Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1908-02-13

man, get four feet on the ground and
don't roll your eyes. Take II easy TIL
| the chance comes"
! Little lie knew the chance was com
! ing up the street at that moment. Re
! only saw Miss Matte step out into tht
/ bed of flowers, her face looking IT,
usually pretty and youthful unGcs to
| big straw hat, and start TO reduce the
weeds 10 order. She glanced aroun
| as though in search of some one, an
Red felt intuitively that the one VA;
! himself.
Here's where ! ought to act as if
wore long pants,' said he. "Now,
what's TO hinder me from going ou'
there and get a-talking" And then
he sat down hastily, more Disguised
than ever. and smote the air with
his fist You'd think the incest, quiet.
est woman that ever lived was a wild
beast the way / act; yes sir. you
wouldr'
Meantime the chance drew nearer
II was not a pleasant looking oppor
tunity It's eyes, full of dread aui
dreadful. peeped out from beneath u
brush of matted hair. A tough, ropy
foam hung from it's mouth. II you
put as much of that foam as would
go on the point of a pin in an open
cut, you would have an end that your
worst enemy would shudder at. for
this was the most horrifying of dan.
gerous animals-a mad dog, Poor
brute. AS he came stumbling down
the road he was the grisly mask of
tragedy.
1t was near noon, intensely hot, ana
the street OF Fairfield was deserted.
No one saw the dog, and IL his occa-
sional rafting. strangling howl reach
ed any ears they were dead TO its
meaning. He was UNDECIDED until he
lurched through the gate which Let
tbs had left open, as usual, and, spin
ming around in a circle. gave voice TO
his cry.
1t brought Miss Matte to her feet
In an unknown terror; 1t brought Red
from the barn In full cognizance-
he had heard that sound before when
a mad coyote landed in a cabin full of
fairly strong nerved cowmen and set
them screeching like hysterical WON
en- before a chance shot ended him.
Red saw the brute jump toward
Miss Matte. Instinctively his hand
dew to his hip, and instantly he re-
mem bered there was nothing there
Then with great, uneven leaps he
sprang forward. Keep your hands
up. Matte, and don't movew he
screamed. LET him chew the dress,
For Gods sake, don't mover
She turned her white face toward
his. and through the dimness of sight
from his straining efforts, he saw her
try TO smile as she obeyed him to the
letter, and without a sound. "Oh,
brave girlr' he thought and threw the
ground behind him desperately.
At twenty feet distance he dove like
a base runner, and his hands closed
around the dogs neck. over they
went with the shock of the onset. and
before they We're still the hands had
finished their work. A clutch, and
snap, and it was done.
The dog lay quivering. Red rose to
his knees, wondering at the humming
in his head. His wits came back to
him sharply.
did he bite you, Natter he cried
But she had already caught his hands
and was looking at them with n saw
age eagerness one would not have be-
lieved to be In her.
"There Is no mark" she said, sud-
denly weak. HE didn't touch your"
Answer me when | speak to your
shouted Red, beside himself. Did he
bite you!"
She answered him, with sob, mo.
And then his question asked itself.
and answered itself, although, again,
he did not know 1t. He gathered her
up In his arms, kissed her like ore
raised from the dead and swore and
prayed and thanked God all in the
same breath.
His old imperious nature came back
with the relief. "Herew said he, put
ting her away for a moment. Take
on that dress--that slime on there's
enough to kill hundred men--take ii
right off,"
Miss Matte started blindly to obey
then stopped. Not here. Will-I'll 60
In the house." she said.
You'll take It off right here and
now" said Red, "and I'll burn it up
on the spot. I'd ruther have forty rat
tlesnakes around than that stuff. or
with 1t! This Is no child's play, and
! don't care d-n what the old lady
next door thinks"
Miss Matte slipped of her outer
skirt and stood second, confused and
dainty. She took flight to the house,
running as lithely as greyhound.
by jingo" said Red In admiration.
Lets see you bring another woman
that can run like thatv'
He gathered some hay and piled 1t |
on the dress, firing the heap.
Then he turned to his antagonist. |
poor old boy! Hard luck, Ell? But |
had to do It," he said and gave him de- |
cent interment at the end of the gar
den, washed his hands carefully and |
went into the house on pleasanter
duties.
"Tll ask her now. by the great horn
spoonr' said he valiantly.
Miss Matte was In a curious state
Of mind. There was an after effect |
from the fright which made her trem-
BILE. and a remembrance Of Cousin |
WINS actions which made her tremble
more yet. When she heard him COM
Ing she started to fy. although now
clothed beyond reproach- hut her knees