The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1920-09-22
Whose Pup?
By JESSIE DOUGLAS

uLtIo gray RlnBHdul uTtSS anu CIOSS-
ing the room on tiptoe opened her
closet door and slipped out the pink
and white dress with the short sleeves
and the ruffles around the skirt.
She listened almost breathlessly for
Il complaining voice below to cry:
Camilla! Camilla ~ as she wres-
tied with button in the middle of her
back. She was safe! Still on tiptoes
she went across the floor and down the
stairs, to be greeted mt the bannlster
head by an ecstatic, wrigging body Of
soft brown fur.
"Binks" Camilla whispered, "will
you be good If take you out? Very
good?"
The little dog stuck out it's long
pink tongue and tried to cover "a :
millas hand with wet kisses.
"COme on. then!" Camilla closed
the door behind her as though she
were thief, so softly. so stealthily.
But once down the steep white path,
with the white gate swung behind her.
she began to run lightly and gayly
along the country road.
Binks was just as gay. He made
circles in quest of his tail and chased
imaginary cats and darted about like
a small prisoner set free.
She found herself thinking with
strange, homesick longing Of that home
that she had left a month ago. That
careless, happy, laughing household,
with Ted and Winnie. Ellen and the
baby for constant companionship.
"But I'll never let them know!" she
said aloud; "come on, Blnks, that isn't
a rabbit at all !"
Aunt Emma had written that she
would like one of "the children to stay
with her for a WHILE" She had said
at the end of her letter that these
, child would find herself greatly bene-
flied some day by the arrangement"
So it was Camilla they chose to
send. Because Camilla was just
through school and Ted was needed
= on the farm this summer and Winnie
. was engaged and Ellen just wouldn't
go.
She crinkled her nose when she re-
!. membered how the days went-one so
: much like another, that there was
:, only the calendar to tell that they
? were different.
Rise at seven. Battle and dress.
= Breakfast at Z 80. In silence, for Aunt
= Emma did not like conversation at her
= meals Then Camilla waxed the old
!. mahogany in the parlOr and busted
|, each fragile knicknack and washed
= the breakfast dishes and put them
- away in the white cupboard In the
dining room.
There was the porch to sweep, and
! the garden with the bees humming
1 about her in the sunshine, and q
large straw hat that Aunt Emma said
she must wear. For Aunt Emma
thought her freckles were common
and 1t was not ladylike to have brown
hands, so she must wear old gloves
Then there was mending to do ant
lunch to get
Camilla stopped suddenly in Ihel
thoughts, for as far down the roat
as she could see there was no brown
wriggling furry body.
"Binksy" she called. and again
"Binks!"
She whistled and called his nam
agnin and again. but no funny llttl
mongrel pup appeared at her calling
Camilla could have sat right dow
in the road and cried. She had foun
Binks when he came shivering to tn
door just few days after she ha
been with Aunt Emma. Much to Aun
II oh0 I,oI foI Il tim N
bathed him and changed him into
soft little mischief from the whimpel
ing. tiny thing who had begged froI
her.
To Camilla. Binks was the one ga
spot in her sober life at present.
Bat when she trudged home an hOu
later, she went alone, for Binks ha
disappeared as mysteriously as he ha
come.
She forgot the dress with the shol
sleeves and the pink ruffles in her di
tress. But Aunt Emma. spying hi
from the porch, looked up with di
pleasure. She was entertaining Il
curate, and Camilla looked altOgeth'
too colorful and gay and careless. wit
no hat and short sleeves.
Aunt Emma nodded briefly and C
milla going into the house did not a
the CLEAN Of laughter light the your
mans eyes for moment.
But next day Binks had not r
turned to his home. The house SCENE
drearier and darker than ever. al
Aunt Emma more "difficult." Camil
10 thought longingly for home, and {
rcr most decided
are "Tll stick it out n bit longer" 81
"a. told herself stanchly. for she kne
cal how hard 1t was just now at home.
ell, Winnie had new dress Ellen mu
Dry 90 without; so that Camilla had s
.ed cretly resolved that she would get
are position in the district school this q
md tuMn.
,ns Rut when she took her little p
set and went out for the butter In