The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-09-14
Old Ribtree's
Dog
BY HUBERT RAY


The murder of Old Ribtree had
passed from q nine days sensation In
to an unsolvsd mystery. Only one
man knew who had killed Ribtree, ant
that was James, because James hat
killed him himself.
Ribtree and James lived In a town
Of fifty thousand inhabitants, JUS
large enough to escape that pryins
gossip which makes murder so unsafe
In villages. The two men had always
been enemies, under the guise of friend
ship. James had especially wanted
Ribtree's girl, Ada Lachaussee.
James had made no elaborate plans
He had figured out that a spontaneous
murder Is the safest. He went to Rib
trees house one night when he knew
he would be alone, walked straight in
to the study, and shot Ribtree through
the heart, and went away. Now he
had Ribtree's girl, Ada Lachaussee.
Detective Aston had questioned
James very closely the next morning,
Happily James was able to prove that
he had been In bed all the day
before, with grippe. His old house
keeper. Mrs. Cannon, confirmed this
statement. Being quite deaf, she had
not heard James open his window and
descend; being In bed when james
returned, she had not heard his key
In the front door.
Ada Lachaussee, moved by James
protestations Of sympathy, had trans
ferred her affections to him. Three
months after the murder, James moved
to Ribbleield, and next week they
were to be married.
James knew that Aston suspected
him, and he was worried. Aston raj
the sort Of detective who, with little
imagination, possessed the ~pertinacity
Of a bulldog. A bulldog? That was
the fly in the ointment. Ribtree had
had q bulldog-Bones.
Bones and James had always been
good friends. Bat Bones was an un-
had shot Ribtree that he perceived
Bones lying in front of the gas log.
Bones got up, shifted at his dead mas
ter. and jumped up at James for a
aress. The memory Of 1t made
James blood run cold.
Next day Bones had met James in
the street and tried to follow him
home. Bones did not know where
James lived; but every time James
took a stroll in the direction Of Rib
4~o@tn Ho,1cA hn mat p0nnH NO h
time he met him carer and nearer
his own house. BE knew that Bones
was slowly running him down.
James, seated In his new house in
Ribblefield, heard a scratching at the
door. The sweat started to his fore
head. He rose and opened 1t, and
Bones came In, wagged his tail, and
lay down at his feet.
For the first time James felt his i'm
pending doom. The sweat streamed
down his forehead. he did not know
what to do.
He kicked the dog furiously, and
Bones gave a yelp, and then Jumped
up at him for a caress again. There
was something devilish in the bull
dogs deliberate design. It was as II
Bones had set himself to run him
down, to furnish the one proof that
could connect him with the murder.
Bones must die. James formed that
determination as he watched the bull
dog c%rouching at his feet, looking up
at him with an expression Of devotion
on it's face. He must get his pistol,
shoot it, dispose Of the body before
morning.
A policeman passed, stamping heav-
lily on the sidewalk. He was accom-
panied by a man whom James, looking
into the darkness, could not recognize.
But a horrible fear came to him that
this man was Aston.
As the men passed James took the
bulldog by the collar, dragged 1t to
the front door, and opened 1t. He was
determined to take Bones to a lonely
place in the country, shoot him and
throw the body into a ditch.
But as he opened the front door he
heard the pounding feet stop. He
stopped, cold with terror. The po-
nceman and his companion we're re-
turning. They walked back to the
gate of the garden, pushed it open,
and came up the path.
And James, standing silently upon
the step, his hand in Bones collar,
knew that Nemesis was at hand.
The light from the street lamp fell
on the face Of the second man. James
recognized Detective Aston.
~ want to see you," Aston said.
"You've got me-" James babbled
"For Gods sake take me away. Yes,
I killed Ribtree, and I'm ready to "a
to the chair for him."
Aston stared at him in stupefaction
and a light broke over his face.
"Why, it's Mr. James," he ex
claimed. Il didn't know you were liv
ing here. Lucky I got that transfe,
last week. You heard what he said
Mullins?"
James looked at him piteously
"What-what d'you mean?" he STAN
mered. Didn't you-didn't your
Aston grinned. "Only wanted t,
know If you'd got a license for tina
there dog" he answered. But I gues'
Il don't matter 50 much-now."
Represssd Emotions.
"How do you react toward the mar
classic dancer?" II control rnvSelf.'