The Bottineau courant., 1922-01-19

me and to lift paw for me to shake
jollied him bit and let him nose
me to his hearts content. Then sud.
denly, as If he had discovered long.
lost master, he broke away and began
to leap and dance around me, barking
furious and hilarious welcome. In
the midst of this hubbub heard hoof-
heats and the squeaking of saddle
leather, and the dogs owner rode up.
At first thought the dimly outlined
Stetson-hatted figure in the saddle was
that of boy. But it was a woman's
voice. and mighty pleasant one, that
called to the dog: "Down, Barney,
and behave yourseIf-what's the mat
ter with you, sir!"
I stood up and pulled off my cap.
I'm chiefly the matter" / said.
me, and Pm awfully sorry that his
memory is so much better than mine"
You'd think-anybody would think
that woman riding alone in the
dark on a solitary mountain road
would be handsomely startled, to say
|
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 apologetically. He
has double brain, you know; half
Of 1t 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 l 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
it merged and faded harmoniously In
to the night!
II know" l 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 q
'pinto'-a calico horse,' she answered
promptly.
"Sure!" l beloved, 81 knew it I"
and the horse SHE'D and the dog barked
in sheer sympathy. Then apolegized.
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, we'll omit the de-
scription of the other half for the
present, If you'll permit me. May L
er-wiu you have the goodness to tell
me where l ann"
"I-why-dear me! Don't you know
where you are?'
Not any more than harmless, nee
essary goat, assure you."
| I couldn't be certain, but I thought
she took little firmer hold upon her
bride rein.
Ibid yoa-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 time
this very day-a member of the An
gelic band. And if you should ask me,
I 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: 81 know"-iust as
if she did. Then: II can at least tell
you where you are. This is the south.
ern slope of Cinnabar mountain. This
road leads on down to Atrop;a, about
three miles below"
Yes: Atropia was the place l was
trying to come at"
She stopped and appeared to be think
| ing about something. Then she said
Really, / think you would better
not go to Atropia. It's-well, it's
quite long walk
1.-THE walk doesn't specially appaI
me. I've done so much walking this
| afternoon that few hundred miles
more or less. in addition wouldn't be
worth mentioning. But for some other
reasons"
/ yes; for some other reasons" she
said, repeating 1t right after me. Then
| 'I-we-Daddy and I, might give You
some supper and put you up for the
night, Tiff you wouldn't mind sleep
ing In them the loft
My Lord! i hadn't so much as seen
| her face clearly yet. but could have
worshiped her! She had just come
from Atropia, and she knew! OF
course. she knew. That little dry-as-
dust hamlet must have been sizzling
for hours with the wire news of the
escaped iunatic who had aIighted In
Angels only to light out again with d
stolen inspection car. And I'm the face
OF all that she was willing to take
a chance on nae! If she had only
known that +. would cheerfuIly risk
sleeping I'm the ceIlar--to say nothing
OF a loft--rather than lose sight OF
her but she was going on BIT
breafhiassiy .t Iii only short mile
to our cabin and dand If You are very
tired, 7 might lief you ride Winkie."
I shall be most delighted---to walk,
81 hastened to say. T. :.s @@s5 .5 :sss@ &
Straight on up the road. them" she
directed. 5ss I'd: g +
We had fraversed possibly ialf OF
fhe promised mile nj pl0ddIng silence
when We came to Il place where the