Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1922-08-10
A FOUR FOOTED
FAITH AND A TWO
In Which the Love Of Dog Far Outshines That Of q
Master, Who Doesn't Deserve the Title.
By ELEANOR PORTER
Author Of !" Pollyanna, = Just David" Etc

by klEANS
IL Author Of !" Pollyann
ILL., Copyright by Eleanor n. Porter.
(ZXXXXXXxX1KEX
NN Monday Rathburn took the dog
far up the trail. Stub was no blue
ribbon, petted dog Of records and pedi-
gree; he was a vicious-lo oking little
yellow cur of mixed ancestry and bad
habits-that Is. he had been all, this
when Rathburn found him six months
before and championed his cause in a.
quarrel with crowd Of rOughs In
Mike Swaney's saloon. Since then he
had developed into well-behaved
little beast with pair Of wistful eyes
that looked unutterab1e love.
4 Rathburn5 had rescued the dog that.
day In the saloon more to thwart the.
designs Of Pete Mulligan, the head Of
the gang and an old enemy, than for
any compassion for the dog itself;
but after he had taken the little ami
NAL home he rather enjoyed the slay.
ash devotion Wilhelm the dogs mind.
seemed evidently to be the only at
return for SO great q service as had
been done him. For some months,
therefore, Rathburn petted the dog,
fed him, taught him to Speak and to.
r'beg," and made Of him an almost
constant companion. At the end of
that time, the novelty having worn
thin, he was ready-as he expressed
It to himself call the whole thing
on" and great vas his disgust that
THE dog failed to see the affair In the
same light. b
For some time, Rathburn endured
the plaintive whines, the questioning
eyes, the frequent thrusts Of a cold
little nose against his hand; then he
determined to end It all. ,5
"Stub. come here r he called sharp
Nv, his right hand seeking his pocket.
With yelp Of Joy the dog leaped
forward-not for days had his master
voluntarily noticed him. IS
Rathburn raised his pistol and took
4 careful aim. His eye&was steady and
I his hand did not shake. Two feet
away the dog had come to a sudden
halt. Something In the eye Or in the
lleveled weapon had stayed his feet.
He whined, then barked. his eyes all
THE while wistfully demanding an ex-
planation. Suddenly. his gaze still
fixed on his masters face, he rose
upright on his launches and held be-
fore him two little dangling paws.
There was silence, followed by a
muttered oath, as the pistol dropped
to the ground. 4 3. .s..,5|
'Confound my babyishness I" snarled
Rathburn. STOPPING and pocketing HIS
weapon. '.One would think I'd never
seen q gun before"
This was on Sunday. On Monday
Rathburn took the dog far mp the
trail. 81 4is:ss
want dogi.' he said " to a low
4 brDwed, unkemptr man sitting at the
door OF a squat cabin. 80: sssss,lsg.
well, / don't ain't sbuyin. dogs
these days. = {
'sYer don't have ter buy this one 3
observed Rathburn meaningly.
The other glanced up with sharp
eyes. 5s
.Humphl Bitter" he snapped.
Rathburn shook his head. Is 53s
"Sick Of him." he returned lacon.
ically. Like his room better'h his
! company 'ss:ss
"Humph |" grunted the other. Then
to the dog: "Come here, sir, an let's
have q look at We y 81.
Five minutes later Rathburns strobe
down the trail alone, while behind
him, on the other sideso the FAST shut
cabin door, barked and scratched q
frantic little yellow dog. EE5sss IS;
Tuesday night, when Rathburn came
home. the first sound that greeted him
was q Joyous bark as qntvering;
eager little creature leaped upon him
out Of the dark. s.s I33Fs $500 S.
On Wednesday Stub trotted into
town at Rathburn's heels, and all the
way down the struggling street he
looked neither to the right nor TO the
left, 80 fearful did he seem that the
! two great boots he was following
should in some way slip from his
! sight. And yet, vigilant as he was. the
door Of Swaney's saloon got somehow
between and left him on one side
barking and whining and running like
mad about the room, while on the
other his master stood jlngling the
two pieces Of silver Id his pocket
the price Mike Swaney had paid fol
4 his new dog. i| sis: 3s:.s Y
Halfway up the mountain-side Rath:
burn was still chuckling, still Jingling
3 hia coins. 4.
hen q man pays money" he wal
saying aloud, as he squared his shout.
ders and looked across the valley al
the setting sun, "when a man pays
money he watches out. I reckon Stub
has gone Ter good. sure thing, this
3 time u And yetlong before dawn
there came q whine and gentle