The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1913-12-05
The Look That
Haunts Him
By HELEN STANLEY

hai hct VI 4>eW heAiSos W hAi u num-
Der Of men In my day. and they was
all of 'em the all firedest villains you
ever seen. Consequently don't lay
awake nights SEEM 'em loekin' at me
Representative. There wasn't a con.
sarned one of 'em that wouldn't IA
killed me If he'd got the drop on me
fust. But there was one KILN that ]
won't never git over"
"A man?"
mo"
"Not woman or child?"
"Not any O. that nuther."
swell, then, what was it?'
81 never was good hand to begin
at the wrong end of u yarn. If you're
a mind to listen I'll tell you about II.
but don't want no Interruptions"
"Go ahead"
when | was sheriff of - county.
Arizony. there was good deal goin'
on in the shape of crime. with all sorts
Of pussons a-doin' of it. Some Of 'em
would stay and fight it out after a
KILN or a robbery, and some Of 'em
would light out. Them as lit out must
be follered. and. SEEM they allus stole
the best bosses there was to be had. II
wasn't no easy job to catch 'em.
was a young Teller then and as fond Of
a good boss as any one. Besides. had
to have the best In runnin' down
thieves and cutthroats. Another ami.
NAL needed was bloodhounds. had
three of the likeliest dogs you ever
saw. but only one favorite. called
her after Queen Victoria. If ever a
dog loved man Vic loved me. Onct
when l got shot by road agent and
was laid up for awhile she stayed
around the door Of my room lookin'
wistful at every one-that came out. as
much as to say. is he goin' to hand in
his chips or mott? And when she'd
catch sight of me lynn on the bed
she'd moan dreadful.
lone mornin' early I was Weakened
and told that desperate named Jim
Rynders had broke into the house Of a
citizen and carried away his daughter.
gal about eighteen years old. No
body could tell which way he had gone,
and the only way he could be tracked
was by hound. mounted my horse
Maple was named for Napoleon
Bonyparte-and. lettin' Vic loose, took
her to the house where the outrage
had been committed. She picked up
the scent right away and struck off
westward. followed on Nap.
"vic ran along with her nose to tie
ground till she came to creek. where
she lost the scent. but picked it up on
. the other side some distance below
shown that the rascal had been tryin
to throw us Off by walkin' in water.
We followed till night. when. comm tn
a wooded place. saw Rynders ahead
He had just come to a halt and was
pickin' up wood to make a fire with.
The gal was sittin' on the ground,
leanin' up agin the trunk Of tree
iookin' like corpse. Vic saw 'em just
as soon as I did and stopped stock still
IKE pointer on seem game. l put
my hand on her to quiet her. for
thought might get a shot at the man
before he knowed I was near. Vic
didn't give me away, but Nap did by
splutterin'. Rynders turned like a
fash. but not before I'd sent bullet
at him. The gal jumped to her feet
and Rynders darted behind her. the
cowardly rascal thinkin' to prevent my
KILN him without KILN her.
"The way for me to do was to send
Vic at him. and that's what / did. She
made a bee line for him. and as she
neared him I saw him draw a revolver
to protect himself. He fired at the dog.
and saw her go ahead on three legs
She got her teeth into his side and held
him so that the gal could get away
from him. He fired ag'in at Vic. and
saw that he had disabled her, but
now had a free shot at him and
dropped him.
II ran down and tried to quiet the
gal, who was hysterical, and partially
succeeded. Vic was lynn still. hut ]
knowed sho was alive. for she was
followin' me around with melancholy
eyes.
"'The dog saved you I said to the
gal. II it hadn't been for her I couldn't
have tracked you.
This set the young woman to
thinkin about the dog instead of her
self. and she went up to Vic and patted
her. Fright was turned into gratitude
II called to Vic. but she could not
come to me. A shot had struck her
back and paralyzed her.
"I'm sorry, MISS I said, but the
dog must be killed
"'Killed! Why sor
"'To put ner out Of misery. She'll
never move again
"The gal bust out cryin'. waited
for her to compose herself, then got
her to go behind tree while / did
the business. Vic saw me aim at her
and knowed what 1 was goin' to do
The look she gave me stays by me to
this day My wife couldn't help lookin'.
and she can't forget 1t nuther."
"Your wifew
Eyes. ! married the gal"
II see."
II dug q hole In the ground right
there where Vic was shot. and we
buried her. fearful. I had had the dog
long while and was mighty fond
Of her. but don't know as mourned