The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-08
THE EVENING STORY
Following Blgger,s Example.
by James Reilly.)


Temple slipped off his coat and threw
| 1t beside the camera case with a"Watch
| it, to the white bulldog that sat grave
| ly at the foot of the tree.
| Bigger exhibited his teeth in a smile
| intended to be pleasant and stretched
himself out beside the case on the soft
| mat of pine needles. The walk to the
| fails had not tired him, but he was
Wen content to lie on the fragrant car
pet and doze and dream of cats on
FENCES that were always low enough to
Drlng the feline prey within his reach
and of succession of canine battles in
winch he was always the victor. AT
neart Bigger was a child OF peace. It
was only in his dreams that his visions
| were tinged with blood.
Here and there through the woods a
locust shrilled and the air was vibrant
with the song birds and the soft hum
OF insect life. Dick Temple had picked
out clump of pines in which to make
his camp. and through the leafy aisles
Bigger could command a view of the
deeper woods beyond and the little river
that wound its way through the forest,
marking, with a tint of more vivid green
the underground along its banks.
Down the wind came the faint roar
of falling waters where the stream
plunged forty feet over the black stones,
to dance in very Joy at the foot of the
falls before taking up Its course to the
river beyond.
Temple had long ago exhausted the
Photographic possibilities of the falls
and departed in the direction of down
stream, but the footballs that reused
Bigger from a dream of conquest came
from the other way, and Bigger looked
up just as the sunlight glinted upon the
golden hair and the scarlet coat of
slender girl who, under other circum-
stances, would have excited Bigger's
entire approval.
From the crown Of the golden head to
the tip of the dainty russell shoe. she
was patrician; one of Bigger's very
own sort. If there were bench shows Tor
humans surely she must be possessed of
as many blue ribbons as there were in
mis- own particular cabinet at home.
This being the case it seemed strange
to Bigger that she should share, in COM
mon with the trampish characters a de-
Sire for his masters property, and he
emitted a low growI of polite warning.
The girl came steadily forward un-
til she was almost within reach OF
those powerful jaws, then she paused.
you are a very bad dog, she
scolded gently. ''It is very dear of you
to keep guard over those things, but,
don't you know, they are not yours to
guard"
Bigger made vigorous dissent to this
sentiment but the girl went on.
"You see,'' she explained, "Reggy
wants those extra plates before the
light gets away. L am afraid you are
not going to let me have them
She moved easily toward the case,
talking in the same steady voice, and
her hand was already upon the hold
ers when Bigger's teeth set firmly in
her skirt.
Had it been a tramp Bigger would
have sprung at his throat, but he
knew that there was some mistake
and he sought only to hold the girl
until his master should have come up
to accept her explanations. The girl
regarded him hopelessly.
you're a bad, wicked dog" she
scolded, "to make SO much trouble.
When. Reg comes I shall have him
whip you, and he will come. He is too
anxious to wait long for me. Please
let me co.
She made a movement to disengage
herself, but Bigger growled again, and
this time there was a deeper note that
warned her that resistance would be
back upon the springy.
odorous carpet Of nature and settled
herself more comfortab bly,.
II shall have to wait for Reggie"
she said. land he'll be really angry at
you II you spoil his chance of getting
that view. He's going back to town
tomorrow and he will not have an
other opportunity"
Bigger preserved a discreet silence.
He was too gallant to argue a point
with a woman. AS long as she re-
manned quiet he had nothing to say.
For half an hour she sat there in ST.
lence broken only by the chatter of
the squirrels and the hum of the sum-
ing sound in the underbrush and Big
ger picked up his ears while the girl
aroused herself to listen.
Here I am, Reggie she called.
there's horrid dog here and he won't
let mo CO."
A loud, clear whistle sounded, but
Bigger only growled a protest against
obedience and chung to his captive. A
moment later Temple burst through
the alders that fringed the stream.
The girls face turned crimson.
''If this is your dog" she said with
will you kindly call him off.
He has kept me a prisoner here for al
most an hour and my brother is wait
ing for these plates"
POSSIBLY the dog appreciates the
fact that I should need them myself"
he said with a laugh and a sign to
Bigger, who released his prisoner and
stalked across the Temple. you see,"
he went on. "they happen to be my
plates
He knelt on the ground to shift the
used holders to compartment of the
case and change the new ones to a
across his shoulders. The
girl stared at him in establishment,
and he, guessing her thoughts, looked
up.
Permit me to introduce myself"
he said, holding up the case. She read
the name Orchard Temple on the
silver plate and blushed in confusion.
MY brother, Mr.. Storms, has the
same kind OF a case" she explained.
HE sent me for more plates and 1
thought that these were his and that
the dog had strayed.''
STORMS :" he said Ynus1ngly. "You
must be Miss Mildred Storms, who is
stopping over at the Beechman farm"
The girl nodded and Temple smiled.
IT think can solve the mystery" he
said. You took the wrong road from
the falls. Had you turned to the left
instead of to the right you would have
come to a very similar clrrnr Of r,inas