The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-10-25

was nearly done my uncle raped on
the door.
"Have you Demon ia there?" he call
ed out.
"Yes," answered, opening the door.
He exhibited much surprise. can
other sheep was killed last night" he
said.
"Well," 1 replied, "that merely
proves what 1 have said-that Demon
is innocent"
ayes, of course said my uncle, look
ing doubtfully at the dog. He went to
the window and inspected the fssten-
ing.
"ImpossibIev' he said.
"For him to open it?" l asked; ''of
course"
My uncle threw the blind back, and
pointed significantly at the flower bed
below. The plants had been crushed
down and the earth displaced, and
round about were numerous dog tracks.
THAT was not there yesterday" he
said.
Ny room was on the ground floor,
and from the window TO the earth was
only two or three feet. Had the blind
been open the dog might easily have
climbed out and in again, bat it had
been locked all night. | turned and
looked at Demon. He was watching
us stealthily, with the expression in his
eyes that knew and dreaded.
My uncle made another examination
of the fastening of the blind. At last
he said: al am convinced that the sheep
killer is not Demon. There is no dog
in existence that could manipulate that
crooked hook to open the blind. Those
footprints were left there by some stray
animal.
The conviction seemed inevitable,
and agreed with him. At the same
time was resolved to try the expert
ment again, and watch the dog more
carefully.
That night shut Demon in as be
1 hOlC anu CAOoCu anu AEASlChCA NhC 0COA
and blind. There was q full moon,
which made the landscape bright as
day without. and it occurred to me just
as was about to put out my lamp that
/ could throw open the upper section Of
the blind and admit the light. 1t fell
in broad, white square directly across
the mat where the dog lay, and after
got into bed / found that could watch
him easily without turning my head
upon the pillow.
Then discovered that he was watch
ing me. There was nothing unusual
about tbat-only his eyes were strange
ly bright.
/ tossed about in the bed for time,
but he never moved.
At last / determined to deceive him
into the belief that / was asleep. /
closed my eyes, and presently, by
careless movement, drew the lace edge
of the FELLOWSHIP across my face. Thus
1 could watch him and yet conceal the
i1Sb bhAe CyCS HNAS cBNh-
When had lain in this position mo-
tionless for perhaps ten minutes, De-
mon suddenly lifted his head and turn
ed it on one side. Plainly he was lis
tening-for what, could not imagine.
He put his head down, and for another
ten minutes did not move. Then grad
ually and noiselessly he rose to his feet
and came toward the bed. A little dis
tanee away he stopped and listened
again. Evidently he did not hear what
he had expected, for, after standing a
moment, he returned to his corner and
lay down.
Suddenly / found the explanation of
his strange conduct. He had listened
to my breathing that he might deter
mine if slept.
Resolved to deceive him if possible,
l began slowly to leDgthen my respira-
ton and to expel it with more sound
and force. At the end Of few min
utes 1 saw that 1 was succeeding in my
design. A second time he rose with
perfect stiffness and came to the bed.
His face wore an expression Of devilish
cunning, so utterly foreign to his Gus
tomary mien, that under other circum-
stances should have failed to recOg-
nize him. A swift flash Of satisfaction
in his eye showed that he thought me
asleep, and he turned to the window
to make his escape.
His motions were slow and cautious,
reminding me Of cat rather than a
dog. / had expected him to make
some slight noise in unlocking the
blind, for doubt if myself, with my
life in hazard, could have accomplish
ed 1t inaudibly. But there was no
sound to be heard in the room except
that of my own slow, steady respiIa
lion.
think it must have taken him five
minutes to draw the hook. Then the
blind was swung back quietly inch by
inch, and his way was clear.
He stood for a moment with his fore
paws upon the window sill and looked
back at me- As he did so / felt again
the same strange impression Of terror
that had overwhelmed me the first
time my eyes had met his in
that lonely canyon. For an instant !
held my breath, and had he continued
to look, he must have discovered that
was not asleep. But now with a sud-
den yet noiseless leap he went out Cf
the window.
1t was several minutes before / ven-
tured to move. At last rose and went
to the window. Far away, where the
moonlight fell upon the side the hill,
could see a small piece Of darkness
scudding swiftly along. 1t was Demon
on his way to the sheep pastures.
scarcely know what impulse sent
me, but 1 went to the closet in my
room, took down q large navy revolver,
and when got back into my bed slip
ped 1t underneath my pillow. l did
not then, and will not now, confess
to any real fear Of the dog-that is to
say, physical fear. There was dread
vague, indistinet horror at some
thing unexplainable that seemed to
see Ia his eyes. But had l really fear