Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1883-06-28

steal upon his enemy.
"What does he mean?" said Mary,
her blue eyes dilating in wonder.
The summer-kitchen was short dis
lance from the main building and be-
tween it and the meadow fence was the
spring.
From the spring issued quite large
Stream, flowing under the fence and
across the meadow. Where it flowed
under the fence, near the summer kitch-
en-, was small but dense thicket of
alders, briars and wild glape-vines.
This was the point FOR which John
was making.
Arriving within a few rods of the
house, he ran, STOPPING, across the lit
tie open space of meadow between the
fence and stream then. behind the
alders that lined the bank he hurried
along until he reached the thicket, into
which he craw1ed, and fixed himself so
that he could have view of the win
dow.
Mary's eyes flashed in anger.
$50, john" said she, ''you have
been reading the Champion Herald.
Well, Wen see how much information
YOU ii OULstlIl NOuI
Then, taking roundabout way, so
that he might not see her, Mary entered
the house and went upstairs to her
room and sat down ut window that
overlooked his hiding-place-
"What a splendid place for observa-
ton y said John to himself us he fixed
himself among the bushes.
just then up went the window and
out came a pail of dirty water, thrown
by the strong arms of Mrs johnson.
."Ugh! ugh!' said he, crawling
backward rs the dirty shower came
dripping down through the leaves ''this
is a circumstance for which made no
calculation
belle, where is Mary ?'' called Mrs.
johnson to one of the, girls.
"Up-stairs, said Belle.
"Why, what's she doing there? Why
ing ?''
II don't know" was the reply.
"She says she's not coming down for
some time; you needn't wait breakfast
for her."
Just as I expectedr' said John,
with a sad cOuntenance. '.ThOse board
ing-schOols will ruin any girl. 1 sup
pose they'll carry her breakfast up to
her. l guess I'll 60 now; I've learned
as much as l want to know"
But John did not go just then; some
thing again occurred for which he had
made no calculation. The Squire had
several dogs, and among them was one
ferocious old fellow called Bull. At
hx- hn ~ xysnf o1o
breakfast was now cooking, they had
gathered about the Kitchen door, and Sit
ting there with wagging tails were
awaiting their morning meal.
At the first rustic of the leaves as
John turned round they pricked up their
ears. In a moment, after he had moved
again, they were over the fence, jump
ing and bowling and pramcing around
the thicket rs if it contained their great
est enemy.
.Hi, there! Hist, Bull! Go in, Ro-
yer! Hurrah, Bob, dogs have got
rabbit shouted the boys, running out
and bombarding the thicket with
shower Of sticks and stones, which
made John lie as fiat rs skirmisher
under the fire of whole line of con-
cealed enemies.
''Get out there! Get out! What in
thunder's all this fuss ab6ut?" grOwled
the Squire, coming to the spring to wash
and thinking the dogs were after cat
or a bird.
Ina few minutes the family went to
breakfast, and the dogs left the thicket.
The coast seemed clear.
"Now or never!' said John, as he be-
gan to crawl towards the edge ut which
he came in.
A low savage growl stopped him;
there, right i'm his front, was old Bull,
stretched out, with his head between
his paws, winking at him, and SEEM
ing to say: ''fve got you now, young
fellown'
'Poor old Bull!' said John, coax
ingly.
A low growl was his only answer.
'.My poor old fellow! Come here,
won't you?" said John, patting on his
knee.
Another growl, fiercer than ever
Bull was too old to be flattcred.
John now was mad.
"Confound you, you old scoundrelr'
said he; Elf ever catch you away from
this place I'll murder you"
Bull only winked in reply to this
abuse.
John now tried to get out at another
place, but Bull moved around upon the
line of investment and took position il
Johns front again.
John was not usually profane, but
just here he used an expression or two
denoting his willingness to see Bull in
warmer cline than this
Breakfast was now over. The Squire
and the boys came out, took their
scythes from the apple-tree and began
to whet them.
The question that troubled John now
was: Where are they going to NOW?
His fears were soon confirmed
''Where shall we bcgin?' said one of
the boys.
Fright here in the corner, and NOW
round the thicket.' was the squire's
reply.
John groaned in spirit.
They climbed the fence and began.
''COme out there, Bull said the old
man, catching sight of the dog.
Bull was slow about moving.
Jake, take him to the barn and tie
him."
Jake led him away. but Bull every
now and then looked back as if he ex-
pected to see John rush out.
John kept very still.
1t was impossible to see him from the
outside, and every round took them far
Their away, lessening the danger of dis
covery.
John now began to think it was time
to see or, at least, hear something of
Mary. She, from her window, saw his