The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-08-08
CHAPTER l..
A Dog and a Damsel.

square after half past eleven in the
evening a dog came trotting up to me
stopped at my feet and whined.
There Is nothing remarkable In hav-
Ing a strange dog run to one, nor in
seeing the creature rise on it's hind
legs and paw at you for notice and a
caress. Only, this happened to be an
Eskimo dog.
| stroked the beast, which lay down
at my feet, ralsiro Its head sometimes
to whine and sometimes darting off a
little way and coming back to tug at
the lower edge Of my overcoat. But
my mind was too much occupied for
me to take any but a perfunctory in
terest In its maneuvers. My eight
years OF thankless drudgery as a
clerk, following on a brief adventur-
u period after l ran away to sea
from my English home, had terminal
ed three days before upon receipt of a
legacy, and / had at once left Tom
Carson's employment.
Six thousand guineas-thirty thou
sand dollars-the will said.
l had seer for some time that Car
o meant to get rid Of me. 1t had
been a satisfaction to me to get rid
Of him instead.
He had been alternately a prospec-
tor and a company promoter all the
working years Of his shabby life. Tom
was al secretive as a clam, except
with Simon Leroux.
Leroux was a parish politician from
some place near Quebec, and his
c~lean-shaven, wrinkled face was as
hard and mean as any city boss in the
United States. He and old Tom used
to be closeted together for hours at
q time.
4 / eve liked the man and I never
jared for Carson's business ways. I
was glad to leave him the day after
my legacy arrived.
My plans were vague. / had been
occupying. at a low rental, a tiny
apartment consisting Of two rooms, a
bath and what Is called q Kitchen
ette." at the top Of an old building
In Tenth street which was about to be
pulled down. / had half planned to
lake boat for Jamaica. I wanted to
think and pi1n.
The Eskimo dog was growing I'm
cary. Il would run from me, looking
round ana uttering q succession Of
short barxE, then run back and tug at
my ovsrcDat again.
Evidently II wished me to accom-
pany II. and I wondered who its mas
ter was and how 1t came to be there.
I rose and followed the beast, which
showed It's eager delight by running
ahead Of me. turning round at times
to bark, and then continuing on It's
way with a precision which showed
me that it was certain Of its destina-
ton.
The dog turned down a street In the
Twenties, ran on q few yards, bound
Cd up a flight Of stone steps and be-
gan scratching at the door Of a house
that was apparently empty.
This place I knew by reputation. It
was Jim Days notorious but decently
conducted gambling establishment,
which was running full blast at a time
when every other institution Of this
character had found 1t convenient to
shut down.
So the creatures master was inside
Days, and 1t wished me to get him
cut. I looked In some disappointment
e the closed doors and turned away.
II meant 10 60 home. and I had pro-
seeded about three PAGES when the
lock clicked. ! stopped. The front
doer opened cautiously and the gray
head Of inns negro butler appeared.
Then emerged n Of the most beau
tifui women that ] have eve seen.
She could not have been more than
twenty years Of age. Her hair was
e ! fair brown, the features modelled
eplsndfdly. the head poised upon a
Gavvless throat that cleaned white be-
meath a neckpiece OF magnificent
GabIe..