The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1908-01-10

&RG&R
She glanced around as though IN search
Of some one.
brush of matted hair. A tough, rODy
foam hung from its mouth. If you
put as much of that foam as would
go on the point of a pin in an open
cut, you would have an end that your
! worst enemy would Shudder at, for
this was he most hOrrifying of dan
garOus animalS-a mad dog. Poor
brute! AS he came Shambling down
the road he IA the grisly mask of
tragedy.
1t was near noon, intensely hot, and
the street of Fairfield was deserted.
No Il saw the dog, and if his occa-
sional rafting, strangling howl reach
ed any ears they were dead to its
meaning. He was unheeded until he
lurched through the gate which Let
It's had left open, as usual, and, spin
ming around in a circle, gave voice to
his cry.
1t brought Miss Matte to her feet
in an unknown terror; it brought Red
from the barn in & full cognizance-
he had heard that sound before when
q mad coyote landed in Il cabin full of
fairly strong nerved cOwmen and set
them screeching like hysterical wom-
en- before a chance shot ended him.
Red saw the brute jump toward
Miss Matte. ~Instinctively his hand
flew to his hip, and instantly he re
membered there was nothing there.
Then with great. uneven leaps he
sprang forward. Keep your hands
up, Matte, and don't move." he
screamed. Let him chew the dress,
For Gods sake, don't mover
She turned her white face toward
his, and through the dimness of sight
from his straining efforts, he saw her
try to smile as she obeyed him to the
letter. and without a sound. "Oh,
brave girl" he thought and threw the
ground behind him desperately.
AT twenty feet distance he dove like
Il base runner, and his hands closed
around the dogs neck. Over they
went with the shock of the onset, and
before they were still the hands had
finished their work. A clutch. and a
snap, and it was done.
The dog lay quivering. Red rose to
his knees, wondering at the humming
in his head. His wits came back to
him sharply.
did he bite you. Mattie?" he cried.
But she had already caught his hands
and was looking at them with n saw
age eagerneSS one would not have be-
lieved to be in her.
There is no mark" she said, sud-
denly weak. HE didn't touch you?"
Answer me when 1 speak to your
shouted Red, beside himself. Did he
bite you?"
She answered him, with a sob, mo
And then his question asked itself,
and answered itself, although, again,
he did not know it. He gathered her
up in his arms, kissed her like Ope
raised from the dead and swore and
prayed and thanked God all in the
same breath.
His old 1mperiOuS nature came back
with the relief. "Here!' said he, put
ting her away for a moment. ''Take
off that dress-that slime on there's
enough to kill a hundred men-take it
right Off"
Miss Matte started blindly to obey,
then stopped. Not here, Will-TIl go
in the house." she said.
You'll take it off right here and
now" said Red, land I'll burn it up
on the spot. I'd ruther have forty rat
tlesnakes around than that stuff. Off
with it. This is no child's play, and
1 don't care a d-n what the old lady
net door thinks"
Mss Matte slipped off her outer
skirt and stood a second, confused and
dainty. She took flight to the house,
running as litheIy as a greyhound.
by jingot' said Red in admiration.
Lets see you bring another woman
that can run like that"
He gathered some hay and piled it
on the dress, firing the heap.
Then he turned to his antagonist.
".Poor old boy. Hard luck, eh? But l
had to do it." he said and gave him de-
cent inteTment at the end of the gar
den, washed his hands carefully and
went into the house on pleasanter
duties.
"IIl ask her now, by the great horn
spoon," said he valiantly.
Miss Matte was in a curious state
of mind. There was an after effect
from the fright which made her trem-
BILE, and q remembrance of Cousin
Wills actions which made her tremble
more yet. When she heard him COM