The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1919-06-12
"A
Faithful Friend
By JESSIE ETHEL R
Copyright. 1919. BY Western Nswspapss unioa.I

"And to whom, pray?" inquired
Lima, and she flushed and f1uttered as
she guessed what his reply would be.
"Of course there's only n young
man you would care about" said Ger
aid with a shrewd twinkle in his eyes,
land that is Alan Blair. He's going
away for a week and he has hired me
to take care Of Hugo. / get two dol
lars for the Job and we are to house
the dog here. Is that all right?"
Lima made no demur. She and
Hugo had always been good friends.
A short. chunky but powerful bull
pup, Hugo essentially minded his own
business and was we'll behaved. ex-
cept when he or his friends were Inn
posed upon. Then he became a furi-
Gus whirlwind of action.
"Mr. Blair took me through his
room to get Hugo" narrated Gerald.
Say, sis, he's got your photo on the
mantel and a faded rosebud tied to a
frame with a ribbon. Why, say!
your cheeks look like %rosebuds now.
What's the matter, eh?"
"You ridiculous tormentl !" cried Lima,
and, all pretty confusion but, oh. so
happy eyed! left Gerald to himself.
A few minutes later her sweet voice
echoed from the garden as If express
ing some great Joy.
Lima did not try to hide from herself
that she loved Alan Blair, and Alan
Blair was only waiting for the fitting
opportunity to assure himself Of the
fact. Lima worked at a large envelop
manufacturing plant where a great
many girls were employed. AS we'll
Aaron Todd, an under foreman, who
was a distant cloud in the otherwise
clear sky of her existence. He was a
sullen, dark-browed fellow who had
pestered her by forcing his company
upon her yer since she had begun
work at the plant. Only the day pre-
vious she had resented his walking
home with her, had told him clearly
that she had thought nothing Of him
and never would, and s%huddered even
now as she recalled a 1ercely Kissed
out threat that "she should suffer for
her contempt"
Hugo was disloyal to his new
keeper and promptly followed Lima.
with whom he was a great favOrite.
1t seemed as though the sensible ami.
NAL comprehended the interest Of his
absent master in Lima, for the next
morning when she started for work
he trotted by her side clear to the
plant. Equally intelligent, Hugo mp.
peared to comprehend that there was
no admittance for him to the great fac.
tory, and reported back to the some.
what anxious Gerald at the Moreton
home promptly.
Evenings Hugo kept close to Linu
whenever she took a stroll, as though
his master had conferred upon him
the dignity Of companion and protec.
tor.
Aaron Todd had ceased to annoy
Lima by continuing his unwelcoD.e "
tentions, but she shivered as often dur.
ing the day she noted him staring at
her in a sinister way. One evening
she was at the gate Of her home ell
joying the balmy evening air when a
girl she knew as Eta Pearce ap-
preached. She was a rough. bolster
ous creature who had been discharged
from the plant a week previous, and
Lima had eve been familiar with her.
"Mollie Burns wishes to see you,
Lima" spoke the Pearce girl. "She is
i'll, and asked me to get you to come
to her."
The unsuspecting Lima accompanied
Eta; who led the way finally down a
dark street with few houses. At one
Of those she halted and started up an
unlighted stairway.
Hold my hand in this dismal
place." she directed Lima, and then
after proceeding a few steps she alb
ruptly thrust Lima into q lighted room,
and slammed the door.
Neither had noticed that Hugo had
kept closely behind them all Of the
time, nor that he slipped past Lima
into the room and snuggled down
into q corner.
Lima gave a great start. She turned
"AAt " Az 1Apo az oAIC was COullOul-
ed by Aaron Todd, sneering, wicked
eyed as ever. and she knew that she
was In a trap.
"You won't scream" he observed,
for no one will hear you. ! told you
! was bound to marry you, and l shall.
An automobile is waiting outside;
clever Eta will go with us as witness,
and ten miles safely away from here
a clergyman is waiting. If you rebel
1t will be a close prison till you con-
sent"
Lima uttered a loud scream. Hugo
sprang to his feet. She backed to
the door but Todd intercepted her. He
seized Lima by the arm. A low but
distinct warning growl issued from
the throat Of the watchful Hugo,
Then
One spring and the animal was at
the throat of Todd. The impact of
the assault drove Todd off his footing.
He went backward, his head striking
the floor with a crash. and lay still
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