The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-04-01
j
Settled bu Arbitration.

1 what that meant. but lie hoped ii would
| not be another dog.
lt was some comfort to him that the
colonel who had given his mistress
| the brindled miniature bull did not
come to call any more. Meanwhile, he
| found employment in barking at the
strangers who kept dropping in to look
over the house in the square. which
was to be let, furnished, as the own
ers were going abroad, he heard the
| footman say.
| In the meantime, he was forgetting
| his accomplishments. He was never
asked TO sit up, to bark for the king.
and sneeZe for kruger!-sugar was
never balanced upon his nose. nor did
he ever perform his crowning feat of
| fetching his masters smoking coat or
his mistresss quilted satin slippers
Often, when they had decided upon
spending a quiet evening in the smok-
| ing room, the white Poodle had fetched
| the slippers and coat. The process
was not good for them. but it pleased
his master and mistress and gratitied
| the White Poodle.
| Now came the chance. he thought,
| for little of the old fun on this par
| tcular evening. Days before his mas
| ter's luggage-the imperials. glad
stone bags, kit bags. gun. rod, sword
| and uniform cases, even the Soudanese
| spears and shields and other trophies
had been sent away.
| His mistress's dress baskets, trunks
and bonnet boxes made IL mountain in
| the hall, with the cases containing her
books. The fittings and furniture o!
| her boudoir had gone, and. though the
rest of the house was left untouched
| it felt empty and smelt cold to the SEN
sitive nose of the White Poodle.
His back. where the hair was closely
shaved, felt damp. He had been sit
ting on his lnstress's knee as she
looked over huge sheet of paper, with
stiff queer writing on 1t. and seals. AT
the end were marks in ink. made with
| II pen by the White Poodle's master,
and some more which he recognized as
having been prepetrated by the small,
white hand that was pulling his ear
Then he heard a little sob-he had
become used to hearing them lately
and knew the reason why his back was
wet. She was crying.
20. Ruff, Ruff! This is our last
night at home!" she said. 20, Ruff!
know you think I've made an awful
mess of my life. No: there's no use in
cooking your ears; that wasn't your
masters step you heard in the hall just
now, though it sounded a little like it
You will never hear it again, Ruff
nor shall /.
But Ruff knew better. He jumped
down and barked. and rushed to the
door and scratched, snufiing and whin-
| ing to be let out.
You stupid thing!" his mistress
said, with little catch in her voice
She opened the door, and Ruff raced
madly after n figure that was moving
down the hall in the direction of the
| smoking room. He did not mind being
called stupid What he had wanted
was his master, and now he had got
| him.
why. Ruff, old man." said the voice
he knew. Not forgotten me yet?"
He bounded in the air and licked his
masters ears as he stopped to pat him
and then the ear was suddenly with
drawn, for his mistress was standing
in the doorway.
"You?' she said. again with that
catch in her breath.
II beg your pardon!" said the mas.
ter of the White Poodle, distantly. 80
understood you We're to have left fol
the continent today, and that the
Frasers We're to take possession tomor.
rowe"
1T is quite true about the Frasers,
she said, quite calmly and coldly now
but l travel by the early train. Ruff
and ! have been spending the evening
together She smiled with stiff lips
,,cly To hi in.
trusion," said Ruff's master, and Ruff
gave little whine of surprise. "The
fact is, that old pet meerschaum o
mine has been forgotten behind the
chimney glass. l sent to ask Rowland
, son for it, but ROwlandson was always
an idiot at finding things. and he ha.
not changed. And happened to bt
passing and I remembered that the
latchkey was still upon my chain, ant
50 l ventured in, thinking the house
empty of all but the servants. as l have
said. It's abominably awkward" He
flushed darkly and bit his lip. How.
ever, have found the pipe and I'll re.
move both it and myself" He bowed
distantly Permit me to say-goot
night and good-by."
Good night and good-by!" she &c.
hoed listlessly
The White Poodle darted out between
the curtains as his master moved tt
the door. 1t seemed incredible to hin
that Il master and a mistress, join
owners of Il dog with Il crest and mono
gram eXquisitely cut upon his hind.
quarters. a ruff around his neck, Il tas-
sci to his tail, and fringed circlets
round each leg, should fail to be joy.