Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1915-09-16
CHAPTER XIV.
Rupe Collins.

WOEkS 80 IdI dS 10 CARRY SOu9
kittens that otherwise would have
been drowned and a pair Of Margarets
outworn dancing slippers to a poor,
~ungrateful old man sojourning In a
shed up the alley. And although Mr..
Robert Williams after a very short In
terval began to leave his guitar on the
front porch again, exactly as IL he
thought nothing had happened, Pen
rod, with his younger vision Of q IA
TIERS mood, remained coldly distant
from the Jones neighborhood. With
his own family his manner was gentle,
proud and sad, but not for long enough
to brighten them. The change came
with mystifying abruptness at the end
Of the week
1t was Duke who brought it about.
Duke could chase a much bigger dog
out Of the Schofields' yard and far
down the street. This might be thought
to indicate unusual valor on the part
OF Duke and cowardice on that Of the
bigger dogs whom he undoubtedly put
to rout. On the contrary, all such
flights were founded In mere supersti-
ton. for dogs are ven more supersti-
tious than boys and colored people,
and the most firmly established Of all
dog superstitions is that any dog, be
he the smallest and feeblest in the
world, car whip any trespasser what
soeve
A rat terrier believes that on his
home grounds he can whip an ele-
plant. It follows, Of course, that a
big dog, away from his own home, will
U from a little dog in the little dogs
neighborhood. Otherwise the big dog
must face a charge Of Inconsistency.
and dogs are as consistent as they are
superstitious. A dog believes in war,
but he is convinced that there are times
when it Is moral to run, and the
thoughtful physiognomist, seeing a big
dog fleeing out of a little dogs yard,
must observe that the expression Of the
big dogs face is more conscientious
than alarmed. It is the expression Of a
person performing a duty to himself.
Penrod understood these matters per-
fectly. He knew that the gaunt brown
hound Duke chased up the alley had
fed only out Of Difference to a custom,
yet Penrod could not refrain from
Dragging Of Duke to the hounds own
er, a fat faced stranger Of twelve or
thirteen, who had wandered into the
neighborhood.
"You better keep that ole yellow dog
o yours back" said Penrod ominous-
ly as he climbed the fence. ''You bet
ter catch him and hold him till 1 get
mine inside the yard again. Dukes
chewed up some pretty bad bulldogs
around here
The fat faced boy gave Penrod a
fshy stare. you'd oughta learn him
not to do that" he said. zen make
him sick"
What will?"
The stranger laughed raspingly and
gazed up the alley, where the hound,
having come to a halt, nov coolly sat
down, and, with an expression Of
roguish benevo1ence, patronizingly
watched the tempered fury of Duke,
whose assaults and barkings were be-
coming p~erfunctory.
"What'n make Duke sickg?' Penrod
demanded.
"Eatin' dead bulldogs people leave
around here"
Tlis was not Improvisation but for
mula. adapted from other occasions to
the present encounter. Nevertheless, 1t
was new to Penrod. and he was so
taken with it that resentment lost it.
self in admiration. Hastily commit
ting the gem to memory for use upon
a dog owning friend. he inquired in a
s0ciable tone:
Whats your dogs name?'
Dan. You better call your ole pup,
cause Dan eats live dogs"
Dams actions poorly supported his
masters assertion, for upon Dukes
ceasing to bark Dan rose and showed.
the most courteous interest In making
the little old dogs acquaintance, Dan
had q great deal Of manner, and 1t be-
came plain that Duke was impressed
fayorably In spite Of former prejudice,
SO that presently the two trotted
Samicabiy back to their masters and
sat down with the harmonious but in
different air OF having known each 9th
er intimately for years.
They were received without COM
snert, though both boys looked at them
retleetiveis for a time. 1t was Penrod
who spoke first.
What number you 60 tor Gin an
soral lessen In English Penrod had
eeen instructed to put this question In
another form. May ask which Of our
public schools you attend9"1
sMes What number do ! go tot.
said The stranger contemptuously. 7
don't 10 TO no number Ia vacation"
I mean when II ain't."
Third returned the fat faced boy.
"a gat sn all scared In that school.
what etyN iunocently asked Pen
sed. ID whem sthe thirds-in q distant