The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1907-08-28
Following Bigger's
Example.
BY JAMES REILLY.
Copyrighted. 1907, by Mary McKeon,

/
it beside the camera case, with
''Watch TT to the white bulldog that
sat gravely 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
falls had not tired him, but he was
well content to lie on the fragrant car
pet and doZe and dream of cats on
fences that were always low enough
to bring the feline prey within his
reach and Of succession Of canine
battles in which he was always the vic
| tor. At heart Bigger was child Of
peace. 1t was only in his dreams that
his visions were tinged with blood.
| Here and there through the woods
locust shrilled and the air was vibrant
with the song of 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 it's way
through the forest, marking with 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 it's 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 a
slender girl who under other circum-
stances would have excited Bigger's
entire approval
to the tip of the dainty russell shoe
| she was patrician, one Of Bigger's
very own sort. If there were bench
shows for humans, surely she must be
possessed of as many blue ribbons as
| there were in his own particular cab
| met at home.
This being the case, it seemed strange
to Bigger that she should share in
common with the trampish characters a
desire for his masters property, and
he emitted a low growl of polite warn
ing.
The girl came steadily forward until
| she was almost within reach of those
powerful jaws; then she paused.
"You are very bad dog" she scold-
ed gently. "It is very dear Of you to
keep guard over those things, but don't
you know they are not yours to
guardw
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. 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 holders
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, ito make so much trouble.
When Reg comes l 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 deeper note that
warned her that resistance would be
met with greater force. She sank help
lessly back upon the springy, odorous
carpet Of nature and settled herself
more comfortably.
''I shall have to wait for Reggie"
she said, "and he'll be really angry at
you If you spoil his chance Of getting
that view. He's going back to town
tomorrow, and he will not have another
opportunity"
Bigger preserved discreet silence.
He was too gallant to argue point
with woman. AS long as she remain
ed quiet he had nothing to say. For
half an hour she sat there in silence
broken only by the chatter Of the squir-
rels and the hum of the summer noises;
then there was a crashing sound in the
underbrush, and Bigger pricked up his
ears, while the girl reused herself to
listen.
"Here / am, Reggiey' she called.
''Under the pines by your camera!
There's horrid dog here, and he won't
let me CO."
A loud, clear whistle sounded, but
Bigger only growled 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
dignity, twill you kindly call him off?
He has kept me prisoner here for al
most an hour. and my brother Is wait
ing for these plates"
Possibly the dog appreciates the fact
that should need them myself" he
said, with a laugh and sign to Big
ger, who released his prisoner and
stalked with dignity across to Tenn
pie. "You see," he went on, "they hap
pen to be my Plates"
He knelt on the ground to shift the
used holders to a compartment of the
case and change the new ones to q
sling carrier across his shoulders. The
girl stared at him in establishment, ana
he, guessing her thoughts, looked up.
Permit me to introduce myself" he
said, holding up the case She read the
name Richard Temple" on the silver
plate and blushed in confusion.
my brother, Mr.. Storms, has the
same sort Of case" she explained. "He
sent me for more plates, and l thought
that these were his and that the dog
had strayed."
"Storms7" he said musingly. "You
must be Miss Mildred Storms, who Is
aAn rrar,r. l.ror nA Al,o Doool,.,.o., e.. nsa