The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-03-14

MS reec norSlng his bruised elbow,
irritably conscious Of hts resemblance
TO an emerging chimney-sweep. 81
don't habitually swear" he said, bat
Id got to the point when something
had to explode"
Oh" she said. don't mind mel"
Then mirth conquered ard she broke
forth suddenly into q laugh that
seemed to set tho whole place aquiver
with a musical contagion. They both
laughed In concert. while the bull
paved the ground and sent forth
rumbling below OF aifront and chal
lenge.
She was the hrst to recover. "You
did look 80 funny" she gasped.
Il can believ, 1t, he agreed, max
ing Q vicious dab ut his smudged el-
bow. THE possibilities OF q 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 bulging portmantsau peeping
over the side of the tonneau. "Is It
brokenr'
Merely on strike, imagine. Arc
we far from the villaser'
About q milo and q half"
I'll have to have 1t towed after me.
The immediate point h my traps,
wonder IL there II likely to be a team
passing"
I'm afraid It's not too certain" an.
swered the girl. and DOW he noted the
hQuid modulaton. with It's slightly
questioning accent, charmingly South
ern. There 10 no livery, but there Is
q negro who meets the train some
times. I can send him n You like"
You're very good" said valisnt, %
she turned away. and I'll be enor.
Deously Obliged. Oh--and II you see q
white dog. dout be frightened II he
tries to follow you. Hes perfectly
kind
She looked back momsntsrily.
"He-he always follows people he
likes, you see"
Thank yos," she said. The tone
had now a hint-small, yet percepti.
ble-of aloofnesA I'm not IN the least
afraid Of dogs" And with little nod,
she swung briskly on up the Red Road.
John Valiant stood staring after her
till she had passed from view around
a curve. "Oh. glory" he muttered.
TO begin by shaking your lst at her
and end by making her wonder il you
aren't trying to be fresh! You poor,
profane. houndering dolt!"
The girl walked on up the highway
with . Hitting stride. now and then
laughing to herself. or running a few
steps, occasionally stopping by some
hedge to pull leaf which she rubbed
against her cheek. smelling its keen
new scent. or stopping to gaze out
across the orange-green belts OF sun
ny wind-dimpled fields. one hand push
Ing back her mutinous hair from her
brow. the other shielding her eyes.
Farther on the highroad looped around
a strip Of young forest. and she struck
into this for short cut. In the depth
she sat down to rest on the sun.
splashed roots Of tree. Leaning back
against the scanned trunk, her felt hat
fallen TO the ground, shs looked Ike
some sea'woman emerging from an
earth-hued pool to comb her hair
against q dappled rock.
She drew back against the tree and
caught her breath as q bulldog frisked
over mossy boulder just In front of
her.
A moment more and she had thrown
herself on her knees with both arms
outstretched. oh. you splendid crea-
ture!" she cried. you big. lovely
white darling!"
The dog seemed IN no way averse to
this sensational proceeding. He re-
sponded instantly not merely with tail
wasging. but with ecstatic grunts and
growls. Where did you come from?"
she questioned. as his pink tongue
struggled desperately to fnd a cheek
through the whorl of ooppery hair.
Why. you must be the ono was told
not to be afraid Of"
She petted and fosdled tho smooth
Intelligent muszle. As II any one
could be afraid Of you! Wen set your
master right on that point" Smiling
to herself. she pulled one of the roses
from her belt, and twisting n wisp of
long grass, wound II round and round
the dogs neck and thrust the ragged
rosestem firmly through 1t. Now"
she said. and pushed him gently from
her. go back. sir"
He whined and licked her hand. but
when she repeated the command, he
turned obedientiy and left her. A lit
tie way from her he halted. with
sudden perception OF mysterious pun
'shment, shrugged. sat down, and tried
10 reach the irksome grass-wisp with
mis- teeth This failing. he rolled Ia
boriously In the dirt.
Then he rose. cast q reproachful
glance behind him. and trottsd OF.
CHAPTER VI.