The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1921-02-23
FATE
ca short story by Bessie Fountain)

He was only mongrel pup, and
the ugliest, homliest creature in all
the world. Everybody said so and
even the pup himself knew he was not
beautiful by any means.
His ears were flapped and twisted
and were muct too large for his small
sharp head and pointed nose and his
legs-Well, they undoubtedly from the
beginning have been intended for
some other purpose than that of sup
porting the short little body of an ill
kept stable bred cur
There was only one thing beautiful
about Fate, that was the look in his
big soft tender dog eyes. You would
want to laugh, that is, until you saw
that look and then you would want to
put your arms around his shaggy lit
tie body and-cry!
1t was such tender and wistful
look and said SO plainly that he was
sorry that he was that kind of dog,
but he couldn't help it because God had
made him that way.
There was only one person in the
world who loved Fate, and that was
his Mistress and she was the only per-
son in the world whom Fate loved.
1t was near great forest that these
strange companions lived in tiny
little log-cabin just across the border,
a great, long, lonely stretch of trees it
was. Not another house in sight and
good thirty miles to the nearest rail
road station.
The Master had set out on the long
and tedious journey to the little Wes-
tern Village to obtain provisions and
clothing. He would be probably be
hindered by storms and snowdrifts
and perhaps would not return until
on the evening of the following day.
Duchess, the pretty little wife of
the Master would be left alone that
night with only the wind in the tree
tops and the loyal faithful pup to keep
her company, through the long, silent,
winter night.
1t was impossible to go to bed so
she remained awake sitting huddled
! up over the few crimson Goals that
were left in the huge fireplace. The
/ gu1N
The dog lolled lazily at her feet, his
shaggy head lying on his outstretched
paws while his sharp little nose poin-
ted toward the fireplace. Thus it was
that they spent the first half of that
terror-fraught night
ELECTROMAGNETIC, the sound of q
foot-step--
Fate emitted low growl STEADY
boy, down sir!" the words were hardly
above a whisper and the dog did moi
seem to understand. Quick as flash
he was up, bristles raised, haunche.
rigid, perhaps he did not know much
he might have been awfully ignorant
and he was only mongrel pup anC
stable-bred, but he loved, and even the
sorriest dog can boast OF that. He
knew he must fight for the deares
person in all the world to him
Slowly and cautiously the door wa.
| opened by some one-and the head o.
great hulking brute of a man appear
ed. The heart of the woman seemed
to turn to stone within her. What il
heavens name should she do? In al
and she had nothing with which tC
instant he would be inside the cabr
protect herself There was only on,
way-Fatel,
Get him, boy!" only growl from
the dog, perhaps he could not fully
comprehend, never having heard hi.
Mistress use that tone before
20! my God" cried the woman
cant you understand? Fate go ge
that man" He understood quick a.
a shot he sprang forward, grasping the
arm OF the intruder with his powerful
Jaws, crushing practically every bone
in it.
The big man yelled with pain, ant
moaning rushed from the cabin door
and ran on and on gingerly nursing
his injured arm
"A h. of dog" the man confid.
ed to the rest OF his mates in a dirty
camp back in the woods, "a d--n good
looking woman. but h--ll of a dog
Good old fellow good doggie.'
rroaned a low sweet voice in the cabir
on the border. well done, my boy,
She said while two soft pink arms
slowly encircled the huge shaggy
neck OF that h-- OF dog.
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