Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1912-04-11
CHAPTER VII.-(Continued.)

His voice must have carried TO the
animal; he heard 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. lie
watched the animal, half-stupehed
with wonder at its erratic actions;
then unoonsciously moved slightly. A
pebble grated beneath his foot. The
dog wheeled toward him instantly
and paused at attention, a forepaw
lifted. ears pricked forward, delicate
nostrils expanding and contracting
as 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
90 muzzle his legs and hands, as II
they were his own masters.
Good boy, Steady now! 500,
SOS Puzzled by this demonstrative
reception, Coast bent over the animal,
trying to soothe it with voice and
hand. It was plainly in a state of
high excitement and evidently deep
| ly grateful for his sympathetic
liberation. He caught the finely mod
eled head between his palms, lifting
I'D the muzzle. Come, now" he said
In a soothing tone. lets have look
at you. old fellow. Good old boy-it's
all right now-steady why,
the poor brute's blindl"
For as it's eyes rolled up he saw
that they were blank and lightless,
the irides masked with film OF
white.
Cataract" he eaid, releasing the
dog. That's why he couldn't see
me. / wondered Hell
10, what now?"
Conferred and treasured, the doc
had drawn away and resumed Its mys
terious circling, nosing the earth with
anxious winnings. Abruptly is paused
tense, 1.-the frame quivering, then
made or at a rapid trot In the direc
ton whence IL had appeared. A mo
ment later the heartrending how
walled out again.
Almost unwillingly Coast followed
nerving himself against the discovery
he feared To make.
Half dozen steps, and he almos
fell over the dog. He recoiled with {
cry OF Mortified CONSERVATION.
"Appleyard..
But II was not Appleyard.
On raw, naked earth in the middl,
prone with one forearm crooked be
meath his head, his other limbs re
pulsively asprawl. Ills head, nea
which the collie squatted, lifting it
mournful muzzle to the sky, was bar
| and thickly matched with reddisl
l hair.
| The man had been murdered, fou
ly slain by means singular an
4 unique outside the Orient. Dee
4 buried In a crease round his throa
Il Coast had seen a knotted loop {
l crimson silk whipcord-the bow-strin
OF the East. Above IL the face was
grinning mask OF agony and fea
II Ndfh Will COhEcebtu biOCus lde
i that. none the less--6espite thos
i frightfully Swallowed, blurred an
swollen features-had unquestionabl
once been comedy in the youthfl
Irish way.
l He rose and searched the groun
for indications of struggle. II
found none. No confusion OF foe
prints about the dead man showed G
the damp earth. Apparently the vi
| tim had been taken from behind, wit
cut warning.
Irresolute, bafied, he fingered Il
another moment.
l BY his side the dog howled de-
| and long.
| He turned, half-faint, and fed Il
place. bearing with him what he vi
not TO forget for many a night: q
| picture OF the blind dog mourning III
mouthed beside the crumpled, .lifele
Thing that had been its master, the
| in that nameless spot Of death al
4 Gosolation.