Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-02-06
AStory by Ben Ames Williams

heard Pr0utt df1ve INTO tne ya!u' az
he went to the door and bade the dog
trainer come in. But Proutt shook mis-
head, and his eyes were somber
you come out, Wesley" he said.
| 1--WE q word for YOU.
There was something. In Proutts tone
which disturbed Wesley. He put on
his mackinAw, and drew his cap down
| about his ears, and went out into tne
yard. Reck had beep asleep on tns
doorstep when Proutt appeared; ne naa
gone into the shed. out OF sign.: ana
when westley came near Proutts pusss'
the dog trainer asked:
| ibid you see Reck sneak away
Wesley was angry; and ne o vas s,a a11o
He said hotly enough: 'Reck never
sreaks. He did not sneak away;
'rHe knows I saw him." said Prou't'
HE heard me YELL
Wsstley asked. With naT ho,',1 swSere
VIZ "rIis morning Proutt declared.
"seant daylight. Down in the swamp,
| Wesley stood very still. trying to
remember whether he had seen Reek
carly that morning. And he eould
only remember with shocking GER
| tainty. that Reck had not been at
home when he came out OF the mouse
to do his chores. He had called ana
got no answer. and 1t may nave
L
peared. 1t had disturbed Wesley at
| the time. and he scolded Reck Tor
| self hunting But any dog Will range
the hcmc farm in the morning hours,
and Wesley had not taken the mat
ter seriously.
than his words. made the matter.very
serious, indeed. Wesley forced him
self to ask: What were you doing
in the swamp
Il was after a deer" said Proutt:
and when Wesley remained silent,
Proutt added, huskily: 80 was Reck. p"
wesley cried: That's a lie." But
his own voice sounded strange and
unnatural in his ears. He would NOT
| believe. Yet he knew that other dogs
had chased deer in the past, ana
would again. He had himself shot
half dozen. It was the law. and
he was the instrument of the law:
And this was the very bitterness OF
Proutt's accusation, for II IT were
true, then he must shoot Reck. Ana
! Wesley would as soon have shot
ono of his own blood as the dog he
loved
In the little instant of silence that
followed upon his word he saw all
| this too clearly. And in spite OF his
love for Reck. and in spite of his
| ardent longing to believe that Proutt
had lied, he feared desperately that
| wife would never have believed: for
q woman refuses to believe any evil
of those she loves. She is loyal by
refusing to believe: a man may be-
lieve and be loyal still.
Wesley did not know whether to
believe or not; but he knew that he
was terribly afraid. He told Proutt:
That's a lie!' And Proutt. after a
long moment. clucked to his horse
and started on. Wesley called after
him: wait"
Proutt stopped his horse: and
w W se;a asked; What are you going
You're game warden" Proutt told
him sullenly. Nobody around here
can make you act. less'n you're a
mind to. But I've told you what's
going on"
wesley was sweating in the cold.
and said pitifully: "Proutt. are you
| sure?"
YES" said Proutt: and Wesley
cried: What did you see?"
II had a deer marked" said Proutt
slowly. He'd been feeding under
there before day this morning. fgur-
ing to get shot at him. Crep' in
quiet. Come day, I couldn't see him.
But after a spell heard a smashing
in the brush. and he come out
through an open. and was away be-
| .oIe Coulu Su0ot. Anu NOT AtteE
How far away" wesley asked.
Not more'n ten rod"
You couldn't be sure"
Damn 1t man, I know Reck. Be-
sides. l wouldn't want to say it was
| What did you do:" Wesley asked.
| Yelled at him to come in"
| did he stop"
| stopped for one look, and then one
jump into the brush and away he
Wesley was almost convinced: he
turned to call Reck. with some curl
Gus and half-formed notion that he
might catechize the dog himself. But
when he turned. he found Reck at his
side. and the setter was standing
steadily. legs stiff and proud like a
There was no guilt in his attitude;
nor was there accusation There was
only steady pride and self-respect,
ana Wesley: at sight Of him. could
not oeii LEY, this damning thing.
Proutt. If this were true he'd be
s ssS ed: and crawling; You saw
Proutt shook his head. Hes a wise
bold dog; is Reck. Wise as you and
| Wesley pulled himself together.
dropping one hand on Reck's head
81 don't believe it, Proutt." ne said
But I'm going to make sure"
I am sure" said Proutt: You can
keep my mouth shut. You was quick
enough to shoot Jackson's dog when
you caught her on that doe"
II KNOW" said Wesley. and his face
was white. I'll be. as quick with
Reck. when I'm sure"
You'll take pains not to get sure ~
Wesley held his voice steady. did
you ever have to call Reck OF Of deer
! 1No."
Then he's never been taught not to
Neither had Jackson's dog"
What I mean," said Wesley. is
this. He doesn't know it's wrong to
run deer"
That's no excuse"
| I'm, not excusinE him."
Proutt swore. We'll, what are YOU
doing?" wv
cTm going to take him into the
swamp and find a deer" said Wesley
slowly. See what he does. He's never
been taught not to run them. So he'll
to do 1t he'll take after them"
Proutt nodded. and there was a GER
tain triumph in his eyes. You take
iyour gun along" he said. You're go
l ing to need that gun"
| Wesley. white and steady. said.
'Tll take the gun. viii YOU come
along?"
Sure"
| DO you know where we can find a
mo; not this time o. day."
Wesley turned toward the house.
wait. he said. 'I'll get my gun; and
| ven 20 pick up Jim Saladine. He'll
| Proutt nodded. 'rn wait" he
I agreed.
Wesley went into the house. Reck
| stood on the dnorafan pro,,t4 ,,,ait