Gunnison news-champion., 1920-02-13


Try road just beyond the limits Of Elm
wood 10 the somber and dissatisfied
mood r.. had been discarded by a
woman who had attracted him. but
that had by no means broken his
heart.
Miss Blanche worden had been 10
him Q model OF worthy slribood-unsiI
he had found her OUT. The shock had
come devastatingiy. lie had really
liked the peerless beauty. One day
he had covertiy coa1ed her pet and
favorite. diminutive black and white
FIJI. q novelty among canines. TO fol-
low him from the wori-n home pre-
paratory to emhellishing the animal
with . pretty collar. -
1T will give me an excuse to hurry
back and pass another delightful
hour with Blanche" he feiicitated
himself. Then missing his tiny COM
panion be began . search that ended
In complete disappointment. That
was an hour Of scurrying and vexa-
tion for Adrian. He Offered every boy
he met a liberal reward for the re-
covery OF Fin. Then. crestfaIien.
somehow fearful. he went to the wor-
den home
II was his last visit. the very Inst.
Adrian had seen pettish girls iu q
tantrum. but II was nothing to
Blanche. She went into Mysteries
over the loss Of her pet. She up
braided Adrian and scolded him.
stamped her pretty foot. her face
grew set and vicious looking. She
finally fell back upon resentment. In
fact she dropped the mask Of urban
ity completely. and when Adrian
called the following morning she was
not at home. and before the week was
out he knew that she had dismissed
him as suitor and that Wallace
Trego was now her favored chevalier.
Fifi was lost TO Blanche and she
lost To kdrian. When he came TO
think matters over sensibly. however.
he was convinced that he had scored
a lucky escape from a siren with q
bad temper and of fitting loyalty. He
did not exactly fancy being pointed
TO as . discard speedily superseded.
He held but one further communlca-
ton with Miss worden. 1t was to
indite a formal note stating that
neither time. money nor diligence
should be spared to recover the lost
Tif. Later he went for . week Of
rest and reorganization Of his dis
turbed faculties to the little town Of
Elmwood. The road he now trnv-
ersed was part Of his regular daily
hike. He strode along, swinging his
walking stick. when a scudding figure
flashed past him. II was that Of .
tiny animal wearing q blanket made
Of some light material. This did not
20 completely cover the creature that
Adrian could not make out color and
form.
"Fifr" he shouted. and started
after the flying animal. but when he
had gone hardly fifty feet. through the
open gateway of farmhouse q great
mastiff came plunging with 4 savage
growi, seized the little animal. tore Its
blanket to tatters. threw Fin In the
Air, and was about to seize II again
In its vicious jaws when Adrian
reached the spot and gave the aggres-
sor q rap that sent It bowling out Of
view.
"You poor little exiler' spoke
Adrian sympathixingly ~ he took mp
the trembling. whimpering refugee
and then the cloth fragments scat
tered upon the ground. He noticed =
spool Of thread and some pieces Of
lace. ~ he placed these in his
pocket = boy passed him.
@Say. mister" he observed. that's
Amy Pearces dog. She lives Just
where the road bends"
Fin snuggied confidingiy in the arms
of his rescuer and there was reward
for AdriNn's kindness, for when he
had located this Amy Pearce he
found himself In the presence Of =
lovely creature Of eighteen who
listened to his story with tremulous
agitation.
"Fih was picked up shivering and
crying in Q ditch by uncle ON his last
trip to the city" she explained. "He
Il q dear, true friend. for I've trained
him 80 that whenever l see anything
At the town store my cousin owns. !
Just put 4 note In the pocket Of the
blanket and what order comes back
the same way"
The bright, lovable little maiden
sat down and cried as II her heart
would break when Adrian explained
where Fif had come from. He tried
to comfort her by hoping that the real
owner Of Fin might be influenced to
allow the animal to remain In its
new home, and when he went to the
city the next day q memory Of the
innocent Wild rose face Of Amy Pearce
urged him to plead her cause st any
cost. Adrian sent m emissary to in-
terview Miss Worden. He returned
With q queer expression on his face.
.Miss worden says II anyone wants
Fin for ten dollars they can have
As-s ~ r~~snrfa6 STt eaoma that