The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1921-12-09

or to the left. Just as / was making
up my mind heard a patter OF feet
and dog barked.
beast, indistinctly. He had been COM
ing up the road and had stopped at
! the sight-or scent--of me. Since a
dog argued the proximity OF dog
owning human being, I called coaxing-
| ly: Here. Towser-here-come on,
old fellow-that's boy !" and the cur
| ious thing about 1t Is that he did II,
running up little way and stopping,
and finally coming to squat before
me and to lift a paw for me to shake.
| jollied him bit and let him nose
me to his hearts content. Then sud-
| denly, as II he had discovered long
lost master. he broke away and began
to leap and dance around me, barking
a furious and hilarious welcome. In
the midst of this hubbub heard hoof-
beats and the squeaking of saddle
leather, and the dogs owner rode up.
At first l thought the dimly outlined
Stetson-hatted figure in the saddle was
that of boy. But it was woman's
voice, and a mighty pleasant one. that
called to the dog: Down, Barney.
and behave yourself-what's the mat
ter with you, sir I"
l stood up and pulled OF my cap
I'm chiefly the matter" l said.
your dog seems to think he knSvs
me, and I'm awfully sorry that his
memory is so much better than mine"
You'd think-anybody would think
that a woman riding alone In the
dark on solitary mountain road
would be handsomely startled, to say
the least. at seeing a man rise up fair
ly under her horses nose. But If my
little lady were scared, she certainly
didn't parade her fright.
Barney is such foolish dog, some
times" she said alphabetically. HE
has a double brain, you know; hall
of it is good-natured and silly and
the other half is-well, it's"
The dog had come around again
wagging his tail and at that magic
word "half' ! stopped to let him stick
his cold nose into my palm. The act
brought me near enough to enable me
to see him better, and had to clap
hand over my mouth to keep from
shouting out and soaring the entire
combination into a wild stampede.
For, If you'll believe me. the dog was
my dog. One-half Of his face was
white and the other was so black that
II merged and faded tremendously in
to the night!
81 know" said. Strengthening up
again; my brain acts that way, too,
sometimes" Then: Pardon me, but
would you mind telling me the color
of the horse you are riding?"
The young woman laughed and her
laugh was just as jolly and pleasant
as her speaking voice.
"Winkie is what the cow-men call
'pinto'-a calico horse" she answered
promptly.
"Sure !" l beloved, 81 knew It'll"
and the horse SHE'D and the dog barked
in sheer sympathy. Then l apologized.
"Please forgive the explosion. AS
said minute ago, my brain some
times acts like Barney's: half of 1t
being good-natured and silly and the
other half-well, Wen omit the de-
scription of the other half for the
present, if you'll permit me. May I
me where / ann"
T-why-dear mel Don't you know
where you are?'
Not any more than harmless, nee
essary goat, | assure you"
l couldn't be certain, but / thought
she took a little firmer hold upon her
bride rein.
did you-did you come from An
gels?" she asked in a sort of awed
little voice.
How did you guess it? l was, in
deed-for very short space of tine |
this very day-a member of the An
gelic band. And If you should ask me,
might say that feel as though / had |
walked most of the way here from
Angels. I-I-my car broke down, you
Know"
YES" she said: II know"-just as
f she did. Then: 81 can at least tell
you where you are. This is the south
srn slope of Cinnabar mountain. This !
-oad leads on down to Atropia, about
hree miles below"
"Y-es; Atropia was the place | was
ryIng to come at"
She stopped and appeared to be think
ng about something. Then she said
Really. think you would better
not go to Atropia. It's-well. it's
Iuite long walk"
1.-THE walk doesn't specially appal
me- I've done so much walking this
fternoon that a few hundred miles,
nore or less. in addition wouldn't be
sorth mentioning. But for some other
"Yes; for some other reasons" she
aid. repeating IL right after me. Then:
I-we-Daddy and |, might give you
ONE supper and put you up for the
light, Tiff you wouldn't mind sleep
* in them the loft"
My Lord | hadn't so much as seen
er face clearly yet, but I could have
'orshiped herl She had just come
rom Atropia, and she knewi OF
oprca che tnaur That ffftIa IT,, | I