The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1916-03-02
Ill

II was some hours after nightfall
when Helen arrived at her destina-
ton. The machine climbed q crushed
stone driveway-the only decent
stretch Of road during the last eight
miles Of her journey-to the space
Immediately surrounding the house.
Nobody appeared to greet her In
/ deed. there was no sign of life at all
until, just as she was about to alight
lpand make her presspoe known, huge.
gaunt deg, q Russian boar-hound. came
stalking toward her from among the
black shadows of some outhouses at
the rear. Thirty PAGES away. per-
haps, he halted in the moonlight and
stood steadily looking at her.
OF sudden he uttered a low, throaty
growl, and without warning whirled
around and went dashing toward the
rear in the direction whence he had
come.
Back beyond the outhouses, and ex-
/ tending up rather steep hillside. was
an orchard. Dodging this way and
that. as if trying TO keep to the
splotches of tree shadows. a man was
running away from the house-run-
ming madly, as if the dog. or even
death. were right at his heels. There
was something so desperate in his
frantic scramble up the steep slope
that Helen was a bit awed by the
/ spectacle.
There were no further demonstra-
tons from the enormous brute which,
in fancy, Helen pictured pursuing the
fugitive over hill and dale in a ST.
| lence more grim and ruthless than if
he had bayed his quarry: so she mus
tered up her courage, stepped from
the machine, and, not without qualm
Of trepidation, sped toward the nearest
door. one at the side of the house
Barely had she lifted her hand to
rap when she heard 4 scufiing Of
the gravel close beside her. She jerked
her head around and her heart sank.
The dog was not a dozen feet away,
walking with a dignihed tread directly
toward her. A fence, doubtless, had
baked his pursuit of the fleeing man.
Helen shrank against the door and
for one awful moment was paralyzed
to inaction
Straight on came the brute. He
shifted at the hem OF her skirt. He
raised his head and for a moment
met her terrified look. His head low
cred; he edged a triie nearer-and
slowly wagged his tail,
In a swift revulsion of feeling the
girl nearly collapsed. She laughed
nervously and stopped and scratched
the dogs head
Just then she heard a window open
upon hel left and a harsh feminine
voice inquire who was there She
stepped back away from the door and
saw, framed in one of the ground
floor windows, a woman in a kimono,
which she was holding together at the
throat 1t was too dark in the shadow
to determine more than this; but
Helen informed the apparition that
she was Mrs. Dayenant's new com
panion and that she had just ar.
rived.
" cCNOAA1 AACAS &eG S4ACANC. AAt
woman in the window craned this way
and that-apprehensively. the girl i'm.
agtaed-and SO perceived the dog
She gasped and exclaimed. in a
hustled. frightened voice:
Good Lord; That dogs loose
again Quick. miss. climb in this
window; he's vicious as tiger.
You. Boris. so away this Instant"
At this instant" however. Boris
shaggy head was pressed against
Helen's side in the friendliest fashion
imaginable. The girl tugged his ear
Well. I declare,r marveled the
woman in low voice. Don't tina;
beat the Dutch, Why, wouldn't
take such liberties with that beast
not for anything in the world. And
me that feeds him. tool I'm thank