The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1912-01-19
CHAPTER vII.-(continued.)

animal; he heard q 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-stupefed
With wonder at its cratic actions;
then unconsciously moved slightly. A
pebble grated beneath his foot. The
hog wheeled toward him instantly
and paused at attention. forepaw
lifted, ears pricked forward, delicate
nostrils expanding and contracting
hs he smiled for the scent Of man.
Here, boy, here!" Coast called soft
~; and the next moment had the ami
NAL fawning upon him, alternately
bringing 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 it with voice and
hand. It was plainly in state of
high excitement and evidently deep
~ grateful for his sympathetic
federation. He caught the finely mod
|eled head between his palms, lifting
up the muzzle. Come, now," he said
In soothing tone, Tets have look
at you, old fellow. Good old boy-it's
Eall right now-steady Why,
the poor brute's blindl"
For as its 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. l wondered Hell
10, That now?"
Comforted and treasured, the dog
had drawn away and resumed its mys-
FERROUS circling, nosing the earth with
anxious winnings. Abruptly is paused,
tense, 1.-the frame quivering, then
made of at rapid trot in the direc-
ton 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 dozen steps, and he almost
fell over the dog. He recoiled with a
cry of Mortified CONSERVATION.
"Appleyard!. :"
But it was not Appleyard.
On raw, naked earth in the middle
Of the rude village street, a man lay
prone with one forearm crooked be-
meath his head, his other limbs re-
Dulsively asprawl. His head, near
which the collie squatted, lifting its
mournful muzzle to the sky, was bare
and thickly matched with reddish
hair.
The man had been murdered, foul
~ slain by 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
erinning mask of agony and fear,
dark with congested blood; face
that. none the less-despite those
mghtfully Swallowed, blurred and
swollen features-had unquestionably
once been oomely in the youthful
Irish way.
He rose and searched the ground
Tor indications Of q struggle. He
Found none. No confusion Of foot
prints about the dead man showed on
The damp earth. Apparently the vic
lin had been taken from behind. with
nut warning. @
Iresoaqts baMsd. 10 fingered for
hnothsf y6G1l -
~ IT. ths doE howled deep
4 Is tsll ST, and ssd Is,
M ~ Nm uhas IS ~
fs - ~ Y 3 mat; IL
II ~ llln1 ~ 4 III iilS I'm.
Aed - s y i q. H1eaSa1
! - t6k 80 ~ J. go
~ 49, q 1salA -