The Cairo bulletin., 1914-02-10
bitterly 10 work.

bitterly 10 work.
At half past three the investigation
had got as far as the lubr!cator. Al
four o'clock the bulldog had given Il
up and gone nosing afield. At half
past four John Valiant lay fat on his
back, like some disreputable stevadore.
alternately tinkering with refractory
valves and cursng the obdurate
mechanism. A sharp stone gnawed
frenZiedly into the small or his back
and just AS he made final vicious
lunge, something gave way and a
prickling red.hot stab of pain shot zig
tagging from his smitten crazy-bore
through every tortured crevice OF his
impatient frame. Like steel from flint
1t struck out a crisp oath that brought
an answering bovine snort from The
fence-corner
Worming like 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-hone and see
how you like IT, you---oh lord!'
His arm dropped, and 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 u
smolder Of mingled establishment and
indignation. An instant he gazed, all
the muscles OF his face frightened with
chagrin.
II beg your pardon" he STAN
mered. Il didn't see you. ] really
didn't. ! was-I was talking to the
bull"
The girl had been glancing from the
flushed face to the thistly fencecorner
while tho startled dignity nf her feat
ures warred with an unmistakable ten
dency to mirth. lie had struggled to
his feet, nursing his bruised elbow
irritably conscious of his resemblance
to an emerging chimney-sweep. Il
don't habitually swear" he said, but
Id got TO the point when something
had to explode"
OH she said, don't mind me-!
Then mirth conquered and she broke
forth suddenly into laugh that
seemed to set the whole place aquiver
with a musical contagion. They both
laughed IN concert, while the bull
paved the ground and sent forth a
rumbling below of affront and chal.
lenge.
She was the first to recover. "You
did look so funny" she gasped.
Il can believe It," he agreed, max
ing a vicious dab at his smudged ell.
bow. The possibilities of motor for
, comedy are simply stupendous."
She came closer and looked curious.
ly at the quiescent monster--at the
steamertrunk strapped on the carrier
and the bullying portmanteau peeping
over the side OF the tonneau. lis II
hrokeng
Merely on strike, imagine. Are
we far from the vilage?"
About a mile and half"
I'M have to have it towed after me.
The immediate point is my traps.
wonder IL there Is likely to be team
, passing"
fr-rf rs fffa rtps In n n.
swered the girl. and now he noted the
liquid incubation, with its slightly
questioning accent, charmingly South
ern There is no livery, but there is
negro who meets the train some
times. can send him II you like
You're very good" said Valiant. as
she turned away, "and I'll be enor-
mously obliged Oh-and II you see a
white dog. don't be frightened il he
tries to follow you. He's perfectly
kind"
She looked back momentarily.
"He--he always follows people he
likes, you see"
Thank you" she said. The tone
had now a hint-small, yet percepti'
| ble--of aloofness. 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 heI
till she had passed from view around
curve "Oh, glory!" he muttered
"To begin by shaking your fist at hel
and end by making her wonder II yol
aren't trying to be fresh You poor
profane, floundering dolt!'
The girl walked on up the highway
| with Hitting stride, now and ther
laughing to herself, or running a few
| steps. occasionally stopping by some
hedge to pull a leaf which she rubbed
| against her cheek, smelling It's keei
| 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
J a strip of young forest. and she struck
into this for a short cut. In the depth