The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-02-19
CHAPTER III.
rhe Madnsss of Mueh Klsslns.

The Madness of Much RisSing. "THAT was a very noble thing of
 you" Miss Grace Sheraton
 was saying to me as we
 A passed among the big trees Of the Sheraton apple orchard Her eyes were rather soft. and a slight color lay upon her cheeks. whose ivory hue was rarely heightened in this way.
 ''I am in ignorance, Miss Grace" l Naid to her.
 "Fie! You know v@y well what mean-abOut yesterday"
 "Oh. that!"' said I and went rather red of the face. for I thought she meant my salutation at the gate.
 She. redder now than myself. needed no explanation as to what 1 meant. ''No. not that" she began hastily ''That was not noble. but vile of you: I mean at the tavern. where you took my part"
 So then I saw that word in some way had come to her Of the little brawl be- tween Harry Singleton and myself.
 ITO protect an absent woman is al ways manly" she said. "l thank you for caring for my name"
 Now. l should have grown warmer in the face and in the heart at this. but
 
 come over me as though l were get ting deeper into cold water. l guessed her mind. Now. how was I, who had kissed her at the lane, who had defend ed her when absent, who called now in state with hls father and mother in the family carriage-how was l to say l was not of the same mind as she? pulled the ears of the hunting dog un ha iv, the great Sheraton orchard. Presently we came to a fallen apple tree. a giant perhaps planted there generations be fore. We seated ourselves here. and we should have been happy. for we were young. and all about us was sweet and comforting. yet. on my hon or. 1 would rather at that moment have been talking to my mother than to Grace Sheraton. l did not know why.
 For some time we sat there. pulling at apple blossoms and grass stems and talking of many things quite beside the real question, but at last there came an interruption. l heard the sound of a low. rumbling below approaching through the trees. and as l looked up l saw. coming forward with a certain confidence. Sir Jonas. the red Sheraton bull. with a ring in his nose. and in his carriage an intense haughtiness for one so young. 1 knew all about Sir Jonas. for we had breG him on our farm.
 Miss Grace gathered her skirts for instant flight. but 1 quickly pushed her down. 1 knew the nature of Sir Jonas very well and saw that flight would mean disaster long before she could reach any place of safety.
 Keep quiet" ] said to her in low voice. Don't make any quick mo- tons or he'll charge. Come with me. slowly now"
 Very pale. and with eyes staring at the intruder. she arose as l bade her and slowly moved toward the tree which l had in mind. Now. quick"' 1 said. and. catching her beneath the arms, l swung her up into the low branches. Sir Jonas came on with head down. and his horn missed my trouser leg by no more than an inch as 1 lodged around the tree. At this until between my nasty actions 1 call sd to her to keep quiet
 Sir Jonas tossed up his head then and boltPd for the tree where Miss Grace had her refuge. Then 1 saw It was the red lining of her Parisian par asol which had enraged him. Throw it down. l called out to her. She could not ind it in her heart to toss it straight down to Sir Jonas, who would have trampled 1t at once. sU sue cus, 1t sideIong toward me. and inch by inch 1 beat Sir Jonas In the race to 1t Then l resolved that he should not have 1t at all and so tossed 1t into the