, 1915-05-13

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
f~ence-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 idiotl" he cried.
"Thump your own crazy-bone and e
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 g%esturing
not at the bull but at a 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.
IL beg your pardon" he STAN
mered. Il didn't see you. l really
didn't. was-I was talking to the
bull"
The girl had been glancing from the
flushed face to the thistly fe~nce-corner,
while the startled dignity of her feat
ures warred with an unmistakable e n
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 h~abitually 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 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 a motor for
comedy are simply stupendous."
She came closer and looked curious
ly at the q%uiescent monster-at the
steamer-trunk strapped on the carrier
and the bullying portmanteau peeping
over the side of the onneau. "Is it
broken?"
Merely on strike, l imagine. Are
we far from the village?"
About a mile and a half"
sI'l1 haya RI houa ~ fouod offor NJ
The immediate point is my traps. l
wonder IL 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 meditation, with its slightly
questioning accent, charmingly South
ern. There is nc livery, but Tiers is
a negro who meets the train soine-
times. / can SEND him II you like
You're cry good" said Valiant, as
she turned away, and I'll be enor-
mously obliged. Oh-and II you 500 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 ,le
likes, you see"
Thank you" she said. The tope
had now a hint-small, yet percevgi-
ble-of aloofness. I'm not in the least
afraid of dogs" And with a little noL
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 fist at her
and end by making her wonder If you
aren't trying to be fresh! You poor.
profane, floundering dolt!"
CTo BE CoNTINUED)