The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1922-02-09
ACOpYR!GHT: BY CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 4

Angels, tnat felt sure that now MOTH
Ing less than verdict of expert alien
lists would ever serve to convince these
Red Desert folk that l was ANYTHING
but an escaped lunatic.
!. After the breathing spell kept on
. up tbe valley, heading away from the
setting sun, and feeling certain that
sooner or later, must come out some
where in the neighborhood of Atropia.
Two hours later I came into a soft
OF an excuse for road. Being pretty
well winded by the stiff climb out of
the canyon ravins. sat down at the
roadside to rest a bit and to decide
which way should go, to the right
or to the left. Just as I was making
up my mind / heard patter of feet
and dog barked.
A moment later could see the
beast, indistinctly. He had been CON-
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. called coaxinp.
ly: Here, Towser-here-come on
old fellow-thats boyI" 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 paw for me to shake
l jollied him bit and let him nose
me to his hearts content. Then sud-
denly, as If he had discovered q long
lost master, he broke away and began
10 leap and dance around me- barking
q furious and hilarious welcome. In
the midst of this hubbub | heard hoof.
beats. and the squeaking of saddle
leather, and the dogs owner rode uD.
AT first | thought the dimly outlined
'Stetson hated figure in the saddle was
that cf I: boy. But it was woman's
voice. and mighty pleasant one. that
called to the dog: "Down, Barney.
nnd behave yOurSelf-whit's the mat.
ter with you, slr!"
stood up and pulled or my cap.
I'm chiefly the matter" ! said
your dog seems TO think he knows
me, and Pm 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 a solitary mountain road
would be handsomely startled, to say
the least. at seeing 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 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 a
hand over my mouth to keep from
shouting out and soaring the entire
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
1t merged and faded harmoni0usly 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 riding2"
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 itw
and the horse SHE'D and the dog barked
In sheer sympathy. Then I apologized.
please forgive the explosion AS I
said minute ago, my brain some
times acts like Barney's: half of it
being good-natured and silly and the
other half-well, well omit the de-
scriptiOn of the other half for the
present, II you'll permit me. May L
er-wil you have the goodness to tell
me where / am?"
'I-why-dear mel Don't you know
where you are?"
mot any more than q harmless, nee
essary goat. l assure you."
= l couldn't be certain, but l thought
she took 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. time
this very day-a member of the An
gelic band. And If you should ask me,
j 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
If she did. Then: 81 can at least tell
you where. you are. This is the south
erni slope OF Cinnabar mountain. This
road leads on down to Atropia, about
three miles below"
Yes; AtrOpia was the place / was
trying, to, come at"
! She stopped and appeared to be think
Ing about something. Then she said
Really, I think you would better
not. go to Atropia. It's-well, It's
quite long walk"
"The walk doesn't snecfally annai