Evening star., 1922-07-02
BY Richard Harding Davis


up me and sets me back on the plat
fern, shoulder to shoulder with
the Champion Regent Royal and
goes down on his knees and looks
into our eyes.
The gentleman with my father, he
laughs and says 10 the Judge: Think
ing Of keeping us here all day. John?"
but the Judge. he goes behind US and
runs his hand down my side. and
holds back my ears and takes my
jaws between his fingers.
The Judge was looking solemn, and
when he touches us he does II gentle,
like he was patting US For q long
time he kneels In the sawdust, loog-
ing at my father and at me, and no
one around the ring says nothing to
nobody.
Then the judge takes a breath and
touches me sudden. It's HIS" he
says. but he lays his hand just Is
quick on my father I'm sorry."
says he.
The gentleman holding my father
cries:
do you mean to tell mt"
And the Judge, he answers. "I mean
the other is the better dog" He
takes my fathers head between his
hands and looks down at him. most
sorrowfuI. The king is dead" says
he: "long live the king. Good-by.
Regent" he says.
60 that is how / came by my 'in-
heritance." as Miss Dorothy calls
it, and just for that. though I
couldn't feel where I was any diner
ent, the crowd follows me to my
bench and pats me and COOS at me.
And the handlers have to hold 'em
back 80 that the gentlemen from the
papers can make pictures Of me. and
Nolan walks me up and down so
proud, and the men shakes their
heads and says, He certainly Is the
true type, he is"
After that, IL l could have asked
for it. there was nothing I couldn't
get. Miss Dorothy gives me an over
coat, cut very stylish like the cham
pions, to wear when we goes out
carriage driving.
After the next show, where I takes
three blue ribbons. four silver cups.
two medals. and bring home $45
for Nolan. they gives me a regis
tered" name, same as Jimmy's. Miss
Dorothy wanted to call me Regent
Heir Apparent" but / was that glad
when Nolan says, NO, Kid don't owe
nothing to his father. only to you
and hisself. So. IL you please. Miss.
we'll call him Wyndham Kid" But.
oh, it was good they was so kind, for
if they hadn't been I'd never have
got the thing that was more to me
than anything in the world.
1t came about one day when we was
out driving in the cart they calls the
dogcart. Nolan was up behind, and
me in my new overcoat was sitting
| beside Miss Dorothy. l hears a dog
calling loud for help. and 1 pricks up
my ears and looks over the horses
head In the road before US three big
dogs was chasing a little. old lady
dog She had a string to her tail.
where some boys had tied a can. and
she was dirty with mud and ashes
and torn most awful. She was too far
done up to get away. but she was
making a fight for her life and dying
game. All this l see in a wink. and
1 can't stand II no longer and clears
the wheel and lands in the road and
makes a rush for the fighting. Behind
me hear Miss Dorothy cry. They'll
kill that old dog. Wait. take my
whip Beat them off her! The Kid
can take care Of himself" and I hear
Nolan fall into the road and the horse
come to g. stop. The old lady dog was
down and the three was eating her
vicious. but as I come up. scattering
the pebbles, she hears and she lifts
her head. and my heart breaks open
like some one had sunk his teeth in
it. For. under the ashes and the dirt
and the blood, I can see who II Is.
and Iknow that nv mother has come
back to me.
l gives a yell that throws them
three dogs of their legs.
Mother / cries. I'm the Kid"
cries. I'm coming to you, mother.
I'm coming"
A ND shoots over her, at the throat
\ of the big dog. and the other
two. they sinks their teeth into that
stylish overcoat and tears It of me.
and that sets me free, and let's them
have it. Nolan was like a hen on 4
bank. shaking the butt of his whip.
but not daring to cut in for fear Of
hitting me.
stop II. Kid" he says, stop 1t. Do
! you want to be all torn up?" says he.
| Think OF the Boston show next
week" says he. Think Of Chicago.
Think of Danbury. Don't you never
| want to be a Champion" How was I
| to think OF all them places when I
| had three dogs to cut up at the same
time. But in a minute two Of EN-
begs for mercy. and mother and me
| lets 'em run away. The big one, he
amt able to run away. Then mother
and me we dances and jumps and
| barks and laughs. and we trots up
the hill, side by side. with Nolan try
| ing to catch me and Miss Dorothy
laughing at him from the cart.
THE Kids made friends with the
poor old dog" says she. Maybe he
knew her long ago. when he~ran the
streets himself"
When we drives into the stables I
takes mother to my kennel and tells
| her to go inside 1t and make herself
| at home. "Oh. but he won't let me-"