Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1908-01-23

IT'S the dog that's shot; not the
boy" the first arrival shouted as the
others came hurrying up.
Tom MARSHALL, the youth who had
fired the shot, stood still. SO great a
sense Of relief came to him that he
felt faint. He threw up his head.
That dinky little dog! What are
you boy?"
The lad scrambled to his feet, still
holding the dog.
"Dinky dog, indeed! He knows a
heap more than men who go round
~trespassing on other folks property
and shooting every time they see a
leaf stir"
Marshall Is sorry he shot your
dog, my boy" the oldest man of the
party said In kindly tone. IT'S only
a flesh wound In the leg. and will soon
be well. What Is your name?"
"Will Free, and this is my fathers
land that your camp Is on"
They talked for a few minutes, the
dog continuing his bowling. Finally
Will said: I'm going home to have
Bingo's leg lone up"
Tom Marshall slipped a five-dollar
bill into the boys hand, saying: Now.
don't let us hear any more of that
brute Bingo."
The lads face was white with sud.
den anger. He thrust the bill back
into Marshall's hand. Keep your old
money! | shall talk about Bingo all
] please, and | guess you will hear
something before tomorrow night
that won't sound SO pleasant to you"
Bingo was loved by all the Free
family, and there was much mourning
when VIII arrived at the comfortable
log house, where Mr.. Free had es.'
tablished his family during the time
he was cutting the timber from the i'm.
mense tract Of land that he had
bought.
When Mr.. Free reached home at
supper time he heard the whole story.
The lumberman looked with disfavor
upon the deer hunters, and the next
morning the hunting party was or.
dered to move their camp off the Free
land. In vain they reasoned, argued
and stormed. An effort to bribe Mr..
Free was also Intellectual.
You have proved your careless.
ness" he said. There are some things
that money cannot buy"
Il suppose that wretched little dog
is one of them,' Tom Marshall cried.
you are right! The devotion and
faithfulness Of Bingo are invaluable
to u.s."
The hunting party had to move. 1t
was a great Inconvenience and some
of the older men soundly scolded
Tom. III luck seemed to be their por.
ton. There were eight in the party,
and at the end of a week they had
killed but two deer.
Tom Marshall was disappointed at
his failure. He was petulant, making
himself unpopular in many ways. So
1t came about n afternoon, ten days
after the shooting of Bingo, that he
was In the woods alone. He knew
he was ~trespassing upon Mr.. Frees
land, but he kept on. Suddenly he
stumbled and fell. His gun was dis.
charged and the bullet entered his
leg not far below the knee. Tom was
badly frightened, but he managed to
bandage the wound with a part of his
clothing. Then he tried to think of
some way out OF the unpleasant com
plication in which he found himself
He shouted until he was hoarse. Time
went by until through Il grove of
pines he could see the sunsets glow,
Just then he heard a dog bark. He
called, and soon a little black and tan
came running towards him. 1t was
Bingo. The dog limped. and his leg
was still bandaged,
And | was such a brute about
him." Tom thought, regretfully. Then
he called: Here, Bingo! Come!
Come! Good fellow!"
Already Tom had scrubbed a line,
describing his desperate situation
This he planned to tie to the dogs
neck. But no amount OF persuasion,
no coaxing or commanding could
bring Bingo within his reach. Dark
ness was fast coming when, with q
parting yolley of banks, the dog fled.
Tom covered his face with hi;
hands and groaned. How long would
he live there, II no help came? After
awhile he raised his head to listen