Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-05-20
MYSTERY OF THE
 GREAT RUBY.
By LUCIB ST. DEANE.
lCo7yr.Shs .,oS, by American Press Associa,
 
CHAPTER XI

The ncr; nr1ival was a dog Of i'm mcn>r Sizt l first heard lew, threat ening grovI auI then felt Il!A Suitting at my heels O:c ut the first thoughts of vagrant in approaching Il house Is whether he is likely to come i'll contact with canine, but that danger had not occurred 10 ne.
 1 spoke in a soothing voice 10 the hugo dog, whuso nose touched my hip, for was anxious to establish friendly relations with him, but he knew his duty, and his manner became so threat ening that I saw l mast retreat. It was clear that ho meant "businCsS, and tho safest placo for me was somewhere else.
 It would not do to break into run, for nothing inspires dog with moro courage than tho sight of a fleeing per son, and it i> the same if the pursucr is man. l tried 10 walk with certain dignity. tutoring all the conciliatory OK presSiOnS it my command and even try ing to pat his rnurmOus head.
 But snap at my hand and more growlS showed that he was ill no mood to rc COurilatcd Hc knew l was an intruder, and he must have been taught to adopt summary measures with per sons of that class He kept close to me, still Srlwlinc, and seemed to bo trying t0 <t tile i'll Ills mind the best method of making an attack. Thus matters stood wh,n wo reached the head of the ave nu, and walked brisily toward the highway.
 How warned to break into run and e.. Y Wj;A >.vrd of tho wind to the main lu..l! Eut, sprintor though l was, could L., Er match for that hugo crca- turr.
 suddenly he matlr a snap at my heels. and with >u Involuntary exclamation l lcaptd into the a!r and was off like a deer.
 Let me alnno ur I'll Kill you!" 1 shouted, drawing my revolver. IL iS not tn be presumed that the ca nine era>pcd tho meaning of my threat, or if he Gld h. was not frightened. for he WAS ufr,1 lno tho next instant. He lanGvl uIuH my shoulders and would have lolno I.:o 10 tho earth hal not Shah,n hluf ptT.
 IUt lis j,!,,. Twas up. and lie WAS like a ju!,Eil tiger. He meant 10 tear mo 10 >Ar,,:S and would hlvr iyne 1t the next mI@ui ha>i lnpt prevented. l had faced | around l:i SAW thc terrible l,va>t leap >tril .t;t al my throat \ sweep of my 1 l,.t ;,rm ..v, rtyI this danger. and aS he @.:ts,r ll..~,lt fnr .nuthrr spring l 1 llt 1lv M!;.t l..r,,' shots If my revolver. Tln; >e:.lI himi. When man has ta G,,..t, I,rtM,yn killing a GuS ard be- l :Il.; L!!.,d Y him, he is nut apt tn hcSi- ta;r.
 Tnn rv'a.t,nrr @ctl.vd another thing. IL WI. i,.!,' i.H nr tl kyrp any survril- | Ia~tr ,t ike house fer some time to c.,.lr. He >& 'ctiuE If the dvg would alullA thr lru!At,>. and they would h' 1 o,l j.,r N..t-,l i IT tl!n rest If the night | P.o, d, ., Nur!~> Howard would read | the I;,,...5!,.-, uf Ih,' affair and leave the Gw. '.:: 1T l,.~!. If >u, ny venture 1 lnl,, .!.i. Y fL.!,d trln good. but lad
 Huy s;:, :. ;.1,, th, chance ~ ut WAT, and why I, -:,t that which cannot hc helped.
 Tahir.; to the highway. l walked lri,klv. newer stopping until reached tie railway station. Was ill time tu | catch t:lr train tO Jersey City, and soon 1 was III l',i at a hotel un the New York l >IG2. ht,t lv friend If mine, who kutw ny Irutus>iou and gave me every facility I wished IL was 90 convenient to thc railway that it saved me the | time l must have list had gone to my homo m t1'yn.
 The individual who stepped off the train next day at Railway would never have been suspcctCl of bciug the va grant who slouched into town the day preceding and walked from Elizabeth tc that Doiut. He was fashionably dressed, prilu looking and carried a small cans. had decided upon q magnificent game of Nlun
 The day was trisk and cool. It had not caiucd for a week, and tho weather was of that sort which makes a walb q source of delight. Instead of hiring cab. I sauntcrtd down town, turning of ever the same road had followed The night before,
 The route was 90 familiar that 1 could not 90 astray. and in due time I saw Jhp stone house among the partly denud cd trees on my left. There was the nv onuc. lined Cn each side with the tower ing DopIars. aIsi 1 s!ackened my pace q the very spot where l had given th, Quil tuS to tho dog that so soroly bose
 mc uo must havc bren favOrite, fo hi> L. dy had ECeu removed and doubt less given decent burial.
 They will bs surc 10 buy another lut it isn't likely they have him yet, was my comforting reflection aS strod up the lane, stepped upon the porch an' gave q resOunding summons with tn ) polished brass knOcker on the door.
 IL was opened by q colored woman who looked inQuiringly at me.
 Il wish to sec MT. Darius Howard, ' l said pleasantly.
 He doesn't live here. sir. "
 II mean the dark haired, black eye, gentleman who comes out from Nev
 York occasionally Sometimes his wifi ; is with him. She is very handsome,
 fho servant was quite intelligent an, :. surveyed mo sharply.
 l. MT Hickman lives here I nsva heard of the puIsouS you name" Who compose this family. please!
 MT. Hickman, his mother and sistal
 Dere's nobody else. sir. ' -- At this juncturs pleasant lookin Q woman of Co or 70, hearing the voico: came from the sitting room and inquil
 cd what was wanted.
 Possibly have mistaken the name,
 I said courteously, but was unde !. the belief that 1t was MT Howard wh l. lives herr.
 No was born in this house an
 have lived in it all my life. as did II father and grandfather No person ( ]. .i.-. ,,n,,,, .f E.,rr.nrN hns nrar liunH {