The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-02-22

ever since the marriage of Mr.. Tren-
holme A friend of that gentlemen, a
sporting character, had borrowed the
dog to take away with him into the
wilds of New Hampshire, on hunting
tour he was making with some brother
sportsmen; and now having returned,
he brought Quito home. From the
very first, the dog behaved strangely.
Mr.. Trenholme thought he had been so
long away that he had forgotten his
old friends; but that was not the case,
for he greeted Agnes and the house
keeper in the most cordial canine man
ner. But he was restless, and ill at
ease. He smelled of the floors and the
furniture, and his ears and tail were
erect in an instant at the slightest
sound. He refused to eat, and would
not lie down in his old place on the mat
in the library, but sat in a watchful at
titude on the threshold of the sitting
room. Helen Fulton began to make
advances to him at once.
eff he'd only let me pat him." she
said to Agnes. 'Patting is the finest
cure for ill-temper. ! always pat papa
when I ask him for money
She put out her hand to the dog
well be friends, won't we, Qutto?'
The dog winked his great intelligent
eyes, and laid his cold nose in her hand.
She put her arms around his shaggy
neck.
81 love you, Quito" she said, enthu-
siastically. ''Helen loves you! And
let what will happen she'll stand by
your
The dog barked understandingly, and
looked into her face with eyes that were
almost human.
A little afterward, piercing scream
echoed through the house. 1t came
from the hall above the main entrance.
Ralph rushed out of the library, where
he was writing, and Agnes, Helen and
Mrs. Trenholme hurried to the place.
For a moment they all stood petrlned
with what they beheld.
Quito was holding Imogene pinioned
to the floor with his heavy body, and
his terrible teeth were buried in her
throat! Every hair on him brtstled
with rage, and his eyes cleaned like
Goals. Imogene's face was purple, her
eyes starting from their sockets, and
the red blood flowing profusely down
her white neck to the floor.
Ralph snatched a musket from the
bracket in the WALL and struck the dog
terrible blow, and then he lifted lmo-
gene up. Something like a thrill OF
tenderness went over him as her head
sunk helplessly to his shoulder.
my poor girl" he said, pityingly-
then to one of the servants, William,
run quickly for the doctor!'
Imogene heard him, and raised her
self quickly.
"Stop, William she said, impera-
lively. ct is not much. Bind it up,
some of you. I want no doctors!'
Ralph took her up to the housekeep-
er's room, and the old woman washed
and dressed the wound to the best of
her ability. 1t was severe, but no ser
ious result need be apprehended.
"Now tell me how it happened?" said
Ralph, seating himself by the side OF
his wife.
She replied coldly:
81 hardly know. I think the dog
must be naturally ill-tempered.
brushed against him as I was passing,
and. instantly he sprang upon me.
Don't question me about it, please? 1t
gives me the terrors to think of it.
Ralph left her and sought Quito.
Helen had taken him in charge, and
with his head in her lap was doing her
best to comfort him for the rough treat
ment he had received at the hands Of
his master. Ralph took the animal by
the collar, and Helen saw the glitter of
a revolver in his hand. She sheltered
the dog with her body.
mo! no! you must not have him, if
you are going to kill him! I won't let
your
HE has nearly killed my wife, Miss
Fulton; l should not feel safe with him
at large The only way to stop this is
to end his life"
"But tell you, you shall not! Mr.
Trenholme, / am your guest, and if
want a dogs life spared, you can't be
gentleman, you know, unless you spare
| it,"
Indeed, I regret to deny you
But you need not regret, for I will
not have you deny me! You can chain
the dog. But if you kill him, now mark
me, if you kill him-and you shall not
there will come day when you will
be sorry for it!''
| Her singular earnestness Influenced
him strangely. There was something
| about this girl he did not understand.