The Red Cloud chief., 1913-03-20
A BIT SHAKEN UP
How Margery Brown Met the
Knight Of Her Day.Dreams.
BY W. DEAN SMITH.

walk from the modest little cottage
where she and her widowed mother
lived in frugal comfort. She swung
a tin pail gaily in time to merry
song she was hummng.
Widow Brown. standing in the door
way. her eyes alight with tender ar
fection, watched the girl as she un'
latched the gate and stepped out in
TO the dusty road.
BE careful of the automobiles. Mar.
gerry" she warned.
Margery turned and waved the pail.
"lll be careful, mother; don't worry
she called back reassuringly.
Come back early dear"
"All right, mother"
AS far back as she could remember
in the eighteen years OF her life, Mar
gerry Browns greatest pleasure was
tc go picknickiLg by herself. Carry.
ing a tin pail we'll stocked with slices
of delicious homemade bread with
sweet yellow butter, ponderous sugar.
cookies and mellow red apples. she
would go to her favorte spot In
patch of green woods n half mile
from the cottage. There, she would
spend the day upon the cool grass;
child of nature, singing with birds
that flew about her head undismayed,
and playing with tiny red squirrel
she had tanned. Towards dusk, she
would return home, glorying In the
beauty of the descending sun. and
bu0bling over with the sheer Joy Of
living.
Today, she was more quiet and
pensive than usual. The dream.light
was in her soft blue eyes, and
tender smile upon her lips. A most
wonderful book by chance had fallen
into her hands. left by peddler
ostensibly as gift to Margery but
in reality as pay ment for the generous
meal for which the kindly and hospi.
table Widow Brown refused to accept
money. 1t was most wonderful book,
indeed. 1t told all about the fair
ladies and dashing knights of old.
Filled with the romance of those by
gone days: and wishing in her secret
heart that knight In armor upon "a
mailclad steed would dash up and
carry utT Ou, tuluiCSo anu
frighted. yet happy, Margery walked
slowly along until she reached the
woods. She sought out resting place
"a velvety expanse Of short-cropped
grass beside tiny brook that sang
and gurgled musically. She gave her.
self up to the quiet spirit OF the per.
feet June day. The drone Of bees and
the purlng OF the little stream lulled
her into a drowsiness which soon
caused her to fall asleep.
She awoke with n start. A furious
noise broke the stiffness about her.
For a moment. half asleep as she was,
she thought that the knight Of whom
she had been dreaming had really
come, and that the sound she heard
was the clatter Of his horses hoofs.
But she soon realized It was not like
anything she had ever heard before.
and she became frightened.
The sound came from high up In the
air-a continuous rattle. sharp and
penetrating. Suddenly. It ceased. In
the silence that followed. she heard
the rush of mighty object just above
her, and the swishinG Of the foliage
ar the treetops were violently asita.
ted. Then came q crash on the outer
edge of the woods.
Margery sprang up and ran to the
field beyond. There she saw q tan
gled mass Of wires and sticks and
canvas. She hastenec to the wreck
age, then paused in fright. her face
blanched. Underneath what was left
of the aeroplane lay q man. q trickle
Of blood across his forehead. With
a gasp OF horror. the girl tried to re-
lease him: but she could not move
the pieces of wire that held him
fast. She abandoned the attempt. see
ing how useless It was, and ran back
to where she had let her lunch. She
dumped 1t onto the ground. and filled
the pail with water. Hurrying to the
unconscious map. she dashed the wa.
ter into his face. He stirred uneasily.
then opened his eyes.
Are you hurt badly?" asked Mar.
gerry anxiously.
III am, I'm glad of It," he replied.
az he looked with admiring eyes upon
the beautiful girl.
isn't there any way to get you
out!"
III you'll fuss around In that junk
heap and md me pair Of pliers. I'll
be free in a 1iffy. Thanks" he con-
tinued, as Margery tumbled an arm.
ful OF tools within his reach.
With q few swift cuts, the aviator
severed the wires that held him. He
drew himself out of the wreck care
fully and got to his feet. He was
somewhat unsteady, but pulled himself
together in moment or so.
mo bones broken" he announced.
Just a bit shaken up. that's all. Is
there a telephone anywhere around?'
Jim Baker has one; about a mile
from here" replied Margery. But