The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1914-01-28

For q Long TSU1o John Valiant Sat
MotionIess, tise Opened Letter In
His Hand, Gearing at Nothing.
He filled his briar-wood pipe and
drew in great breaths OF the fragrant
incense. What q pity you don't
smoke, Chum; you miss such lott
After a time he shook himself and
knocked the red core from the pipe
bowl against his boot-heel. Il hate to
start" he confessed, half to the dog
and half to himself ITO leave any
thing SO sheerly beautiful as this!
However, ON with the dance, BY the
road map the village can't be far now.
So long, Mr.. Built"
He clutched the self-starter. But
there was only . protestant wheeze;
the car declined to bulge Climbing
down, he cranked vigorously. The
motor turned over with surly grunt
of remonstrance and after a tentative
throb-throb. coughed and stopped dead.
Something was wrong. With a sigh
he flung of his tweed jacket. donned a
smudgy Jumper" opened his tool-box.
and. with q glance At his wristwatch
which told him It was three o'clock.
threw up the moaster's hood and went
bitterly to work.
At half past three the investigation
had got as far As the lubricator. At
four o'clock the bulldog had given it
up and gone nosing afeld. At half
past four John Valiant lay fiat on his
back, like some disreputable stevadore.
alternately tinkering with refractory
valves and cuxsing the obdurate
mechanism. 4 sharp stone gnawed
frenziedly into the small Of his back
and just az he made a final vicious
lunge. something gave way and a
prickling red-hot stab of pain shot zig
Tagging from his smitten crazy-bone
through every tortured crevice OF his
impatient frame. Like steel from flint
1t struck out crisp oath that brought
an answering bovine snort from the
fence-corner.
Worming like a lizard to freedom.
his eyes puckered shut with the
wretched pang. John Valiant sat up
and shook his grimy fist in the air.
You silly loafing IDIOT" he cried.
"Thump your own crazy-bone and see
how you like it, You-oh. lord!"
His arm dropped. and a flush spread
over his face to the brow. For his
eyes had opened. He was gesturing
not at the bull but at girl, who
fronted him beside the road, haughti-
ness in the very hue Of her gray-blue
linen walking suit and. in the clear
cut cameo face under her felt cavalry
hat, myrtle-blue eyes that held =
smolder of mingled establishment and
INDIGNATION. An instant he gazed, all
the muscles of his face frightened with
chagrin.
IL beg your pardon" he STAN
mered. Il didn't see you. I really
didn't. was-I was talking to the
bull"
The girl had been glancing from the
flushed face to the thistly fence-corner.
while the startled dignity of her feat
ures warred with an unmistakable ten
dency to mirth. He had struggled to
his feet, nursing his bruised elbow.
irritably conscious of his resemblance
to an emerging chimney-sweep. II
don't habitually swear" he said, but
I'd got to the point when something
had to explode"
oh" she said, don't mind mel"
Then mirth conquered and she broke
forth suddenly into a laugh that
seemed to set the whole place aquiver
with q musical contagion. They both
laughed in concert, while the bull
paved the ground and sent forth q
rumbling below of affront and chal-
lenge.
She was the first to recover. You
did look so FUNNY" she gasped.
II can believe It," he agreed, max
ing q vicious dab at his smudged ell
bow. THE possibilities of 4 motor for
comedy are simply stupendous."
She came closer and looked curious
ly at the Quiescent monster-at the
steamer-trunk strapped on the carrier
and the bullying portmanteau peeping
over the side of the tonneau. rs it
brokenr' ~
Merely on strike. Imagine. Are
we far from the villagef"
About q mile and = half"
III hAHA 70 have It towsd after mA.