The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1922-07-15

down the mOllntHin-Stde with eighteen
| inches Of rope dangling at his heels
rope whose fraycd ana tattered enc
showed the marks Of shnrp little teeth
Rathbnrn gave II W after that and
stub stayed oil.
As the days passed food became
scarce In IN" cabin. 1t had been some
time since Rathhurn had gone to town
for supplies. Then cam" III" day
when Il great joy came into stubs life
his master spoke to him II WAS not
tie old fond greeting. to be sure
And 50 1t came about that Stub. in
obedience 10 that sharp command, fire.
Quently scampercd off with his master
To spend long days il the foothills or
following the mountain streams Some
times 1t WINS Il partridge. sometimes it
wns a squirrel or ii rabbit whatever
II WAS that fell Il victim to Rathburn' 8
gun, Stub learned very soon that it
must be brought ut once to the mas
ter and laid Mt his feet.
1t was on one of the days when
work not hunting. filled the time, that
Rathhurn came home after II long
days labor to find Stub waiting for
! him with u dcnd rabbit After that it
came to be n common thing for the
| dog to trot Off by himself in the morn
ing; and the man fell more and more
in the way of letting him 20 alone. as
! ii left his own time the more free for
| the pursuit of that golden Spritc who
|
AS for Stub-Stuh was happy He
spent the long days in the foothills or
on the mountain side, and soon be-
came expert In his hunting.
Gradually as the days passed there
came still another change In the life
Mt the cabin. Rathburns 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,
If the result OF Stubs hunt were eat
able the man you'd rouse himself
enough to stir the fire and get sup
per; and always. after such n day mt
home. Rathburn was astir the next
morning ut dawn and off in feverish
haste for lOfg 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
night when Stubs bark mt the door
was unanswered. Again and again
Stub demanded admIttance only to be
met with silence The door. though
Unattached. was swollen from recent
rains, and 1t took five good minutes
and all the strength Of one small dog |
to push II open n narrow foot. and |
then there were only silence and a |
dying fire by way of greeting.
Stub dropped his burden on the
floor and whInpd He was particu-
larry proud tonight; he had brought
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 his mas
ter. This time he laid his Offering
CloSe W TIE Dunk anu DHFkeu.
The man stirred and groaned. For
long minutes the dog stood notion
less. watching; then he crept to the
fire and almost into the hot ashes In
his efforts to warm the blood of his
shivering little legs.
In the morning the fire was quite
out Stub stretched his stiffened body
and gazed about the room. Over on
the bed the man did not stir nor
speak. The dead bird lay untouched
At his side. There was a whine, a
bark, and a long minute OF apparent
then the dog battered
across the floor, wormed himself
through the partly open door, and took
he trail that led to the foothills.
Three times Stub brought to the
ireless. silent cabin the result Of his
lays hunt and laid 1t at his masters
'ide, and always there was only
silence or low groan to greet him.
On the third night 1t snowed-the
irst storm of the season. A keen
Wind swept down the mountain and
tidytu lOe-hHu-Seek WIN the CABIN |
ioor, so that In the morning long
'ar of high piled snow lay across the
abin floor
When the men from the village
'loughed their way through the snow
md pushed open the door. they
topped amazed upon the threshold,
ooking at one another with mingled
larm and pity: then one of them con
uering his reluctance, strobe for
yard. He stopped for a moment over {
he PROSTATE form OF the man before
e turned and faced his companions
Boys, he's-gone." he said huskily:
nd in the silence that followed. four
zen barred their heads.
IL was dogs low whine that first
TIRED into action the man by tbs
unk. He looked down and his ey~s
rev luminous. He saw the fireless 6
earth, the drifted snow, and the half
cad dog keeping wa.chful guard over
pile of inert fur ard feathers on the
oor-a pile frozen S.ff and mutelv
itnessing daily oaty well per-
,rmed
i reckon I'm needln' dog" he h
I'D. as he stopped and patted Stubs
cad. :.