The herald., 1913-01-09
A DOG
EPISODE
BY MABEL GARDINER

ha- been playmatcs and were now il.
innate friends. he Billy to her and she
RoX to him.
No one would think of calling Mr.
MacElligott Don any more than he
would think of calling Billy Mr.. Bar
! ton. The former was decidedly Scotch.
the latter especially American, though
there was Irish blood in Billy that had
brought with it taste for repartee.
and he usually did things as no one
else would do them. MacElligott was
! as matter of fact as a clock.
However, Mr.. MacElligott did one
| thing that worked up Mr.. Barton
| paid attention To Miss Wuterton
Billy didn't go to RoXie and grumhic,
pretending that he had always cynsia-
cred her as belonging TO him and OBJ
Jecting 10 the attentions Of this inter
loper. The truth is he had never
thought about her belonging to any
one till the intcrloper appeared. The.
Barton and WintertOn places being
side by side. Billy had fine position
for observation, and his rival never
went in or out next door without Bill
lys noticing it. One evening when
MacElligOtt was leaving as the clock
struck IL Billy saw ROxie 20 To the
door with him. and after the visitor
had gone she went to the dog kennel
at the rear Of the house and, Slipping
the collar off Hector, let him run for
the night. Billy knew that the usual
time for releasing Hector was 1OI
O'Clock, and his remaining chained
was that Mr.. MacElligott might stay
after that hour. An idea popped into
Billy's head.
One evening later on he saw his rival
enter the Winterton home. At 10
O'Clock the visitor had not departed |
A few minutes before IL Billy vaulted
the fence between the two places and !
approached Hector's kennel. Hector |
knew him well and wagged his tail
and laughed. 1t seemed to Billy that |
the dog knew what he was coming for. |
In another minute Hector was loose |
and Billy was going back to his own
home
Eleven o'clock seemed to be the usu-
al hour for Mr.. MacEligott's departure,
and 1t was not changed on this occa-
sion. Fifty-nine minutes before mid
night Billy heard the front door of the
Winterton domicile close and q figure
go down the walk to the gate. He also
saw a dark spot making an arrow line
for the figure. The figure must have
seen the dark spot, too, for it jumped,
caught a branch and with surprising
agility pulled itself up into the tree to
which that branch belonged. The dark
spot was Hector, who, after circling
around bit, looking up hungrily. lay
down at the foot of the tree. Billy
saw some one go to HectOr'S kennel
and back to the house again. He in
ferred that this person was Roxie, who,
finding that Hector had been unloosen-
ed, had gone to bed. About what the
DRY she had formed as to who I'M
loosened the dog Billy didn't trouble
himself. Having seen all quiet at the
he turned in himself.
But he turned out early in the morn
ing.
Looking out through his window, he
saw Hector apparently asleep under
the tree. Billy dressed himself and
lust before breakfast went out and
strolled about. Hearing voice COM
ing from the Wintertons' place, Hi,
you there; would you mind calling off I
this dog?" he went over the fence and
looked up. ,
"What are you doing there. sir?' he
asked sternly.
by Jove; I've been here all nightr'
"Why didn't you call for assistance"
"Well, you know it's not very dig
lified position for fellow to be In. up
tree with dog watching him." !
II can't take the responsibility of re
easing you" said Billy. You may be
! burglar. I'll call some one"
"For heavens sake don't"
But Billy's heart was hard as flint I
lie went to the front porch and seeing ]
2oXie I'm the dining room beckoned her
o come out. .
"What is it?" she asked.
"Have you missed anything in the
lousew
mo, not that I know. Why do you
SKI"
Because Hec has got a man up a
rec. suppose he's burglar" c
Miss Winterton called her father 7
nd the rest Of the family, for that 6
natter-and, Billy leading the way,
hey went out to view the burglar.
"Why. it's Mr.. MacElligott," exclaim-
d Roxie.
who's Mr.. MacElligottr asked t
BILLY.
Miss Winterton gave Mr.. Barton a
,ok. AS she looked light Of intelli.
ence came into her eyes. But she said
othing to Billy. She took Hec to his
ennel and put his chain on him
hen she returned and introduced Mr..
who had come down from {
he tree, to Billy. The former she in. I
tied to breakfast, but he declined and il
Tent away crestfallen. n
That same day Roxie said to Billy: 9
"What did you unchain Hec for last !.
ight?"
"How do you know l diC?"
Because no one else did. I've asked S
hem all" S
"Wpl1 I don't want opv mon pror-, | q