Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-25


Suddenly. as the sixth man stood
poised, there was a shout from the
driveway that skirted the. small lake
and the woods. After the shout there
was visible small ragged object,
ears back, tail down, chest straining.
coming like dusty streak along the
drive. 1t was a dog, running for its
! life
Dan walked across the short plateau
to see better. Another shout made up
of unintelligible words came just
around the curve, and after 1t, a
| policeman, stout, red of face, glarinG
of eye, his fingers clutching a metal
| object that shone in the sun. Oar
| stepped quickly out on the road
| Something in the small, forlorn
| desperate figure. fleeing from the big
policeman and the shining object
| touched him. He whistled softly
He held out one hand and motioned
gently.
In one brief, amazed flash up came
the limpid brown eyes of the little
tramp dog, For the first time In his
starved, friendless. knocked-about
life. he saw human haven of ref
uge. Swiftly as an arrow to it's mark,
the bruised feet carried him straight
to Dan; he jumped UP and licked the
outstretched hand with queer, stifled
barks. then covered, shivering, close
to- Dams legs.
Dan picked him up as the red police
man approached.
What's the trouble, officer?" he
inquired.
The large man grew more apo
plectic.
Trouble! been chasin' that darn
dog all over this here park! l took
him in them woods over there 10
shoot him. an he got away from me.
III see to it he don't do it again.
Much obliged for ketchin' him.
He came closer. The dog trembled
violently. Under the shaggy brow
one brown eye, pleading, looked up at
Dan.
What's he done, officer? why
were you going to kill him?"
Done! Why, he amt no good. He
don't belong to nobody. He's a tramp,
he is: I'm goin' to shoot him. He'll
mebbe go mad an bite somebody"
Well" Dan said, IT hate to hand
him over to be shot. If there's notn.
ing wrong with the dog except that
he has no home III remedy that.
Ill take him with me-"
Il tell you he amt no good! II
he goes mad an bites somebody, I'll
arrest you! You mind THAR
"Ali rightp' Dan said eouably.
IT'S bargain"'
The policeman put up his revolver,
and Dan. carrying his charge, turned,
picked up his golf bag and went to his
car. A queer elation filed him. He
had won in a sharp contest. and
here was a small living creature that
seemed to appreciate his efforts.
y + * x
"A s he drove back home the dog
Struggled close to him, rubbing
against his arm, scarcely moving the
brown eyes from his face.
He put the car in the garage. lifted
the waif from the seat and led the
way to the house. The little beggar
was probably starved. It was a right
good thing Helene was gone, he
thought, as he let himself into the
Kitchen. He brought cold meat and
milk and placed them on the floor.
And then, at last, the little tramn
dog knew beyond a shadow of doubt
that he had come home! Home to the
end of his quest! Home to a master
from whose hand he would be fed
whose hearthstone he would guard
with his very life. And with only a
glance at the food, he flung himself
upon the man who knelt beside him
He licked his face, his hands; he
leaped upon him; he barked his
starved, lonely heart out in JOYOUS
yelping; he groveled in every form of
worshipful contortion: he looked I'D al
his god with brown eyes of utter
alteration.
And as he watched something
strange happened to Dan. He was
physically weak; he was nervously ex
hausted; he was hurt and lonely and
love hungry! And because there was
no one, to see or hear, he buried his
face in the dogs dusty, ragged coat
and let the tension break. His
shoulders heaved. He heard his own
voice in foolish, choking sentences.
You little loyal mutt! You care
what happens to me! You careI ]
know! You'll never leave me, You'll
follow me to the corner in the morn
tngs and watch me out of sight! And
you'll be here when come home eve.
nings. You'll be looking out for me and
be restless and anxious If I'm late
Then you'll run to meet me, and jump
and whine and lick my hands," Dams
voice broke in a great sob, as he held
the small body to him. You'll love
me. you loyal little mutt! You'll love
me-"
Now, If the iceTnan had not been
late and the milkman had not arrived
with his bill that morning, there would
have been no witness to this ex.
traordinary scene taking place upon
the kitchen floor. AS it was, however
there had been the delays which every
housekeeper experiences when trying
to get an early start from home.
When Dan drove into the garage
Helene had only just closed the
kitchen door and reached her room to
change her dress. She heard the door
open, and came to the landing on the
back stairs and peered down. And
then as she saw and heard +.
her face grew flushed, and then turned
deadly white. Her hands clutched the
railing; her eyes, strained, intense
were riveted on the scene below.
Had the neat garden just outside
been suddenly rent by an earthquake
there would not have come upon
Helene more astounded terror than
she felt at that momentt
Dan, the strong, the unfailing, the
self-contained! Quiet. steady, un,
changeable Dan! Who had never In
all her knowledge of him lost his self
control or his firm poisa by a. hairs
breadth! To see him now, broken
shaken, clasping to his breast a
strange, dirty dogi To hear his voice
Dams low, sure. comforting voice
now sobbing! Crying out for love
with that agoniZed loneliness.
1t was as though the solid founda,
tions of her life had given away! II
was as though the great forces of pain
and despair which had been to her
before but vague names, were now
beating upon Dan, under her very
eyes, with strong, merciiess, living
hands; and with every blow she felt
her own heart smitten.
To save him! To shield him from
these monsters! To bring back to hin
gladness and strength! And oh. to lift
from herself this nav burden of crush
ing guilt
And with the thought something
l1n fAnannd also II, IInlann The tnr.ir, o.