The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-10-14
SPANIEL
REDEEMED
HIMSELF
((0 by d. ]. Walsh.l


youth, squirming to escape.
He'll kill me If l do, an he'll
kill me if | don't get back an tell
quick. he said twenty minutes, know
ing Pm quick and spry, like an eel,
an he'll do it. He did to tether one
l sa-ayp' struggling yet more fran
tically and wild with terror, "let me
-gol Ye've kept me half hour now,
an / amt told thing, an l won't
tell thing. He'll kill mel I'll die
first. l will go!"
He was a supple youth, of the kind
to shin porch pillars, twist out on
slender limbs, drop from caves upon
cat-feet and into manholes at suspi-
cious shadows, and even to rain tears
and protests and supplications when
they would serve his purpose best.
Now his muscles suddenly became
f1abby and he sank toward the floor
dead weight, but before reaching 1t
and while the grasp of his captor was
shifting for new hold, the muscles
of the bent legs suddenly punched as
a mountain lion's-or jackal's-about
to spring, and the body shot forward
through the window, taking glass and
part of the sash toward the ground.
twenty-five feet below.
The man rushed to the window and
looked out. Below was a great mass
of laurel and rhododendron, ending at
the edge of the fish pond. 1t was a
good hiding place.
Beyond the fish pond was an angle
of the lawn and beyond that the
woods. Several men were moving
and raking up the grass of the lawn.
They started toward the house at the
crashing of the glass.
"In the rhododendron bed some
where" shouted the man. SNEAK
thief! Hunt him out -
AS he was Turning back into the
room there came frenZied "Ki-ow
DOW, yo-ow, ki-ow!" and little black
spaniel rushed from the bushes and
almost turned a somersault in his
haste to gain the shelter under the
steps. The man looked down at him
disdainfully.
eff I'd bought any kind Of good
watchdog instead of you this thief
problem would be solved in about two
minutes" he grumbled. "Never mind,
though, your place is ornamental. The
men will soon get him out"
"Oh, Hugh, what do you suppose 1t
oh -hn ho1
appeared at the doorway Of a con-
Meeting room in time to hear what the
man had said. "Who's going to kill
him-what made him so scared?"
- ''Blest if know" gloomily. whats
bothering me now is how the rascal
got away. l lay down on the couch
for a few minutes rest after the run
from town and must have fallen
asleep. l woke suddenly and saw his
face reflected in the mirror. Pm good
on a quick spring and have thought
myself sure on grip till now. Who's
going to kill him, you ask. Nobody,
guess, unless it's his voice paralyzing
him from too much exercise. All bluff,
though ibid believe him till he
worked that drop on me.'I -l-E
"It was real" affirmed his wife.
t''Such terror as that couldn't be SIM
ulated. What do you suppose he want
ed-or the other man-if there is one?
Could they suspect ?"
Impossible. l stepped in the bank
Office for a moment to speak with the
bank president, and the money was
handed me there. 1t wasn't in public
sight at all. Only you and l know of
its existence. And this afternoon l
shall take it to the factory superin-
tendent to pay off the men. So you
see 1t will be in the house less than
three hours 1t was rather bulky, so
/ placed 1t in the desk"
He drew key from his pocket,
opened his desk and slipped a hand
confidently into drawer Then he
looked rather hurriedly into other
drawers. He rushed to a window.
Don't let him escape" he called. "He 8
taken a lot of money from my desk
I'll give 800 to the one who first finds
him."
mine thousand dollarsl' he shout
ed rs he flung himself from the room
and rushed out, but half an hours
searching failed to reveal him.
mot there" said the man perplex-
eddy.
mot so sure of that" doubted his
gardener. 1.-THE grounds tangled with
the big roots of them old plants an a
Teller like you say he is might twist
in among 'em like snake, so we
wouldn't see. him less we stepped on
him."
IF we only had dog" complained
the man.
"Ki-Ow-oow! Yi-owl Ki-oww an
swered the black spaniel. Several
laughed.
Here's a chance to redeem your
self, you skulker," impatiently, Go
and find the man. Get alongw
The spaniel's tail dropped and his