The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1914-12-25
CHAPTER XIV.
Snow and Dogs and Things.

Snow and Dogs and Things.
AS Pedro emerged into the street,
that snowy white carpet which ap-
pears so magically lay soft and muf-
fling over the pavements. deadening
the sound of such little stir of life as
was still abroad at this most silent
hour.
A distant chime struck the quarter.
and proclaimed that two o'clock of a
new morning was at hand. The wind
was biting and Pedro. blowing along
ankle-deep In the shifting mass, shiv-
cred beneath the insufficient covering
afforded by the old green coat.
With head bent and shoulders
hunched, Pedro had gone past his cor
ner by mistake, and suddenly realizing
this, he glanced up to find himself con-
fronting a building that had often at
tracted his passing attention. 1t was
before the old First Presbyterian
church, with its snow-laden trees, and
whitemounded garden, that he paused
and turned his back to the flashing
gale Just as he began to retrace his
steps, allowing the wind to push him,
he heard a low moan. as of some one
In pain.
The sound seemed to come from the
front portico of the church. Going up
to the iron gate, he found 1t open, and
peered inside. Apparently no one was
there, and he was about to leave, when
within the dark central doorway some
thing moved, and CLEAN Of white
flashed out of the gloom.
In an instant Pedro had bounded
across the snow-f1lled space between
gate and door, and was kneeling on
the tagging of the vestibule, cropping
about. Then something warm and
moist touched his hand, and he discov-
cred the sufferer to be a large black
dog with white star on his face, who
lay as though one of his hind legs had
been crushed-perhaps by some pass
ing automobile, earlier in the previous
d.. His coat was coarse and short,
and his tail, in direct contradiction,
long and bushy, with white fringes.
Like half-moons his eyes rolled at
Pedro, and without hesitation the long
munle was laid into his hand. At the
touch Pedro's heart leaped.,
Good dogl" he said huskily. What
shall we do about it. old fellow. eh?"
The dog whined little, and snug
gled closer. Pedro put an arm about
Nm.
h.
The dog made q pitiful effort to rise
and follow him, but failing, sank back
upon the steps with whimper. Pedro
looked about him despairingly, but no
help was In sight With sigh he
stopped and lifted him into his arms, a
by no means easy accomplishment, for
the dog was at least half his own size,
and heavy at that.
It was heavy task he had under
taken, and several times he was
obliged to pause and seat himself in
some doorway for a moment or two,
and before he had arrived halfway to
his destination 1t began to seem to
him that he could get no farther. Then,
as he arose for a final effort, he
raised his eyes to the building before
which he had last rested, and recog-
nized 1t as Leigh's dwelling place.
Furthermore. there was a light in the
sculptor's window. With a breathless
exclamation he clambered up the steps
and pounded on the door.
1t was several minutes before the
Janitor responded, and when he found
that he had been summoned from his
comfortable basement chamber for the
sole purpose Of admitting that dago
boy an fierce old cur" he fatty re-
fused to help In the animals removal
to the upper regions. So Pedro did
II alone, and reached Leigh's door
breathless and exhausted At his
knock, the door few wide, revealing
Leigh, clad In an old brown dressing
gown and slippers, his pipe, as usual,
hanging reversed from the corner OF
his mouth.
What the devil" began the sculp-
tor.
The dog-he's badly hurtl" ex-
claimed Pedro excitedly. II couldn't
carly ulu any IdTIueT, 50 L brought
him in. Let US make him a bed by the
stove, quicklyi"
"All right, Doc!" replied Leigh, gath
ering up sofa cushions indiscriminate-
~. we'll fix him up
For twenty minutes they fused over
the animal, and when they had done
their best for 1t, and it had gone to
sleep with its head upon Leigh's
rolled-up overcoat, the two shook
hands.
When did you get back?" asked
Pedro.
only tonight. went around to
your place at dinner time, but 1t was
locked. Where have you been?"
And then Pedro, keeping back moth
ing but Iris attitude toward himself,
gave Leigh full account of the weeks
adventures. When he had done, there
was long silence, during which Leigh
sat staring into the fire, as though