The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-08-07
UTH BELMORE ENDICOTT


back. She did not see 1t, for she was
quite as intent upon keeping her face
turned from Mr.. Stage as he had been
determined to ignore her presence.
Carolyn May was shaking and help.
less. Not so Prince. He repeated his
challenging growl and then sprang
Mt the vibrating head. Miss Amanda
up from the log. whirling to see what
was happening behind her.
Joseph Stagg dropped Carolyn Mays
hand and leaped forward with his
walking stick raised to strike. But
the mongrel dog was there first. He
wisely caught the blacksnake behind
the head, his strong, sharp teeth sew
ering It's vertebrae.
"Good dog!" shouted Mr.. Stagg ex-
citedly. "Fine dogr'
"Oh, Miss Amanda y shrieked Caro-
lyn May. IL thought he was going
to sting you'll did"
She ran to the startled woman and
clung to her hand. Prince nosed the
dead snake. Mr.. Stagg looked exceed
ingly foolish. Miss Amanda recovered
her color and her voice simultaneously.
"What a brave dog yours is, little
GIRL" she said to Carolyn May. "And
l do so despise snakesI" Then she
looked directly at Mr.. Stagg and
bowed gravely. II thank you," she
said, but so coldly, SO Carolyn May
thought, that her voice might have
come "just Off an iceberg"
"Oh, didn't do anything-really
didn't" stammered the man. ut was
the dog"
Both looked very uncomfortable.
Joseph Stagg began to pick up the
scattered chestnuts from the over.
turned basket. The lady stopped and
whispered to Carolyn May:
"Come to see me, my dear. I want
to know you better"
Then she kissed Carolyn Mny and
slipped quietly away from the brook.
disappearing quickly in the under
growth.
Joseph Stagg and the little girl
went on across the stepping stones.
while Prince splashed through the
water. Carolyn May was thinking
about Miss Amanda Parlow and she
believed her Uncle Joe was, too.
"Uncle joe" she said, "wouid that
bad old snake have stung Miss
Amanda
"Huh? No; reckon not" admitted
Mr.. Stngg absent-mindedly. "Black-
snakes don't bite. A big one like tina:
can squeeze some."
"But you were scared Of it-like me
and Prince. And for Miss Amanda" !"
said Carolyn May very much in ear
nest.
II guess most everybody Is scared
by the sight Of snake, Car'lyn May"
"But you- were scared for Miss
Amanda's sake-just the same as
was" repeated the little girl decidedly.
"Well?" he growled. looking away,
troubled by her insistence.
'Then you don't hate her, do your
the child pursued. "rm glad of that,
Uncle Joe. for I like her very much.
I think she's beautiful lady,"
To this Uncle Joe said nothing.
II guess" thought Carolyn May
wisely. "that when two folks love each
other and get angry tho loves there
just the same. Getting mad doesn't
kill II; II only makes 'em feel worse
"Poor Uncle Joe! Poor Miss Aman.
da! Maybe II they'd Just try to look
up and look for brighter things they'd
get over being mad and be happy
again."
When Uncle Joe and Carolyn May
returned from this adventurous walh
Mr.. Stagg went heavily into his own
room, closed the door and even locked
1t. He went over to the old-fashioned
walnut bureau that stood against the
wall between the two windows and
stood before 1t for some moments ir
an attitude Of deep reflection. Finally
he drew his bunch Of keys from his
pocket and opened one of the two
small drawers in the heavy piece OF
furniture-the only locked drawer
there was. He drew forth tintype
picture, faded now. but clear enough
to show him the features of the two
individuals printed on the sensitIzed
plate.
/ His own eyes looked out Of the pho
tograph proudly. They were much
younger eyes than they were now.
And the girl beside him In the pic,
turel Sweet as wild rose, Mandy
Parlow's lovely, calm countenance
promised all the beauty and dignii ,
her matured womanhood had achieved
MANDY! Mandy" he murmured
over and over again. "Oh, Mandy
Why? Why7"
He held the tintype for long. long
time In his hand. gazing on It with
eyes that saw the vanished year,
rather than the portraits themselves
Finally he hid the picture away again
closed and locked the drawer with q
sigh and with slow steps left TIE
room. ft
l