The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-02-24


full"
The scuff of the dogs back arose
He ran around and around the group
couple of times, growing low and
ominously The boy hit at the man.
The blow Infatuated the animal. His
jowls slobbered with sudden rage. liz
sprang. His teeth snapped.
In the next three minutes that yarc
witnessed a tragedy.
"Cfipes!" Slug defended himself,
81 had to ask Card to help me out,
didn't L? l couldn't bust him with
my arms full O. girl and bedquilt.
What good is dog, anyhow-unless
he rises to an emergency"
He led the fainting girl to an old
berry crate that helped clutter the
yard and started in to disengege the
powerful brute who was doing such
terrible execution.
"Silent" Wheeler dragged himself
back to the porch on hands and knees
where he collapsed and rolled down
the steps. The dog who had tasted
blood had to be kicked, cuffed and
beaten into submission. Then Slug
lifted him bodily, carried him to the
buggy and tied him to the fancy iron
work under the seat in the rear.
There the dog licked his wounds
where the man had clawed him and
growled continually while the scuff
of his coat settled.
care you hurt, Miss?" Slug asked
the girl.
"No! . 81. That is-not much. 1t
isn't me Pm thinking Otis mother.
Oh, what's become of herr"
GAS I was drivin' over the top of
the hill about five minutes ago | see
a woman runnin' in the moonlight
across the south mowin'. l thought
it was queer You don't suppose 1t
was her. do you?"
"Then she started for help to the
Osgood's It's the nearest way
across the south moving"
"Whatter you want to do? You
can't stay. here like this!"
81 don't know. [ could wait till
the Osgood boys come"
"You better let me take you to the
Osgood's-if you mean the Henry
Osgoods. You can't go back in the
house tonight. Besides, | don't know
how bad Cards chewed the old man
up. Sheriff Crumpett ought to be
called right away quick"
She let him lead her to the buggy.
He helped her in She tucked the
heavy quilt about her and he added a
blanket He got in over the oppo-
site wheel, picked up the reins and
pulled the beribboned whip from its
socket. The little mare was dashed
in wild gallop and the rig earcened
off through the night.
1t was four miles by the road to
the Osgood's Young Truman guild
ed the foaming little mare into the
Osgood's front yard and halted close
to the steps, where she quivered and
chomped at the bit. The old Os-
good house was dark and silent. Evil
IDENTIFY the mother had not arrived or
lights would have been burning. Slug
vaulted over the. wheel, alighted or
the piazza and hammered at the door
with the butt of his whip.
The minutes licked past. They
waited. Slug hammered again. But
though the noise he made sounded
through the house like the summons
of an enemy of invasion, no sign OF
life appeared within. A big black cat
came around the corner. 1t leapeC
up the front steps, purring and new
ing. 1t rubbed against Truman's
ankles.
Looks as if they amt home" he
announced.
Again and again he pounded. HI
went around to the side doors anf
made a similar racket. He called t.
the upper windows from the from
yard
"There amt window open anvi
where" he announced. "Thev would
MT sleen on warm night like thii
with all their windows shut. Do yol
want me to take yon back-or any
wherc?"
He drove her back. A halfhou
later they drove into the Wheele
yard. Slug turned the buggy in Owe
the soft sod.