The National tribune., 1891-12-03

not Reeder's selfconfdence After a willie he
rc-entered the house TO find the baby coEc.
The day WAS mild and the door open, and
Jackey had crept ont and started on IN luyCs-
tigatinE tour. Brant examined the well, the
cayc-cellar and much of the ground in the inn
mediate vicinity; hut no Jackey. Then
the widows! lie must look there as last re-
sort. Aud he set or ut a rapid rate.
Meanwhile JacEcy had been doing very
well. lie had walked, tumblcd and crawled
out Of the house and quite distance of across
the prairie, aud then had ridden the rest of the
way 10 his destination. Perhaps IL was luck or
lnstinct-maybe IL was intelligent reasoning
but, what ever may have directed him, little
Jackey made his way In n waycring fashion
directly toward Nell Nelson's little home.
Half way there, the Doctor, proving about for
jack rabbits, encountered the baby. There
was a good .naturod scutlle between them, and
thCn somehow rs they tumbled about Jackoy
clutChcd and Cawcd himself onto the dog ;
back, and was highly olatcd as the animal rose
10 his feet and strobe steadily homeward with
the little man astrde Of him.
Nell looked up from her mcnding TO sec the
Doctor, with his tail waving tEIumphantly
walk in with the baby on his back, and Jackey
whoopcd with delight as she snatched him up.
A little later Brant came.
III the Doctor had been a thinking being, he
could not have told how il all came about, for
he was keeping more than one eye fixed most
of the time on a man who presently left Brants
house and came across the prairie in that di-
rcction. But however il happened, Jackey
WAS the cause Of il. As Brant attempted TO
take the baby from the little widows arms, the
small rascal reached out one hand and caught
hold Of his coat and pulled him toward them
with all his tiny strength. Then-wc!l'
Bmnt stammCrcd little, and then, forgetting
whether his face was handsome or not, spoke
his heart:
"Jacley wants you and, oh, Nellie Jack
wants you, too"
Aud the liitle widow--but, at that moment,
the Doctor shot out Of the door, aud would not
have known what followed even had he been
a thinking being.
lie met Rccder a good 100 yards of, and only
the club saved Reeder's best clothes from being
rent. The man aud dog were still az IL when
Sims drove mp in his blackboard and stopped the
fight and took Reeder up As they drove MP "a
the snail house the little widow came TO the
door Jack Brant came with her, aud RcedeT
thought be saw Bant hastily take has arm from
about her waist. Jackey was clutching fas;
10 her skirts. Sims grinned.
Wal growled Eccder, you're in the same
box with me, SIMS"
" Not much :" returned the land agent. He
added. loud enough for them all TO hear, 81
just dropped over 10 invite you all TO my we'd
dlnE winch wlll take place on the I0'h. lou
know the bride-Miss Osborn, who lives five
miles east But, haven't minute TO stop!
Rceder kept his seat in the blackboard.
=" That blamed dog would eat me il got OF
he growled as they rode away. That dog an
that baby have been against me from the first
But If II hadn't been for them"
lie sighed but kept his self-ostcem.
LooKey here, Sims" he demanded, pres
emily, what was your little game in this
matter, anyhow"
Sims grinncd again.