The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1913-04-03

81 don't dislike you, Gregory" said
Janet in softencd tone, "only some
how-you wont be angry if tell gouT
Il want to know the reason Why
replied Gregory doggedly
"You remember the time you were
afraid of our old red cow" asked
Janet. and as he nodded she contin.
ued, Il can't help it, Gregory, and
know I'm small and mean, but some
how | always connect you with run
ming away from something
"A cOward-that is your opinion of
me?" he asked i'll Il repressed tone.
She bent her head Il am very sor-
ry, 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 new found
terror took possession of her. "Oh,
why did l 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 q 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
| I'd 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 fer her meanneSS in recOlleCting
| the affair 0f the rcd COW and despised
herself for recalling 1t to Gregory's
| mind. For 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 she was having Il 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 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, fiicked the beast on one sensitive
eyeball. and the enraged animal 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 mad
| struggle to escape. The lion crouched
in the sawdust. and his launches quiv-
cred for the spring.
Gregory Barton had stood up the in
| slant the 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
ure with blazing eyes. The wns his
| objective point There was tim.
While the long tawny body .yered
| for the spring. while the tail dashed
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 CAM" he COM
manded fiercely.
"No, no. no: you mustn't! l shan't
have your she was crying as she re-
sisted his tn sting 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 Gre
| ated something whistled through the
air and settled around the named neck.
Then with a fierce yell the wild west
erner' who had lassOed the escaped
lion rode his trick performing broncho
around the track. dragging the king of
beasts ANONYMOUSLY in his train.
ooh. Gregory. Gregory Janet was
sobbing. what have | said to you
you a coward? Why, you are the brav-
est man ever knew
That's all right: that's all right"
| Gregory was patting her shoulder COM
fortably. but his eyes shone with a
| triumphant light. Nothing very brave
about that The circus people always
manage to catch 'em before they do
much damage"
"Then why did you try to save me?'
asked Janet quickly, and she laughed
at Gregory's confusion.
Just then Dan Lesson strolled up,
| looking rather crestfallen. At sight or
| Gregory his neck stiffened. Where
were you, Janet?" he asked complain
ingly. II told you to follow me, and
when looked around
II was just where you left me when
you ran away" said Janet sharply.
"Are you ready to take me home. Greg
ory?" she asked that dazed young man.
eyes," said Gregory happily.
When they parted at Janet's gate the
girl said earnestly: 81 hope you will
forget what / said the other morning
Gregory, about always thinking of you
as running away from the red COW.