The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1914-10-02

plant over their Ill luck had been
broken Whatever 1t was, good for
tune of some sort had come into the
younger womanss life and the future
seemed to hold promise of more. For
Mrs. Collins this meant only more
! poignant realization of power gone for
her and gone never more to return.
One afternoon some three weeks
after her first excursion into Fifth ave-
nue. Jane was sitting with an open hand
bag in her lap counting over some
money and comparing it with figures
in little notebook. There was a ring
at the doorbell, but no response from
the maid in the kitchen.
"Frieda," Jane called.
Still there was no reply and Mrs.
Collins. silent spectator OF the scene,
smiled in scorn.
'fFrieda!" Jane repeated. ARE you
deaf?"
Nom" came the laconic answer.
but there came no F'rieda.
James voice rose to the sharp COM
mand: "Then answer the bell"
'Yessum." Frieda agreed. and hav-
ing Invested herself of these two
words and exhausted the full measure
Of her vocabulary. she did as she was
told.
| At the door was messenger boy
and after much voluble instruction
from Jane and more 'yessums" from
Frieda, the girl signed the book and
came forward with the message. Jane
tore it open.
TITS q lovely afternoon for an auto
ride" Mrs. Collins remarked limo
Gently.
mo, it isn't that at ALL" Jane an
swered. 81 mean the message isn't
what you think. It's from Bob. He's
been sent out OF town and can't get
home tonight. It's the first time since
| we've been married Oh, I know I
shall be frightened to death in this
place."
"Come over and stay with u.s." her
neighbor invited promptly.
| I'D like to, but" Jane looked to-
ward the kitchen you'd be crowded
to make room for me and couldn't
leave Frieda here alone"
Mrs. Collins revealed just sem
blance of a sheer
| Il don't think she'd be in any great
danger" she said tartly, 'butif you do,
Mrs. Reynolds. we could make room
for her on the sofa"
mo, it's kind Of you," Jane decided.
"but we'll have to stand it here. OF
course. there's no danger. It's just the
idea"
So Mrs. Collins desisted and Jane
looked forward to the first night she
had ever spent alone, or practically
alone, and that In the lonely bungalow.
| She ate her supper in silence and with
the fox terrier lying on the rug at her
feet settled herself at the table and
tried to Danish thoughts OF herself by
reading
Dick had grown into fine speci-
men OF his breed. He was an intelli-
gent little brute and good to look at
If one enjoys seeing the evidence of
caste in dogs as well as men. And like
all thoroughbreds Of his kind he was
most pronounced in his attachments.
He was the constant companion of
Jane, alert and watchful Of her every
movement. He had never taken lik-
ing to Brand though that gentleman
in his several calls at the bungalow
had gone out of his way to appease
and cajole him. But despite his own
feel that the millionaire was welcome.
At first he had been openly disgrun-
tied at the intrusion, but Jane had
reprimanded him and on one occasion
had gently chastised him, SO now.
whenever Brand appeared, the dog sim
| ply sulked. At times he would disap-
pear entirely and not show himself
again until the visitor had gone. On
| two occasions, when he had been ia
ken into the auto with the trio, he had
jumped out, and even the sharp tones
of his mistress, that usually demanded
instant attention, failed to arrest his
flight.
Some one has said that in our mod
ern civilization there is no place for
dogs. No more is there for some men.
1t is true that primal instincts remain
more acute in dumb animals than in
humans, but the primal instincts are
not all bad. Loyalty and gratitude may
be signs Of arrested development. II
so, no wonder we see menace in
the dog. We are not prone to turn to
dumb pets for guidance in matters
pertaining to our acumen. Yet how
often In such cases as this of Brand,
Jane and the fox terrier Is the humble
animal the keener. Suggestion that
this poor brute's attitude emanated
from any power of divination would
have met with instant and perhaps
just scorn from Jane, yet the day was
to come when she would remember it.
CTo BE CONTINUED.)
L