Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-01-10
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and EXPRESSED Enthusiastically the
hone that the threshold of his house
would prove to be also that OF a new
life for Tom.
"You have left the past behind you,
Thomas" said he, "and oil your enc
mics with it. Rest assured OF that Ii
they follow you here. they'll have me
TO deal with. can promise them
they have laid their last finger on you.
No. there's a brighter future ahead OF
YOU, trust, and always recoliect-i
am your friend"
81 suppose you are" said poor Tom
in reply. He could believe and reel
but little even yet.
..You suppose amp cried Daintree.
looking rather queerly at Tom. You
shall dine at my table" he then ex-
claimed. "You shall have oil your
meals with me. Mrs. Fawcett. lay a
place for Thomas and show him MS
room"
/, It was a little room certainly, but an
incredibly peasant one. The window
almost overhung the bay. and the bed
was a white feast for bloodshot eyes.
DINNERS ready. Don't you spoil 1t,
young man. by keeping master walt
Ing" said Mrs. Fawcett, and then over
her shoulder as she went, MY word'
but you're lucky one!'
Perhaps lie required telling SO. Ii
was all so difficult to believe, so 1mpos-
sible to understand. But bewilderment
had not yet given place to curiosity.
He was, however, beginning to real
lie that he had fallen from the cruelest
into the kindest hands on earth when,
returning to the veranda, he encoun-
tered the kind man, with a cleaning
eve and set face quite inconsistent
with that impression. A fox terrier,
indifferently bred, with one ear up ana
one down, but the most eager eyes,
had wildly welcomed Daintree while
Daintree was welcoming Tom. Ihis
little dog he was now dragging saw
agely along by its collar.
won't come into my study?' ex-
plained Daintree in voice OF amazing
fury. "Once I thrashed him In there
so now he thinks he won't come IN.
But he shall-he shall-he shall! Ut.
Sullivan himself In dealing with re-
calcitrant convict could have employed
no more ferocious tone.
The dog was dragged within YARD
of the door it would not enter, then re-
leased, and it did not run away. Dam
tree now went within and called and
wbistled to the dog, but there it stood,
bristling ali over. and yet wagglng us
tail with immense energy, as If to pro-
claim its anxiety to please In any other
way. but enter that room it could not.
Nor was it until Daintree rushed out
In his rage that the little dog turned
tail and ran away. And again ne
caught It, and again and again the
came thing happened, the man vowing
the dog should give in, the dog still
wagging his tail and still disobeying,
the dinner growing cold on the table
and Tom viewing the whole petty,
pitiable exhibition with the most irri-
tating pain and disenchantment. IL
made his heart sick to see this man or
all men in such a passion about so
small a thing. In a little he was all
but foaming at the mouth. and at last,
when he caught up heavy ivory paper
knife and belabored the dog with that,
the spectacle hurt Tom more than any
fiogging he had witnessed in the iron
gang. 1t was not only that his feeling
for men was numbed, while his feeling
for animals remained quick-here was
the one man living whom he wished TO
honor and to admire, and the honor
and the admiration were sickening at
their birth
The beating did no good whatever.
Then Daintree turned on his heel with
such a face that Tom took the dog in
his arms. He heard drawer unlocked
In the room. When his master reap
peared the-paper knife was no longer In
his hand. A pistol was there instead.
where's the dog?" he cried.
"Here," said Tom, showing him.
"Put it down. Pm going to shoot
him. I'll have no stubborn beasts
herew
''Have you had this one long, sir?"
"From a puppy" said Daintree, cock
ing his pistol "Come, put him down
or we'll never get any dinner tonight"
mo-" said Tom firmly. you'll be
sorry for it afterward. You will be
vcxed with me for standing by and
letting you do such thing in your
heat"
The other gasped, but never said a
word.
.If the dog is no good to you, give
him to me-" continued Tom. Don't