Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-05-08

tC AlS hilhCSlilulS lciEt. janet
Norton was a lovely and desirable girl.
II don't dislike YOU, Gregory" said
Janet in a softened tone. "only some
how-you won't be angry if l tell you?"
Il want to know the reason why"
replied Gregory %dogsedly.
You remember the time YOU were
afraid of u old red cow?' asked
Janet. and as he nodded she contin-
ued, II can't help it, Gregory. and l
know I'm small and mean, but some
how l always connect you with run
ming away from something"
"A c~oward-that is your opinion of
me-" he asked in Il repressed tone.
h bent her head. II am very sor-
~, Gregory, if | have hurt your feel
ings. | ought not to have told you"
Glad you did said Gregory CURLY.
"GOodby." And without another word
he left the house.
Janet, left alone. watched him swing
ing down the path, and a new found
terror took possession of her. .'Oh,
why did I say it to him? He looks
different today. l shall hate to go to
the circus with Dan after treating
Gregory So"
But she went, as did Gregory Bar
ton. He sat not far away from where
Janet sat beside Dan Lesson. BY
slightly turning his head he could see
the pale pink Of her dress and the
fair oval of her face framed beneath
the fluffy white hat. His heart con-
tracted as he thought Of what she had
said. SO he was a coward in her sight
because of that little childish episode
Of many years ago. He was glad that
she had refused to come to the circus
with him
afraid if anything happened that
Id run away and leave her" he told
himself grimly.
Janet saw Gregory. and the sight of
him added the finishing touch to her
unpleasant evening. She hated her.
self for her in recollecting
the affair of the red COW and despised
herself for recalling it to Gregory's
mind. Fol all she knew he might be
the bravest and the biggest man in
the world. That childish fear might
easily be accounted for. She watched
him furtively and longed to tell him
that she was sorry for what she had
said, and she hoped he would know
that h was having a horrid time in
spite Of the brilliant performance that
was being enacted in the ring before
her eyes.
The lion tanner was driving before
him the solitary huge king of the for
est. which was the last of a once for
midable troupe of performing lions.
The whip cracked, the lion jumped;
the whip cracked again. the lion lay as
one dead. Once more the whip crack
ed. ficked the beast on one sensitive
eyeball, and the enraged aniraal turned
on his trainer. The man lodged and
vanished, and with a roar of pain and
anger the lion leaped over the railing
and into the sawdust of the track.
Amid a pandemomium of screams
and yells the crowd broke into a mad
struggle to escape. The lion crouched
in the sawdust. and his launches uuiv-
cred for the spring.
Gregory Barton had stood up the in
slant the trainer disappeared. His first
thought had been for Janet Norton.
He turned and saw her standing, white
and rigid with terror. while Dan Lee
sons broad back could be discerned in
the van Of the disappearing crowd.
The lion was regarding her pink fig
IRE with blazing eyes. That was his
objective point. There was his victim.
While the long tawny body quivered
for the spring, while the tail lashed
the track. Gregory leaped forward and
snatched Janet into his arms. whirling
her about so that he stood in her place.
Run. run while you can" he com
manded fiercely.
NO. no.. no; you mustn't. | shan't
have YOU" she was crying as she re-
sisted his thrusting arms.
The yellow body arose and shot
through the air. Mercifully it fell short
and went crashing among the tum
bled benches. While it yet beloved
forth its rage and ere it could extri
cate itself from the debris it had ere.
ated something whiStled through the
an anu Seltlcu dlOulu lle udQeO uock
: Then with a fierce yell the wild west
erner'' who had lassoed the escaped
: lion rode his trick performing bronchc
around the track. dragging the king OF
: beasts ANONYMOUSLY in his train.
! "Oh. Gregory. Gregory" Janet was
sobbing. What have l said to you
> you a coward? Why. you are the brav
I oct n T o,o l-pou,r,
That's all right: that's all right
Gregory was patting her shoulder com
fortably, but his eyes shonc with F;
triumphant light. Nothing very brave
about that. The circus people Away:
0 manage to catch EN- before they dc
much damage"
e "Then why did you try to save me-?
y asked Janet quickly, and she laughed
at Gregory's confusion.
Just then Dan Leeson strolled up
looking rather crestfallen. At sight o
Gregory his neck stitfened. "Wher
were you, Janet?" he asked complain