moment she lay choking upon tho
prairie. Her mate paused, looked
back md gave up the chase. But dire
vengeance overlook them, for, like one
possessed, the girl fell upon them with
her Qulrt und beat them one after the
other till, i'm pity for the brutes, L in
terposed.
"They shall do as l say or l shall
kill them! i shall kill them" she cried,
raging and stamping.
"Better shoot Them" L suggested,
pulling out my pistol.
Immediately she flung herself upon
the one that mouned and whined at
her feet. crying:
"If you dare! If you dare!' Then
she burst into passionate sobbing.
"You bud Loo! You bad, dear old Loo!
But YOU were bad-you know you were
bad!' And SO she went on, with her
arms about Loo's neck till Loo, whin-
Ing and Qulvcring with love and de-
light, threatened to go quite mad, md
Wolf, standing maJcstically near broke
into short howls Of impaticnce for his
turn of carcssIng. They made u strange
group, those three wild things, equally
fierce and passionate In hate and in
love.
Suddenly the girl remembered me,
and standing up she said, half
ashamed:
"They always obey me. They are
mine, but they kill any strange thing
that omc In through the gate. They
are allowed to-"
ut Is Il pleasant whim."
"What?"
IL mean, isn't that dangerous to
strangcrsT'
"Oh, no m ever alone ex-
cept the Duke. And they keep off the
wolves"
1.-THE Duke comes, does hci"
"Ycs!' and her eyes lit up. "He IS
my friend. He calls me his princess
and he teaches me to talk and tells
me storics-oh, such wonderful stories!'
| looked In wonder ut her face, so
gentle. so girlish, IL tried to think
back 10 the picture Of the girl who q
few moments before had so coolly
threatened to shoot me and had SO
fur!ously beaten her dogs.
kept her talking of the Duke rs we
walked back to the gate, watching her
4 face the while. 1t was not beautiful;
1t was too thin and the mouth was too
large. Rut the teeth were good and the
eyes, blu black with gray rims, looked
straight at %you-truc eyes and brave,
whether In love or In war. Her hair
was her glory. Rcd 1t was, in spite OF
HIS denial, but Of uch marvellous, in
describaDlc shade that in certain lights,
as she rode over the prairie, 1t Strcamed
behind her like n purple banner-a
most confusing and bcwildering color,
but quite in keeping with the nature
Of the owner.
She gave her pinto to Joe and, stand
Ing ut the door, welcomed me with a
dignity and ~graciousncss that made me
think that the Duke was not far wrong
when he named her princess"
The door opened upon the main or
living room. 1t was a long apartment,
with low ceiling and walls of hcwn
logs linked and plastered and all
beautifully whitewashed md clean.
The tables, chairs and benches wcrc all
homemade. On the floor wero mag
nificent skins of wolf, bear. musk OK
and mountain goat, Tho walls were
decorated with heads and horns OF
deer and mountain sheep, eagles wings
and n beautiful breast of q loon, which
Gwen had shot and OF which she was
very proud. AT one end of the room
a huge stone fireplace stood radiant in
Its summer decoration Of ferns and
grasses and wild flowers. AT the other
end q door opened into another room,
smaller and richly furnished with
relics Of former grandeur.
Everything was clean and well kept.
Every nook, shelf and corner was
decked with flowers and ferns from
h canyon.
a strange house 1t was, full of curl.
Gus contrasts, but 1t fitted this quaint
child that welcomed me with such
gracious courtesy.