Catoctin clarion., 1897-02-11


another golf lesson"
Jack ran into the hall and seized his
golf bag, saying that it was the best
thing he could do.
"Not quite" retorted Sylvia, laugh
ing. 1.-The very best thing that you
could do would be to persuade your
aunt to let dear Mr.. Wicks stay"
"And SO l will" exclaimed Jack
with great earnestness.
"How serious" said Sylvia, glancing
qaickly at him, and then there was a
pattering Of feet and painting behind
them. It was Mr.. Wicks.
"How nice! We shall have an audi
enoe. Mr.. Wicks has como to look on"
said Sylvia holding out her oleek for
the dog to jump over.
But Jack thought differently. "1'm
afraid we shall find it quite impossible
to play if he does look on, he suggest.
ed.
"And why?"
"Oh, because he'll stand behind you
just when you re going to hit, or come
In front and get killed, and many other
things"
Every WE'LL" said Sylvia, with
shado Of annoyance in her voice. "Rath-
er than that Mr.. Wicks should lose his
walk III give up golf, and please, Mr..
Cherryton, will you take my clubs back
to the house? Thank you"
And at that moment Jack felt that
he positively hated Mr.. Wicka
Come along, Mr.. Wicks, dear"
cried Sylvia gayly.
Jack said never a word. but stood
staring after Sylvia as she walked away
with Mr.. Wicks by her side, and his old
enemy-jealousy-raged within him.
Two or three days passed by. Sylvia
seemed just as devoted as ever to her
dog, and Jack became more and more
gloomy and silent.
"Mr. Wicks must really go tomor-
row." said Miss Cherryton, looking at
her morose nephew. my dear Jack,
for goodness sake say something, do
something" she cried, jumping up and
bustlinR about the room. But don't
sit there so solemn and sphinxlike.
"Send him away, aunt, send the dog
away. But what am l saying? Keep
him, mean, oh, keep him. Miss Druco
Is so devoted to him." And Jack flung
himself out of the room.
"Well," laughed Miss Cherryton.
"young men arc strange creatures, os-
pecially when they are in love. Never
theless, I shall send tho puppy away"
Jack strolled ont Of the house in the
cool of the evening In his state OF
mind the rooms seemed oppressively
hot. Again and again he asked himself
if Sylvia cared for him, but he could
find no answer. and the tall trees, way
ing their branches in tho night breezes.
seemed to sigh in sympathy with him.
He walked slowly across tho soft,
velvety lawn and out Of the garden in
to the long grass Of the park He look.
ed up at the starlit heavens and at the
faint pink light just above the horizon,
but the silent beauty of the evening
made him the more sad.
At this moment there was a sharp
little bark of delight, u rustling in the
grass, and Mr.. Wicks came dancing at
Jacks side.
"Go home" cried Jack, pointing to
the house. "Go home. What arc you
doing out here?''
Most dogs would have skunk away
with their tails between their legs, but
Mr.. Wicks looked up solemnly at Jack
and almost seemed to speak the words,
"Why are you angry with me?' then
held up little paw, as il to ask for
giveness, and "A a.stump Of a tail wagged
pleadingly.
Presently, without any apparent rea-
son, Mr.. Wicks began to growl.
Close ny, on slight rising OF the
ground, were three old oaks, veterans,
gnarled and weather beaten. Toward
these Mr.. Wicks trotted slowly; then he
stopped, put his head on one side, lis
tened and growled again, and, scamper-
ing toward one Of the oaks, barked fu-
riously.
Jack whistled, but Mr.. Wicks SEEM
ed engrossed in gazing up into the tree.
Then strange thing happened. The
branches Of the old oak were pushed
roughly to one side, and man, leaping
down from the tree, looked rapidly
around him and ran with might and
main across tho open ground. Like the
wind, Mr.. Wicks, followed by Jack, was
after him, had reached him, and then
there was yell of pain, for Mr.. Wicks
had used his weapons with good effect.
With volley Of oaths and curses, the
tramp dropped n square parcel he had
been carrying, and then the stick that
he held in his other hand fell with q
heavy thud, and with just the faintest
little cry Mr.. Wioks relaxed his bold
and rolled over on his back.
The burglar ran for his life.
Jack knelt down at Mr.. Wicks' side,
called the dog by his name, and the re-
covery Of the jewels seemed nothing to
him now. Mr.. Wicks opened his eyes
slowly, and very feebly he tried to lick
Jacks hand. There was world Of un.
derstanding in those glorious eyes, then
the light flashed out from them, and
Mr.. Wicks' merry, brief career was over.
Two figures were walking slowly to-
ward the three old oaks. The twilight
was deepening, there was the same pink
glow on the horizon and the same soft
breezes whispering among the trees as
on that evening when Jack had walked
alone, jealous and miserable But now
there was change.
"Yes, Jack" murmured Sylvia, II
was very fond of my dear, heroic little
Mr.. Wioks, but all the time''-
"Yes, and all the timer" asked Jack
eagerly, while he drew nearer.
Il loved far, far better
And the three old oaks caught the
words "Mr. Jack. "-Argosy.