Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1883-09-15


suddenly felt called upon TO eNclaim:
"Oh, that dog"
To be sure, that dog. Tsar was on the
other side of the road, and he did not seem
to be taking any particular notice of her,
but thus Percie truly remarked of him:
"He is perfectly enormous,'
She forgot about the COW in an instant,
but she did not speak her opinion directly
to the dog. Neither did she think of
sketching him, although lie was certainly
worth it. She seemed hardly to care 10
look at him.
Tsar, on his part, had taken good look
at Percie Lee. He was not mistaken about
her for one moment.
every nice girl. Well dressed. Pretty,
too; but she's out late. Most likely her
family are friends to DR.. GOrham. must
have an eye on that young lady. 1t is
getting dark"
That eye was what startled Percie so
dreadfully, moment later; for she hap
pened to look behind her, and there was
that vast creature solemnly stalking after
her.
"He is following mel" she exclaimed.
Not a doubt of it, and the fact that he
stopped or went on just when she did
hardly seemed to help the matter. Ii was
getting darker and more shadowy every
moment. and Percie would have been al
most willing to run, if she had not feared
that if she did the dog would run too. lie
appeared larger and larger, every time she
glanced behind her, until she was afraid
to look again, and her breathing grew
little hurried.
.'Nobody's any business to have such
dog" she gasped in Il whisper. Its
awful"
"She seems to be scared about some
thing" thought Tsar. "Girls are apt to
be timid. All, | see! It's those ragged
rascals coming down the road. Villain
ous-looking vagabOnds. If there is any
thing in this world that | hate, it is a
tramp"
That is n universal sentiment among
dogs of Tsar's social standing; but the
three ruflians who were now approaching
were either ignorant of that fact, or dld
not know that such dog was so very
near.
"Dreadful men :" had been the unspok-
en- thought in the mind of Percie Lee, ana
il was followed by doubt as to whether
she should ever again dare to come down
to the cove.
81 must sketch the island" she said,
"but will come in the forenoon"
The three men were walking abreast
now, and they were plainly determined
no. TO turn to the right hand or the left for
Pcrcie Lee. She had just time to grasp
that terrible idea and to feel her heart
lump when one of them actually spoke to
her.
She lever knew what he said, and her
only reply, as she retreated a few steps
was an altogether unintendcd little scream
It was not a loud one, and there was more
surprise in it than fear, but it was fol-
lowed by remarkable consequences.
Tsar had quickened his lordly pace, full
twenty seconds earlier, and for some rea-
son OF his own he had advanced little
under the shadow of the fence; but his
ewes had not wandered from the human
beings in the road before him. His head
and tail were raised a trifle, and there was
n very peculiar expression OH his broad,
hairy face. There was no love Of tramps
in ii ut all.
"Oh now, we hain't hurt you. You
needn't squall."
That was what the second of those three
ruifians began to say, when an awiul,
wrathful, roaring growl, as of warming,
sounded from some deep-jawed cavern
among the shadows at the right of Percie
Lee. 1t was followed in one long, elaEtic,
power-expressing bound, by huge dark
form that in one second more was crouch
ing in front of her.
The first and second tramp upset the
third, and tumbled over him, SO sudden
was tue retreat they made, while Tsar, Tor
their special benefit and more at length,
repeated his growl, with a supplementary
snarl that sounded fearfully like the an
nouncement of another spring forward.
The remarks made by all of those vaga-
bonds, as they scrambled to their ieet,
were in manner complimentary to lsar,
although not intended TO be so.
PercIe Lee stood behind her protector,
and she could not see, ~ 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 iur-
ther approach of ruftianly insoienee. She
was almost astonisIied at the sudden feel
ing of security which came upon her ana
at the entire ease with which she began
to breathe again.
1'sar did not spring. He did but crouch
in that picturesque attitude until the near
est tramp was fifty yards away, Oh steady
RIM. and then he stood erect, sending
after his enemies one deep, sonorous
"W oof-oof' to keep them company.
"Good dog! good fellow"
"Ur-r-r-r," was the gentle response oi
Tsar, and he even wagged his tail, mod
erately, but he Cid not consent to look
around. He walked slowly on up the
road, and it was now Percie's turn to fol-
low him.
sI do not think had better leave her,
said Tsar to himself; mot even when we
get to our house"
4. 49,. MT nntil they reached the turn