The Forrest City times., 1906-05-04
THE "MOP" AND THE PUP
 By JOSEPH KocHEu
 tAuthor of The Right to Live. Etc)
'r5py isht, isoe. b Joseph B. BowlesJ

.hroneh creYices or deeaylnS lumber s,1,,,inated with a somber gloom the ..,,at musty space underneath Dock oe of the great South river.
 creeping things, and rats and their bind overran the place in unre. straiDed enjoyment of congenial sur. -oundings: but during the night just ,aseed their strident squeal was srsbeH. and they had seurried across corners with a rush of fear. their nointed. ugly shouts quivering with tbe dreaded scent of an arch enemy. who had taken possession.
 For though dank, and forbidding ,be suualid space, it nevertheless seryed as a welcome shelter and re. treat for two, coupled in misery-a man outcast, fugitive, Joe Simmons. better known by the l.3lice as the nNope man wanted" and 2 dog one of the homely.bred. hardy little animals peculiar to the locality in which t and it's master existed.
 The heat of one of the gleaming shafts of light presently awoke the dog. which stretched and gaped sleep. ily and blinked disconsolately at the disturbing element. He scrambled to his feet. shook and scratched his spot ted hide, then softly battered over. and with gentle whine nosed the mans roughly bearded neck.
 Al the touch of the cold little muzzIe, the man, with convulsiye movement, and low frightened ejaculation, at- tempted 10 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 a siekly, almost apolo- getie smile lie turned to his dog com panion. which sought his caress with all the persuasiYeness of his canine nature
 "Hully gee. what q dream" the man muttered, as he ruefully nursed his bruised scalp. Pup, fought sure dev had me this trip, he confessed To the dog which showed his appreciation of this confidence by guttural noises. half growls his tail beating a vigorous tattoo on the ground. Other dogs would have parked, bat 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 tn their obseufity. then. hunger. accentuated by the neeessitated fasting of many pre- yioas hours. forced them to the street and is 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 a gutter drain pipe tortoise-like. first carefully sur yeying the surroundings. Near by. huge pie 9f lumber attracted him t8the shadow of protruding, oyerhanging planks and there he snuely sqHattesl. the dog on guard close by. clear view of tAe street for a distance giving him ample opportunity for nasty flight it necessary. For week he had success fully e7aded the police Eternal wig ilante, and the hardships of his life were hut The matter of course 10 which he had teen born.
 The old dock, blistering and scorch- ing during the heat of the midday. Was as yet deserted, and the suItry, quiet day Wore an. Gnce butcher boy idled that Wa, 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 WistIHtiY. he did not leave his guard near the lumber pile. A little later. a NepgsseSstng youngster, nibbling at large. sHkstantial-looking sandwich. heated the spot. 4 short. sharp. decisive faid' and he fed precipitateIy up the street. pretended vicious snapping of teeth If his heels accelerating his pace, anu the Mop with a chuckle of satisfac- Ion muneAed the captured morsel Man and dog presently eyed each other. grim humorous. with mutual understand ing such occurrences were the luck" ih the game to be taken philosophic- ally
 The Mop dozed; but a erowl from the rap and he was alert, tense, his faculties on cage for instant action. It was, how ever but the greeting 10 another dog. d misshapen. ugly. iH-tempered brute. a sehiF white in color. scared and mafAed by battles of the pitwhere he and HIS haii-starved kind fought nightly in 'nat district for their lives. and the pe- eaAiafy gain Of their owners. Close be- Alhd him slouched an individual at the sisat Of whom the Mop sounded a pc euiaf call. The new arrival sharply swung on his heel and espied the fugi- u'e. He eurtly nodded. All right, ealty. he called. no copper wfdin a nlte. Thus assured. the Mop joined nlm as quickly as his aching. cramped .~os would permit, He addressed hiiu as @Sluggara -
 AHFtins ncw2" he asked
 .,., Never peep. answered slugge7. "Aal Ter are yonse under coyer?h :. Llttin ticker-but they've got me " se1 erinned the Mop.
 iheE sat on a stringpieee of the dock.