The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-10-13

spoke to her.
She never knew what he said, and
her only reply, as she reteated few
steps was an altogether unattended
little scream. 1t was not a loud one,
and there was more surprise in it than
fear, but it was followed by remarkable
consequences.
Tsar had quickened his lordly pace,
full twenty seconds earlier, and, for
some reason of his own, he had adj
vanced little under the shadow of the
fence; but his eyes had not wandered
from the human beings in the road be-
fore him. His head and tail were raised
trifie, and there was very peculiar
expression on his broad, hairy face.
There was no love of tramps in it at
all.
"Oh now, we nain't hurt you. You
needn't squat"
That was what the second of those
three ruffans began to say, when an
awful, wrathful, roaring growl, as of
warning, sounded from some deep
jawed cavern among the shadows at the
right of Pereie Lee. 1t was followed,
in one long, elastic, power-expressing
bound, by huge dark form that in one
second more was crouching in front OF
| her.
The first and second tramp upset the
third, and tumbled over him, so sudden
was the retreat they made, while Tsar,
for their special benefit and more at
length, repeated his growl, with sup
Elementary snarl that sounded fearfully
| like the announcement of another
spring forward
The remarks made by all of those
vagabonds, as they. scrambled to their
feet, were in a manner complimentary
to Tsar, although not intended to be
! so.
Percie Lee stood behind her protector,
and she could not see, as they did,
the white rows of cleaning teeth and
| the fierce green light in the threatening
eyes. She could perfectly understand,
however, that there was an enormous
amount of very good dog between her
and any further approach of ruffianly
insolence. She was almost astonished
at the sudden feeling of security which
came upon her and at the entire ease
with which she began to breathe again.
Tsar did not spring. He did but
crouch in that picturesque attitude until
the nearest tramp was fifty yards away,
on a steady run; and then he. stood
erect, sending after his enemies one
deep, sonorous ''Woof-oof,' to keep
them company.
Good dog! good fellowr'
"Ur-r-r-r," was the gentle response
of Tsar, and he even .wagged his tail,
moderately, but he did not condescend
to look around. He walked slowly on
up the road, and it was now Percie' s
turn to follow him.
Il do not think | had better leave
her, said Tsar to himself; mot even
when we get to our house"
1t was not until they reached the turn
of the road, away beyond DR.. Cor
hams, that he at last stood still.
Percie wished very much to pat him
but she could hardly muster courage,
and while she was hesitating there
came sound of wheels, and light
buggy pulledup in the middle of the
road.
| ''Dr. Gorhamt''
'Percie Lee! Is that you? | declare!
Miss Leland that great brute-it's all
my fault. Did he scare you much,
Percie-Miss Lee?''
is it your dog, Heber-doctor?'
"Tsar! Come here, sirr'
"Oh doctor, don't scold him. He has
been taking care of me. There were
three OF them"
| s'Doos. Miss Lee?"
mo, sir; tramps. Dreadful-looking
they spoke-he is a splendid dog; :
beautiful"
| "HeP All, weii-it's good thing
he did MT take hold of one of them.
There'd have beed n fine surgical case
prepared for me, in no time. But how
did he happen to be outp Unmuzzled,
too. l remember, now. All my fault. -"
II guess he must have been left out
to take care of me, doctor"
"Ain't glad of it, though! Now
Miss Lee, you must step right into my
buggy, and let me carry you home.
Tsar, go home, sirr''
He turned to obey, but a small white
hand was on his head as he did SO.
GOOD dog, Tsar; thank you, sir
It was odd, indeed but something in
that remark seemed aimed at the dog;
and 1t must have hit him, too, by the
proud way of his walking off; but some
of it went further The young physi-
clan assisted. Percie into the buggy, and
drove away; and it was quite distance
around the corner Of the main road that
they passed dimly discernible and
quite breathless group that leaned
against fence. Nobody going by in d
buggy could have heard them mutter
"Tell We what, boys, that was the
awfullest dog l ever seem"
"Guess we won't try that there road
again tonight. He's loose.
"All them sort O. dogs has got to be
killed off, or the roads won't be safe u
Perhaps, but at that moment Tsal
was reentering his own yard, for he
went straight back to his quarters He
stood for moment turning over his
empty muzzle with his paw, and then
lay heavily down. He thought he I'M
derstood the entire matter, now.
"Heber Gorham knew that thai
young lady would be in need of me
It's all right, but doubt if l did my
whole duty. Unmuzzled. too. A lost
opportunity
As to the tramps, yes, but not as te
all other parts of his performance. He
hardly ksew how it afterwards came &c
pass. but before long he discovered thai
he had formed a habit. of going down tt
the cove with Percie Lee, to see hel
take sketches of islands, trees, waves
cows, and other matters and things, anC
of remaining till Heber Gorham, Jr
M. D., came to take his place, with Oh
without buggy. He failed fully to
understand the business until another
sort of day arrived, when he found him
self called upon, first, to attend wed
ding, by special invitation of Percit
Lee; and then then to recognize her a:
permanent addition to his own house
hold at the old Gorham homestead. Hi
agreed to it. He had liked that young
woman from the first time he saw her
And SO, to tell the truth had his mas
ter William o. StoddGrd, in Atldnti,
Monthly.