Page:Stringer - Lonely O'Malley.djvu/53



ONNY, have you lost a goat?"

"Mebbe!" answered Lonely, non-committally, eyeing the angular and angry-eyed woman in the pink sunbonnet.

"Well, that goat 's et up every blessed one of my black raspberry bushes!" declared the unknown woman, looking at Lonely as though she could willingly have done the same with him.

"That 's too bad!" said the new boy, blinking at the pink sunbonnet. His coolness had far from a pacifying effect.

"And that goat goes to pound, young man, till them bushes is paid for, and well paid for!" stormed the woman.

"All right!" said Lonely, moodily. He had other troubles to occupy his mind. The pink sunbonnet disappeared. A few minutes later the sound of shrill screams rang through the quiet village street.

Lonely ventured tentatively forth, to take in the situation. Three gateways beyond his