The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1923-07-19

. 80 = NAi itA DIi AAAhANh hlAA
Grit had stained the floor. He found.
too. a button of horn with a fragment
Of black and white check. torn from
Molly's riding coat in the struggle.
Sandy's anger crystalized into one am
bition beyond the finding of Molly,
and that was to XIII PlimsolI, If pos
sible with his hands. He pictured the
struggle between the gambler and the
girl, desperate on one side, brutal on
the other, and, whether the stake had
been won or lost. he resolved that
rllmsoll should die for thar attack.
Now his hope hung on Grit. lie
took the cOllle's head on his lap and
examined the blow made by the butt
of PlimsOlI's gun. Ii had laid bare
the bone but he did not think II either
splintered or fractured. Sandy knew
that dog or wolf or coyote will lie
in a torpor after being badly wornd-
ed and often recover slowly, waking
from the recupernting sleep revital~
lied. Bat. If he could bring Grit hack,
he must make fresh demands on him.
He washed the wound on the head
add SeETad io|i29 'Lto It. He did
the same with the hole in the leg,
cleansing II from the dried blood and
hair, Ii had stopped bleeding. He
disinfected ii, stitched It, closed 1t,
bound IL with adhesive tape and
strengthened 1t with a bandage nd
Jnsted as expertly as any surgeon
could have done. He pried open the
Jaws with but little resistance and let
the tongue slip back before he poured
in a measure OF Scotch and water
between the canine and incisor teeth.
For a moment there was no response,
then Grit coughed, choked, swal-
lowed. Sandy repeated the dose with
less water. 1t went down naturally.
Almost Immediately he felt the heart
stroke strengthen. Grit sneezed.
opened his eyes and feebly thumped
his tail as he licked Sandy's hand.
, Crit, OF p%ardner," said Sandy serl-
ously, the dogs head between his
! hands, 'yo're sure mussed IN . heap
an ! hate to do 1t, but / got to call
o you. son. Mebbe II won't be such
a long trick, but | can't sit by with
out yore nose, Grit. It's worth more'n
all I've got. An | know yo're game
Grit wagged his tail more vigorous
ly and tried TO get on his feet, but
Sandy prevented him until the third
dose was administered. Then he car
ried the dog outside To save him every
foot OF unnecessary progress, and set
him down. The collie stood up, wab-
bly, on N foot but able to stand
looking eagerly at Sandy, commencing
TO snuif the air. Sandy let him smell
the coin. the strand of hair. the piece
Of cloth and. with his keenest sense
stimulated with the perfume that
stood to Grit for love. the dog wr'n,
Killed. his nose and cast around. Bur
he led direct to Blaze and stood by
the horse uncertain while Blaze
nosed down at him.
Carried out OF the cabin. son." said
Sandy. Well guess at Plimsnll.
He's got clear Of the locality. Blaze
knows but he can't tell. We've got 10
cast about" He picked up tine dog
again. puzzled, and looked about him
In the guleh. suffused with moonlight.
There sh'ud be soft dirt under those
asps, let's give n Iook-see there"
They had not gone five feet into the
trees before man and dog made a sim
u~ltaneous discovery. For Sandy 1t
was a heel-mark left by Piimsoll.
treading heavily under his burden, a
slight depression enough, but plain TO
Sandy. Crit began 70 struggle in his
arms. Moliy's hair or body must have
brushed against lower houghs at the
same height that Sandy carried the
wounded Grit and the scent still
chung.
'sThey c'udn't go fur in this direc-
ton by the looks Of the place. Grit"
said Sandy. "See what you can make
OF H." He put him down by the heel
print. Grit uttered a low growl deep
back in his throat. his ruff lifted. He
started OF, hobbllng along. leading
truly over rock or sand. into the rove
where the split rock lay, It's crevice
black, the vine eurving down into II
like a serpent. Where PIimsoll had
laid her down Grit halted and raised
his head. HIS tongue PLAYING In and
out Of his jaws in his triumphant ex-
element. his eyes luminous. his tail
waving like the plume ~ Q knight.
Sandy gently patted him, pvessed him
down to a crouch.
Down charge. Grtt.- re whispered
In his ear. you've got II. You stay
here" Sandy had left his rifle at the
cabin when ne carried Grit out. now
he spun the two cylinders of his
colts. lowered himself into the split.
holding on 10 the vine. looking
straight into Grit's lambenf eyes.
.Stay here. SON." he said softly.
and Crit licked the face now on a
level With his own. IN be back"
SANDY had adventured dan
Ige.mss chances than this. He felt his
legs dengle Into space and his hands
found a curving loop in the vine trunk
that sagged slightly under his weighi.
Extended ut full length, his toes
touched bottom. Letting go. he
dropped lightly and stood In black;
ness. the crevice above him showing
= striD Of azure light.