The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-05-11
THE "MOP"
AND THE PUP
By JOSEPH KOcHELI
(Author Of The Right to Live" Etc.)
lc0pylsAt. Is0s. y Jossph ,. aewls.,

@'4oihatcu VIII u bOmDet BlOOm the
squat, musty space underneath Dock
26 OF the great South river.
Creeping things. and rats and their
kind, overran the place in unre.
strained enjoyment of congenial sur
roundings; but during the night just
passed, their strident squeal was
hushed, and they had scurried across
corners with rush of fear, their
pointed. ugly snouts quivering with
the dreaded scent Of an arch enemy.
who had taken possession.
For though dank, and forbidding
the squalid space, 1t nevertheless
served as a welcome shelter and re-
treat for two. coupled in misery--a
man, outcast. fugitive. Joe Simmons.
better known by the police as the
Mop" a man wanted" and dog,
one OF the homely-bred. hardy little
animals peculiar to the locality in
which it and its master existed.
The heat OF one Of the cleaning
shafts Of light presently awoke the
dog, which stretched and gaped sleep
lily. and blinked disconsolately at the
disturbing element. He scrambled to
his feet. shook and scratched his spot
ted hide. then softly pattered over,
and with gentle whine nosed the
mans roughly bearded neck.
AT the touch of the cold little muzzle,
the man, with a convulsive movement
and a low frightened ejaculation, at
tempted to spring erect. one arm, as If
In defense. bent before him, but with the
thud Of contact with the low hanging
timbers above he regained his mental
balance. With sickly, almost apollo
getlc smile he turned to his dog COM
panion, which sought his caress with all
the responsiveness Of his canine nature
"Hully gee. what dreaml" the man
muttered, as he ruefully nursed his
bruised scalp. Pup, fought sure dey
had me this trip" he confessed to the
dog, which showed Ills appreciation Of
this confidence by cultural noises. half
growls, his tail beating vigorous tattoo
on the ground. Other dogs would have
barked. but he knew better than to bark.
That made noise. and noise brought po-
lice. They had no use for the police,
these two.
Until near noon they remained In their
obscurity; then. hunger. accentuated by
the necessitated fasting OF many pre-
vious hours. forced them to the street
and its possibilities. to the light they
hated.
Squirming and gliding. with the dog
close at his heels. through the devious
apertures which led to this. one Of HIS
many places OF concealment, the man
finally emerged through gutter drain
pipe. tortoise-like, first carefully sur
vcying the surroundings. Near by,
huge pile Of lumber attracted him to the
shadow OF protruding. overhanging
planks. and there he snugiy squatted.
the dog on guard close by, clear view
OF the street for distance giving him
ample opportunity for hasty flight II
necessary. For week he had success
fully evaded the police. Eternal Wig
ilance, and The hardships OF his life were
but the matter OF course to which he
had been born.
The old dock. blistering and scorch-
ing during the heat OF the midday, was
as yet deserted, and the suitry. quiet day
wore on. Once butcher boy idled that
way. an empty basket swinging on his
arm. Noticing the dog. he threw him
few scraps OF meat adhering to the paper
lining. The dog devoured them greed
fly, but. though his eyes followed the boy
wistfully. he did not leave his guard
near the lumber pile. A little later, a
prepossessing youngster. nibbling at
large. misunderstanding sandwich,
neared the spot. A short. sharp, decisive
raid, and he fed precipitately up the
street. pretended vicious swapping Of
teeth at his heels accelerating his pace,
and the Mop with chuckle of satisfac-
tlon munched the captured morsel. Man
and dog presently eyed each other, grim
ly humorous. with mutual understand
ing. Such occurrences were the luck"
ia the game" to be taken philosophic-
ally.
The Mop dozed; but growl from the
Pup and he was alert. tense, his faculties
on edge for instant action. 1t was, how
ever, but the greeting to another dog.
misshapen. ugly. ill-tempered brute.
sickly white in color, SCARED and
marked by battles OF the pitwhere he and
his half-starved kind fought nightly in
that district for their lives, and the pc
cuniary gain Of their owners. Close be-
hind him slouched an individual at the
sight of whom the Mop sounded pc
culiar call. The new arrival sharply
swung on his heel and espied the fugl-
tive. He curtly nodded. "A1l right,
Gully" he called, mo copper widin a
mile" Thus assured. the Mop Joined
him as quickly as his aching, cramped
limbs would permit. He addressed him
as "Slugger."
Anything new?" he asked.
Never peep" answered Slugger
what fer are youse under cover?"
'Liftin' a ticker-but they've got me
to get" grinned the Mop.
They sat on stringpiece Of the dock.
their conversation drifting into desul-