The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1922-05-19

/ the setting SUM- when man pays
money he watches out. reckon Stub
! has gone fer good. sure thing, this
| time r. And yet--long before dawn
/ there came whine and a gentle
scratch al his cabin door; and al
though four times the dog was re-
turned 10 his new owner. four times
he escaped and nosed the long traii
that led TO the cabin on the mountain
side.
After Stubs fourth desertion the
saloon-keeper refused 10 take him
again. and for week the dog lay un-
molested In his old place In the sun
outside the cabin door. or dozed be-
fore the fireplace al night. Then
Rathburn bestirred himself and made
one last effort. taking the dog quite
over the mountain and leaving him
tied to tree.
AT the end OF thirty-slx hours. Rath-
burn was concentrating himself at
the end Of thIrty-seven he was crying.
Down. sir-down." 70 joy-crazed
little dog which had come leaplng
down the mountain-sIde with eighteen
inches OF rope dangling at his heels
n rope whose frayed and tattered end
showed the marks OF sharp little teeth.
Rathburn gave II up after that, and
Stub stayed on.
AS the days passed food became
scarce In the cabin. II had been some
time since Rathhurn had gone TO town
for supplies. Then came the day
when great JOY came into Stubs life
his master spoke to him. II was not
the old fond greeting. to be sure.
And so II came about that stub. In
obedience to that sharp command. fire.
'quently scampered of with his master
to spend long days In the foothills. or
following the mountain streams. Some
times II was partridge. sometimes II
was squirrel or rabbir-whateyer
II was that fell victim TO Rathburns
gun, Stub Learned very soon that ii
must be brought at once to the mas
ter and laid at his feet.
II was on one OF the days when
work. not hunting. fillfsi the time. that
:Rathhurn came home after long
days labor TO find Stub waiting for
him with dead rabbit. After that 1t
came to be common thing for the
dog to trot OF by himself IN the morn
ing: and the man fell more aud more
in the way of letting him so alone. as
It left his own time the more free for
the pursuit OF that golden sprite who
was ever promising success just ahead.
AS for Stnb--Stuh was happy He
spent the long days In the foothills or
ON the mountaln-side, and soon be
came expert In his hunting.
Gradually as the days passed there
came still another change In the life
at the cabin. Rathburn's step became
slow. and his cheeks sunken. Some
times he did not leave home all day.
hut lay tossing from side TO side on
his bunk In the corner AT such times, !
II the result Of Stubs hunt were eat. |
able. the man you'd rouse himself
enough 10 STIR the tlre and get sup
per: and always after such day at
hong, Rathhurn was astir the next
morning at dawn and off in feverish
haste for lorg days work to make
up for the long day OF idleness
But there came time when he
could not do this-when each day
found him prone on his bunk or NOV
ing feebly about the room. Then came
n nigh, when Stubs bark at the door
was unanswered. Again and again
Stub demapded admIttance only to he
met with silence The door, though
unlatched. was swollen from recent /
rains. ard II took five good minutes
and all the strength of one small dog
TO push 1t open narrow foot. and
then there were only silence and /.
dying fire by way Of greeting.
Stub dropped his burden on the !
floor and whIned He was particu- !
slarly proud tonight; he had brought
home partridge-the first he had |
ever caught without the aid OF his
masters gun.
The figure on the bed did not move. !
The dog picked UP the bird he had
dropped and walked toward hts mas
ter. This time he laid his offering |
close to the bunk and barked.
The man stirred and groaned. For
long minutes the dog stood motion !
less, watching; then he crept 10 the ,
fire and almost into the hot ashes In !
his efforts to warm the blood Of his !
shlyering little legs.
In the morning the fire was quite
out Sub stretched his stInfened body |
and gazed about the room. Over on