Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1916-01-07

ly In deep trouble of some sort brought
about by his own mischievousness.
Now he looked up at Peters through
tangle Of bushy eyebrows and grim
ned.
Say, Pegasus" he drawled, "do you
always put salt in your coffeeT
"Only when I'm in fresh company
retorted Peters, calmly drinking the
nauseous liquid.
might try sugar. 'Twould sweeten
your disposition" went on the other.
Funny, wasn't it, how you got the
name of Pegasusp
THAT'S an old joke now" returned
Peters.
Il s'pose Finney told you how he ask
ed Miss Barton If Pegasus was the
name Of an inventor and how she
laughed fit to kill herself and she told
him the true tale. And since then they
call you Pegasus. She sure is some
witty, pretty peach!'
Where had the April day vanished!
Was the sun actually shining2 It
looked dark to him. A sudden dlzzi-
ness came over him; his heart hurt
somehow. Suddenly everything was
clear to his mental vision.
Sally Barton had laughed at him-at
him, the uneducated man who had
made fool of himself. She was not
in love with him. He was only tar
get for her clever wit.
Pegasus Peters So she had been
the author of the nickname he had
good naturally accepted
With white, set face, lips compress
ed and stony feeling in the region of
his heart, he rode to and fro guarding
the grazing cattle.
Once he turned around and saw that
Sally and her party had arrived. There
were two men and a girl. The sun
flashed ON the lenses of three pairs Of
spectacles.
OF course Sally Barton's blue eyes
were not thus dis6gured.
"Highbrows ALP groaned Peters
again, and his eyes glittered danger
ously.
He rode away to the uttermost limits
of the range
The curiosity seekers would not find
him here, he thought.
But he reckoned without Sally of the
blue eyes and firm, white chin.
And while he sat there nursing the
bitterness in his heart and hating all
women because this one had proved
deceltful her blithe voice fell upon his
ears.
Good afternoon, Mr. Peters," she
called as her calico pony cantered I'D
to him.
Peters dotted his sombrero and look
ed gravely down at her.
"How dye do?" he asked stifEiy.
isn't 1t n glorious day." dubbed
Sally, looking very winsome in her
blue serge skirt and snowy blouse.
Its going to rain" he said, looking
off toward the hazy ranges.
"Oh, don't say thatr' she protested.
Were going to have such a lovely
time taking pictures. Don't you want
to be in magazine photograph, Mr..
Peters?"
For more people to laugh atT" he
flashed hotly. mo; thank you, Miss
Barton When you fasten a nickname
on man and make him butt for
jokes don't be surprised If he fails to
value your friendship afterward." He
replaced his hat and rode away to a
distant point, where he sat as though
carved in stone. His face was white,
and the muscles of his throat were
drawn and rigid
Sally. dumfOunded, rode back to her
friends.
A heavy roll of thunder out of the
darkening sky brought fright to her
face. "a thunderstorm she gasped.
What shall we do? am afraid, and
it's raining now"
Follow your friends. They're going
over to Beggars cave. Shorty's shown
them the way. You better get outer
this, Miss Barton. These critters are
getting ready to stampede"
He rode away, intent upon the busi-
ness of the moment
Sally Barton hesitated She was
afraid. oh, for the protection Of Pc
ters' strong arml But he must hate
her If he believed she had made game
Of him.
Fifteen minutes later when the herd
had broken all bounds and gone rush
Ing madly over the plains, Pegasus
Peters saw drenched little form
dashing toward him. 1t was the calico
pony, and on his back was a pale,
drenched girl who called his name in
sobbing gasps.
"Oh, l am so frightened" she cried
as he lifted her from the saddle and
seated her before him. with her face
hidden against his blue flannel breast.
81 hope you don't mind?" she shivered.
81 don't mind" he said grimly, and
amid the glare and crash of the storm
he told her how he had awakened that
April morning conscious of love and
Of the blow he had received from Har-
low. "Of couWe | couldn't marry q
wife who despised me-" he said SIM
ply.
"Oh, 1t is not so" she protested and
told her side of the story. 81 don't
care how little book knowledge you
have" she whispered. You have my
heart, Donald, and don't want it
back again"
The sun came out, and it was glori-
Gus once more,
II shall always call you Pegasus
when you are cross" she threatened
when they rode home side by side, and
Pegasus grinned happy assent.