Weekly Caledonian. (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1919-1920, 1919-02-26
CHAPTER III
Slug Truman, Monday Washing and
Cardinal Wolsey Enter the Nara
tive and Start their Roles as Minor
Heroes.

Down Cobb Hill came the rattle of
buggy tires in the sandy road. A trap
'r;,N,i; By IL little black mare and d!iv-
"a by q stocky, Well-drcsscd young
nan, reached the NAPLES alongside
the Wheeler house. The stocky young
nan stopped the mare and arose in
The vehicle. y hidcous bulldog in the
seat with him rose likewise.
Two times more those cries Houn-
dcd on the summer night. The young
man pat Il foot on the carriage wheel
Ind leaped over. The dog tried the
same thing and had to be eXtricajcd,
The young man, followed by the log
approached the house.
"Hcy, you!" he called, DIS anything,
especially the matter"
For answer he heard a thump. a
crash, Il curse. The dim light that had
been burning in that caves room was
suddenly cNtinGuished. There was an
| other thunp. another crasIl-a' OF
frniture falling. He heard Il long
:ry. Someone came swiftly through
thc lower rooms. Then the light
screen door on the side porch flew
open; there came ~ flash of white IN
the moonlight and across the Lawn
toward him ran Il girl.
"N hat; it all about the youn%
NAN demanded.
For he had suddenly discovered him
,clr With Il protecting ann about this
;jrl-a girl whose shoulders and body
were cnvolopeA in a heavy quilt and
whose hair fell wildly about hor face.
"Wherc can I go? =. what caa !
lo?" she sobbed.
At the moment the heavy footballs
If Silent Wheeler sounded through
the lower rooms and bruised and
lishevcled man appeared on tho rear
porch. He started across.
"Wait moment! Stopn' ordered
.lic Young stranger. "What'' The
Meaning Of all this, anyhow? Can't
7 ask civil question and get q civil
,nswcr?'
"Hc struck mc-with his bclt--he
struck met sobbcl the girl.
"What for?"
ale told me to leave and go away.
| I didn't think he meant tonight. |
wa; here when he came from McilH;-
motifs. And he struck mc-with his
oclt!"
The heavy quilt slipped from her
,rasn. The moonlight disclosed The
white flesh of her arms and ahoul
| lcrs For u moment the young Man
raped blank,y
"Cripcs!' he calculated. "Cripca"
Then he turned on the stcp-fathcr.
I'm Slug Truman, am. they call
nc that in Paris because got hun
ircd and seventy pound punch
have. And if hit you with he
whole hundred and seventy, might
bust you right open. What's com
ing off here, anyhow: What; he
.ow?"
strangers amt wanted IN tA:a"
Erowlcd Silent Wheeler anarily.
"Maybe they amt. Then III be
the little old unwelcomc guest. What's
the matter with you, 81 Wheeler?
You talk as if you'd gone plumb loon
cyw
"Strangcrs amt wanted in thisw
declared Whcclcr again
Out they amt ron' to stand aside
and soc no womcnfolis beat up.'
"You keep out" warned the step
father.
The girl uttered Il little cry. She
fancicd she could sec his strcngc eyes
green eyes Glowing and shoulder
ing in the moonlight.
keep out nothin'! You keep of
Keep off--or sccin' that just this
minute got this lady to sort O. keep
standin' up, I might call in this dog
to help me, don't you knoww
"'To hell with your dog!"
"Don't say that, He amt u.>d
to bcin' spoke unkindly Of"
But the man started forward. He
made a lurch at the girl. The dog
growlcd. The young stranger tried
to get himself between man and girl
onslaught made him STUN
bic.
"Sic 'cm, Card" the boy cried.
'Hclp a Teller out that's got d arm-
fulw
The scrulf of the dogs back arose.
He ran around and around the group
4 couple of times, growing low and
ominously. The boy hit at the man.
The blow Infatuated the animal. His
owls slobbercd with sudden rage. II,
'prang. His teeth snapped. {
In the next three minutes that var
Witnessed a tragedy. '
"Cripes!" Slug defended himself. :
i had to ask Card to help me out, ,
|idnt /? | couldn't bust him with =
ny arms full o girl and bedpuilt. =,
What good is Il dog, anyhow--uE!css Il
e rises to a emergency" =,
He led the fainting girl to an old I.
erry crate that helped clutter the !.
ard and started in to disengage the 7
owerful brute who was doing such n
errible execution.
"Silent" Wheeler dragged himself
ack to the porch on hands and knees -,
here he collapsed and rolled down st.
he steps. The dog who had tasted Fl
lood had to be kicked, cuffed and ,
eaten into submission. Then Slug 7,
fled him bodily, carried him to the m