Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-12-17

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"There!" Billy said. and fell back
thai Burton might look. He has a
pedigree as long as your arm. all his
points are perfect, and he's for sale.
It's the chance of a lifetime"
"Oh. you beauty" Marcia cried. Her
indifference was gone, her eyes spar
killed.. You beauty"
But Burton was not enthusiastic.
There was something repellant in the
self-con1dence Of that short
nosed dog. 1t was bad enough to have
friend who looked down on you, and
a valet who condescended to you, but
to be burdened with a dog whose pedt-
be unbearable."
He tried to bluff it out. "Oh. I don't
know" he said, I'm afraid l
shouldn't want him In my rooms"
Il should want him anywhere"
Marcia told him. He's a ducky dog.
Mr.. Burton. You would love him in
a week"
But Burton knew he wouldn't love
him. He knew hat the SNUG little
dog would keep him at a distance, and
he would be out in the cold as he had
always been with Billy's friends. and
even with Billy.
"Oh. l don't know" he hesitated
again.
Marcia leaned over and took the
dogs black muzzle in her gloved
hand.
"Old fellow" she said softly, and
looked deep into his eyes. and his tail
began to wag slowly. and his lips
wrinkled back from his teeth in a
grin Of happiness.
AS they stood there together, the
girl and the dog. Buron felt that they
were two of a kind, in that back of
them both was prideful ancestry, and
in both of them ran patrician blood.
He was seized with an inspiration.
Let me get him for you, Miss Mar
cia," he said, "he won't look at me
after seeing YOU
"Oh, no." Marcia refused quickly;
but her mother interposed: 1T is very
kind of Mr.. Burton, dear, and we can
take him down to Wellsboro with us
next week"
The brightness had all died out Of
Marcia's face, and her p~erfunctory
thanks chilled the little fires of Bur
tons hopes.
But for every naughty withdrawal
of her daughter, Mrs. Wells always
made compensating advances, and
now, as the tag made him the proper
ty Of Miss Marcia Wells, of Wellsboro,
was tied about the neck Of the Snug
little dog, Burton's dropping spirits
were revived by the mothers tactful:
You have done so much for Marcia.
You mustn't mind II she Is a bit over
powered"
"Now, she shouldn't feel that way"
little Burton protested. Il like to do
things for her. Mrs. Wells. She is a
beautiful girl And Mrs. Wells said:
I'VE think So"
And then Burton bore them off radi-
antly to lunch and they ate in a great
golden-lighted dining room, and Bur
ton ordered the grape fruit and the
lobster Newburg and the chiffonate
salad and the dainty wines, and tried
to enter into the gossip of the elect.
But Billy and Marcia talked only to
each other; Marcia, composed out
wardly, but glowing with some inner
fire that lighted her eyes and tinged
her cheeks with pink; Billy, express
ing by every %intonation of his lowered
voice his alteration.
And in the face of their preoccupa-
ton, Burton grew more and more de-
spondent as the courses progressed,
until Mrs. Wells made a remark that
sen the blood singing to his heart:
I'VE want you to come to Wellsboro
for Christmas week. Marcia and l..
Billy will be there, and a lot Of young
people, and we expect to have some
good times"
Burton's effervescence following the
invitation was a thing hat made Billy
stare.
I'VE will see you soon," the little
man said, as late that afternoon he
put them down at their own door.
And I hope when l get to Wellsboro
you will have a welcome for me-"
Indeed we SHALL said Marcia's
mother, but 1t was at Marcia that Bur-
ton looked. And Marcia's eyes were
on Billy-the tender eyes of a loving
m And in that moment the little
fires of hope in Burton's bosom died
out forever.
Billy" he said slowly, as they
chugged away through the falling
snow-"Billy, it will be a lucky man
that gets Marcia Wells"
oh, shut up" Billy growled.
Burton stared at him. What's the
matter?"
Well, don't I know the fellow will
iucky?" Billy stormed. But that
doesn't make it any easier for me-.
"But-she loves YOU steadily.
Billy turned on him. What differ
ence does that make?" he flung out
bitterly. II adore her, and She
cares. But l can't marry her"
Why not?"
I'VE are both dead poor Billy said.
"Wellsboro is mortgaged up to the
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