The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-03-27

After a time he shook himself and
knocked the red core from the pipe
bowl against his boot-heel. II 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.. BULL"
He clutched the self-starter. But
there was only a protestant wheeze;
the car declined to bulge. Climbing
down, he cranked vigorously. The
motor turned over with surly grunt
of remonstrance and after tentative
throb-throb, coughed and stopped dead.
Something was wrong. With sigh
he flung off his tweed jacket, donned
smudgy Jumper" opened his toolbox,
and, with glance at his wrist-watch
which told him it was three o'clock,
threw up the monsters 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 afield. At half
past four John Valiant lay fiat on his
back, like some disreputable stevadore,
alternately tinkering with refractory
valves and cursing the obdurate
mechanism. A sharp stone gnawed
frenziedly into the small of his back
and just as he made final vicious
lunge, something gave way and
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
it struck out a 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 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 a
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 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. Il
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 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.
II can believe it." he agreed, max
ing 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
steamer-trunk strapped on the carrier
and the bullying portmanteau peeping
over the side Of the tonneau. lis it
broken?
Merely on strike, I imagine. Are
we far from the village?"
About mile and a half"
I'll have to have 1t towed after me.
The immediate point is my traps. I
wonder If there is likely to be a team
passing"
I'm afraid it's not too certain" an
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
q negro who meets the train some
times. l can send him If you like"
You're very good,' said Valiant, as
she turned away, land I'll be enor-
mously obliged. Oh-and If you see a
white dog, don't be frightened II 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 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 her
till she had passed from view around