The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-04-11

canal. and don't know any low dogs"
Where have you been, them"
"Only next door"
Then, you wicked dog, why didn't
you come in before ?"
BecAuse-weIl, because | didn't
want the Police Inspector to see me.
What had you done, then -
Don't be cross, and I'll tell you all
about it. You know little Tommy Bowles,
who lives next door,"
8 The boy that comes after my apple
tree ~
g Yes; and you said you'd cut his head
/ off it you caught him again. Well,
somebody has cut his head off, for his
/ father found him lying just against the
/ garden wall without it, and l saw him
| picked up, and so l thought I'd listen /;
and presently heard them say they be-
/ lieved you'd done it, and they sent for
/ the Inspector from the police station up
| the street; and | hid under the table,
and when he came, he said there was no
| doubt you'd done it, but the difficulty
would be to prove il"
! " But | never cut Tommy Bowles'
head off"
:" Yes, you did"
"What do you mean, dog Are you
mad %
6 You know you flung broken plate
over the wall this morning, didn't you ?"
"WellY,
Well, just as you threw it, Tommy
Bowles was climbing up the wall to get
at your apple tree, and it caught his neck,
! and cut his head right off.
The young man sprIng to his feet in
an instant A cold perspiration burst
from every pore. He had taken human
life, and his victim lay heailess next
door. He turned hurriedly to Pickle for
information, but the dog had left the ia
bic, and was stretched quietly on the
heirtrug, gnawing bone The concen-
tration of his masters will had been dis
turbed, the conditions under which the
phenomena were possible had been de-
stroyed
For fully an hour he endeavored vainly
to bring himself into a fit state to control
the animals will. At last, by a mighty
effort, he succeeded.
g Pickle, go on; tell me all you heard"
The Influence was evidently weak for
Pickle, instead of answering, cast visit
full glance at the half knawed bone on the
heartrug.
4" You shan't have tai = y i ain at
all, if you don't answ r., "r.e j mas
ter, angrlly.
For moment the d : -. lead
on one side, and appeared |, j. linking,
then she resumed her narrative, but in a
hesitating, timorous manner, not usual
with her when talking.
Did any one see the--ah-accident,
Pickle?"
No; but Tommy Bowles' father and
neighbor who dropped in said they'd
heard you threaten to do it over and over
again. Then one of them said, 'Ah ! if
that dog of his could speak, it would tell
us all about it, | warrant > and then"
" Go on, go on
Hush ! Perhaps somebody may be
listening"
Whisper"
Well, then, the Inspector jumped
up and said, by Jove! it wouldn't be
the first dog who'd hanged man = and
then said presently, IF that dog saw it
done--and ten to one she did-Pll have
it out of her, see if don't"
What did he mean, Pickle 7"
Why, he's found out you Won Gla-
benIze me, and make me talk and he'll
do the same if he catches me, When /
heard this, master, | sneaked out of the
room and ran for my life; and | went,
oh such long way round, and waited
till it was quite dark, for fear he should
see me come in; and that's what made
me so late. | may finish that bone now,
mavn't II"
Freeing the dog from control, the
young man flung himself heavily into a
chair. His position was desperate The
little harmless dog, knawing away at its
bone as though nothing had happened,
had his life upon its tongue. Why, in the
hands Of man like the Inspector-a
man who apparently knew the secret he
fancied he himself alone possessed the
dogs evidence would hang him twenty
times over. He felt his collar tighten
around his neck as he thought of it
Who would believe it was only an acct
dent? His threat to cut off Tommy
BOwles' head had been heard all over the
neighborhood. He had flung the fatal
plate ; the dog had seen him do it the
dog could be made to speak, and the In
spector knew how to make it.
Suddenly the thought struck him,
Pickle is the only witness who could
prove the actual deed.> How if | were to
-tO-put her out of the way?'
The young mans face had been ghast.
ly pale till then. Hardly had his brain
conceived the thought than his checks
were sufused with a blush of honest
shame.
XII his dear, faithful little Pickle
No, never. The accidental y-shed gore
of Tommy Bowles was on his hands al |
ready, should he dye them in deeper
crimson with the blood of an innocent, |
loving little dog2 Perish the thought
Come what might, they would share the
worst together.
The worst Great powers Why, at
any moment the myrmido1s of the law
might be hammering at his door he
might be in gao!, and Pickle in the power
of that COMPOUNDED meddling Inspector
Not second was to be lost.
X II
Late that night young man stole eau
tiously down the steps of the House in |
street, and hailed passing hansom !
From beneath the folds of his Ulster
peered the sharp black muzzle of a little
dog.
Three weeks later man and dog stood !
upon the deck of the good ship Grampus, |
bound for UjJi with Zoe, lucifer matches,
and gray shirtings.
"What is that island yonder?' asked |
the man of the first mate, who was lean
ing over the bulwark near him.
The man shaded his eyes and looked. |
THAT! Oh, that's desert island. |
We are out of our course, through the |
logs, good bit, or we shouldn't be near