The Press., 1917-08-16

n0lselessly forward, his fingers clasp ing about the dogs throat.
 Stll with covered face the girl sank down upon a mound of leaves, and when at last she looked about man and dog had disappeared. Slowly the girl went forward, bringing with careful touch Billy's valise to rest close beside her own.
 Then she waited.
 After what seemed an interminable lime she saw him walking briskly and unharmed, brushing the dirt and dust of connict from his clothing as he came.
 The girl put out her hands to him. Speech seemed difficult.
 "Oh," she whispered, 'it was brave"
 "That's all right" murmured Billy confusedly. "Don't-don't bother about it." His eyes shone with the joyful light of triumph.
 "You'll let me so with you nOw" he pleaded, and the girl seemed to 'un- derstand.
 "That was a pretty satisfactory in- troduction," she said.
 So on down the glorifed path he walked at her side and then, as their train had not yet arrived, farther on, past the sunset woods. Every moment added to Billy'S assurance. This was the girl, the one true, only girl! And when they were later settled in the second ear she looked up gratefully.
 "H0w fortunate" she said, that you happened to come my way! It Is for the shooting, I suppose. They do a good deal of that up there in the fall"
 "Yes," murmured Billy vaguely, 'the shooting. And-you" She smiled her incomparable smile.
 "I'm to spend 6 week or two sketch ing the autumn woods" said Billy. Ut is considered good practice for an art student"
 She leaned forward eagerly.
 "NOw, would 1t not be strange if you were going to stop at Mrs. Par sons too7 Most people do go there. The hotel Is so poor"
 ''Mrs. Parsons" Billy assured her, Ifs the very place intend to honor with my presence during the coming two weeks" Respectfully he left her at the wide entrance to Mrs. Parsons boarding house.
 ''I will just stop to make my ar- rangements," he explained, land come back tomorrow"
 He smiled at her ruefully.
 "It's 6 long, long way tO-tomorrOw," he said. Whistling his happiness down the ragged village street, Billy Towne en- tered the station.
 Say" he asked an amazed agent, "What's the name of this town"
 "WOodbridge."
 "Oh! All right. We'll, give me ticket back to Sherman"
 Return ?" questioned the agent.
 Billy laughed. "You just bet your life," he replied. Y Alone through the fields he saunter- cd back to the trolley, smile of hap py reminiscence fixed upon his face.
 Just here she had stood like a star tied. appealing child, and there the dog.
 Billy paused in his recOllectiOns to give & low whistle, and from a distant house came clumsily numbering great bulldog. A moment the beast hesi- tated, it's legs doubled for a spring, its body shaking with low growing breaths, then it leaped straight into BilIy's arms. Frantically the lathery tongue sought to caress him.
 ''Here, Kelly" he demonstrated, "cut that out"
 Lovingly Kelly gazed through his bloodshot eyes.
 "IU that you, Billy Towne" called an approaching figure. "Sure, Kelly never forgets his friends"
 '"The poor old boys asthma seems worse," said Billy. "Doing anything for it?" Can't" answered the man. Saw you go through here this afternoon. Scared your lady friend pretty bad, didn't hep
 "Lady friendv' mocked Billy as he turned away, but he came presently to pat the old dogs patient head,
 Kelly" he said-"Kelly, if it had not been for you today I might have lost my future wife. Any little atten- ton may have shown you from time to time has been more than repaid"
 
 And a girl with shining eyes and rose kissed cheeks was unpacking in country home her suit case.
 "Did you," asked her chatty hostess, ''ses anything of old Kelly as you came through? That dog, they say, is near ing his end. Many who have crossed the fields will miss him. He always remembers his friends"
 The girl laughed softly, and the twin kles deepened in her lovely eyes.
 "Kelly started to meet me-" she said, ashnt-Mall he didn1t get all the WAY"