The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1912-03-22
CHAPTER VIl.-(Con:inued.)


His voice must have carried to the
animal: he heard a whine, the quick
padding of paws, and huge Scotch
collie bounded clumsily out OF the
mists. passed him within an arms
length. vanished and returned, whin-
ing and circling, nose TO ground, as II
confused and unable to locate him. He
watched the animal, half-stupefied
with wonder at its erratic actions;
then unconsciously moved slightly. A
pebble grated beneath his foot The
dog wheeled toward him instantly
and paused at attention, forepaw
lifted, ears pricked forward, delicate
nostrils expanding and contracting
rs he shifted for the scent of man.
Here, boy, here!" Coast called soft
ly; and the next moment had the ami
NAL fawning upon him, alternately
cringing at his feet and jumping up
TO muzzle his legs and hands, as If
they were his own masters.
Good boy! Steady now! 500,
sol" Puzzled by this demonstrative
reception. Coast bent over the animal,
trying to soothe 1t with voice and
hand. 1t was plainly in a state OF
high excitement and evidently deep
ly grateful for his sympathetic
toleration. He caught the finely mod
eled head between his palms, lifting
up the muzzle. Come, now" he said
in a soothing tone, let's have a look
at you, old fellow. Good old boy-it's
all right now-steady Why,
the poor brute's blind"
For as it's eyes rolled up he saw
that they were blank and lightless,
the irides masked with a film of
white.
Cataract" he said, releasing the
dog. That's why he couldn't see
me. | wondered Hell
10, what now?"
Comforted and reassured, the dog
had drawn away and resumed its mys-
terious clrc.ing nosing the earth with
anxious winnings. Abruptly is paused,
tense. 1.-THE frame quivering, then
made off at rapid trot in the direc-
tion whence it had appeared. A mo-
ment later the heartrending howl
walled out again.
Almost unwillingly Coast followed,
nerving himself against the discovery
he feared to make.
Half a dozen steps. and he almost
fell over the dog. He reeoiled with a
cry of Mortified CONSERVATION.
"hppleyard! q"
But it was not Appleyard.
On raw, naked earth in the middle
OF the rude village street, man lay
prone with one forearm crooked be-
meath his head, his other limbs re-
pulsiyely asprawl His head. near
which the collie squatted, lifting its
mournful muzzle TO the sky. was bare
and thickly thatched with reddish
hair
The man had been murdered, foul
ly slain by a means singular and
unique outside the Orient. Deep
buried In a crease round his throat
Coast had seen a knotted loop OF
crimson silk whipcord-the bow-string
OF the East. Above It the face was a
grinning mask Of agony and fear.
dark with congested blood; face
that. none the less-despite those
frightfully shadowed. blurred and
swollen features-had unquestionably
once been comely in the youthful
Irish way.
He rose and searched the ground
for indications Of a struggle. lie
found none. No confusion OF foot
prints about the dead man showed on
the damp earth. Apparently the vic |
tim had been taken from behind with |
out warning.
1rresolute, baGled. be fingered for |
another moment
BY his side the dog howled deep /
and long.
He turned. half-faint. and fed the /
place. bearing With him what he was
not 10 forget for many a night: the /
picture Of the blind dog mourning full. /
mouthed beside the crumpled. lifeless /
Thing that had been It's master. there \
in that nameless spot OF death and /
dssoiation