Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-09-16
The Daily Short Story
Whitcomb's Coyote Dog.


at Sunfy, small settlement on Pepper
creek, in the then Dakotas. WE curl
ously looked ut the dog to ASCERTAIN
what effect this particular kick iwould
have on him. for 1t was at least the
one thousandth he had received from
his master in the course of three years
of troubled life. Usually this dog took
the kick, dropped his tail. skunk into a
corner and watched his master out of
n single eye until the latter's good thu-
NOR was restored. This afternoons he
did not do this. He turned away with
out a yelp, set his SCARED body on the
trail to Portland and temporarily dis
appeared.
Whitcomb was the deputy sheriff of
the county, stationed at Sunfiy. He re-
garded himself as MASTER of anything
and everything in the town. Men that
kick dogs usually carry, that opinion
with them Whitcomb in, Sunfiy, stood
for the law and his own ends. When
the two conficted, the law went fish
ing. But it was a singular thing that
while. Whitcomb carried so much au-
thority and imposing presence around
he never met a man who dared to defy
him but what he Immediately became
his best friend. Men that kick dogs
have that popularity also. 1t was sim
gular, too, that the only thing in Sun
fly which Whitcomb ever outrageously
abused was his coyote dog. This he
kicked at every Opportunity-kicked so
hard that Watson, the freighter, look
ing into the dogs bloodshot eyes one
day. said sententiously to Whitcomb:
Hell turn on, you some day."
The dog came from nowhere. He
drifted in out of the wilds of the Duties
one day and Immediately attached
himself to Whitcomb. Perhaps he had
II cross of coyote in him; more probably
he did not. But he was long, lank,
heavy fanged, big of muscle, marvel
Gus in endurance-he ran one day GO
miles behind Whitcomb's gray Indian
mare without a sup Of water. He
minded his own business strictly, even
as TO other dogs. The few of his own
race that disturbed him We're killed so
quick they did not realize he was at
their Threats.
Why he took to WhhcOmb no one
could explain. but he did, and, al
though kicked from pillar to post,
beaten with pistol butts and cut with
quirts. he was loyal to his first choice
that is, lie was loyal until this par
ticular day when he was kicked for
the last time. When he trot1ed away
from WhitcOmb's office, although we
did not know it, he forever severed
himself from that individual.
Watson, coming across the trail with
provisions, met him at Grass Butte, n
mile from town. He was high up the
butte, perched on a shelf, looking far
into the west. Watson whistledIto him,
and he came down, dragging fhis big
but bruised frame after him slowly.
He licked the freighter's hand, ,sniffed
at the horses and then returned to the
vantage point he had occupied, only
this time he faced the east, lookingi to-
ward Sunfy.
Watson was not a superstitious' fell
low, but when he rode into town. and
passed Whitcomb's office he called out:
"Going over Grass Butte way to-
night:"
Whitcomb nodded. Watson shook his
head.
"That dog of yours is out there, and
he's waiting for trouble"
Whitcomb laughed, shook hi-cself
and remarked:
81 reckon he'll never bother me. He's
just a bit sulky."
"All right" answered Watson, but
know those coyote dogs, and know
your dog, and he's waiting for you.
You just remember that"
Whitcomb paid no more attention to
him, and the rest of us forgot Grass
Butte and the dog. About s o'clock
that evening Whitcomb rode out of
of cGT owens e ~ was paying a attention onto to
Owens sister. and she was living at
the ranch in the meadows five miles
west of Grass Butte. 1t was dark
when the two cleared the town, but
they were headed straight for the
butte. When its shape rose out of the
blackness before them, Whitcomb sud-
denly thought of his dog and said to
Owens:
81 wonder If that beast is waiting for
meT'
Owens could not tell him, so when
they came to the butte Whitcomb dis
mounted and whistled. He was evil
IDENTIFY anxious to call the dog to him
and show anew his power over it.
Something rustled on the mass of shale
above him.
Owens told the rest of the story later.
He said:
"Whit called to the dog and then
whistled again. and then L saw some
thing big come through the darkness
as if it was shot out of n gun. Whit
ripped out an oath, and then he fell
down, and the big thing was on him.
and 1 thought 1t was n lion or some
thing else. and come back to town as
fast as could for help
Watson was the first to get into the
saddle for rescue. The rest came hur-