The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-04-02

~ western slopes of the Adiron-
dack Mountains, was thrown INTO
state of much excitement. The hnest
sheen in the village, small nock OIL
southdowns. owned by Squire Fenton,
had been slaughtered during the night.
In n few days they were to have been
taken to the county seat, there TO De
exhibited at the annual fair.
Every inhabitant of Alden took an
interest in the beautiful creatures, anu
was sure they would have been award
the premium.
The squire was naturally much in
censed. and offered reward or nIty
dollars to the one who should trace
and kill the dogs that had wrought
such devastation.
II was known there had been trouble
between the squire and Joe Kinney,
hunter who lived on the outskirts OF
the village. The winter before Joe
had been tried and imprisoned Tor the
illegal killing of deer and at that time
he had vowed to get even with MI.
Fenton, who made the complaint
against him.
Toe owned several savage dogs, and
1t was thought he might know some
thing about the killing Of the sheep.
The reward had stimulated the vii
lage constables, and rumors were cur
rent that Kinney would be arrested on
suspicion and taken before the grand
jury.
Joe had often been my hunting COM
panion.
After viewing the dead sheep as they
lay in Fentons field, l strolled out
to the hunters little shanty. He had
heard of the suspicious connecting him
with the matter and was glad enough
to see friendly face.
At his request | described the APP
pearance of the slaughtered animals.
Seven sheep had been killed. the throat
of each one being torn. Lying with
the sheep was the squire's collie dog.
The faithful fellow must have heard
the disturbance, and died In trying
to defend his charges Traces of blood
on the ground proved he had made
hard fight before succumbing.
The village gossips thought no dog
In the neighborhood was capable Of do
ing such cruel work unless it be Joe's
big Tige (as one of his dogs was
called, and even Tige they intimated.
might need aid and urging on.
The hunter listened with attention,
and | saw that he had a theory of his
own. But when he heard the rumor
that he had taken part in the massacre
he grew indignant
"Me and Tige are two dogs that have
a hard name; so they lays all bad
work to us. If Tige wanted to kill
Fenton's collie and sheep, he didn't
need any help. But tell We he warn't
there. He slept by my bunk last night;
then don't you see he amt got no
marks of tightin'?'
Tige, at the sound of his name, rose
from the spot where he was summing
himself and walked up to us. He was
white in color, of heavy, powerful
build, and looked as If he might be a
mixture of bulldog and hound. He was
covered with the partially-healed
marks of former battles, but had no
fresh wounds.
Them fellers says Tige is the dog
that done the business" continued the
hunter, and it warnt him. was it?
To me ii has the 'pearance of a wolf"
Joe SAID this in way that carried
conviction to me. To be sure, 1t was
some years since wolves had been seen
in the neighborhood, but it was quite
possible for one to have wandered
down from the mountains.
When Joe said Tige had not left the
house the night before | believed him.
The dogs appearance was one proof:
moreover, In my acquaintance with Joe
Kinney, had found him truthful. even
in matters where most hunters are
willing to eXaggerate.
As Joe's friend. | was willing TO aid
him in any way could in proving his
innocence. 1t was not yet noon, and
he proposed l should go for my gun.
and then join him in pursuit of the
real culprit.
BY half-past twelve | had had din
ner, and returned to the hunters shan
~, armed with my light rifle.
One of Joe's dogs was a small mon
grel hound, which would track any
thing from a red squirrel to a panther.
With this dog he proposed to make a
circuit about the Fenton sheep pas
ture.
II our suspicious We're correct, the
hound would be sure to find the VOLTS
track, Once found. there would be
little danger of losing 1t. Joe's favor
lite weapon was a long nld-fa shinnad