The day book. [volume], March 02, 1914, NOON EDITION, Image 19

About The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

                
took their sheer desperation for vi
ciousness, so perverted had his
cramped, sour nature become.
Meantime, Jackzie had allowed
himself to be led beyond the limits of
the town with downcast eyes and all
the resemblance of a culprit. His
guides and guards finally halted at a
strptrh nf linrifirhrnsh nsar the bluffs
ft overhanging the river.
Come on, spoke on or tne con
stables, "let's get to work."
He let go of the rope as he spoke
and both drew their revolvers. The
idea was to release the dog and shoot
him running. Instantly, however,
Jackzie, as though suspecting some
thing made a spring, upset one of the
officers, darted past the other and
ntade for a copse.near the edge of the
bluff.
Bang bang! Two reports rang
out. The dog gave a yelp of pain,
sprang into the air and disappeared'
over the edge of the bluff.
- Splash! The two constables ran to
the edge of the stream and peered
over. They waited for a few minutes,
but only the fading ripples showed.
"He's sunk. That ends our job, and
I'm glad of it," spoke one of the offi
cers. "Now, then, to return the war.
rant and enter the record: 'Duly dis
patched according to the law.' "
; "Poor Jackzie, one paw ridged with
a bullet, had indeed sunk under the
water, but" had come up again. Shel
tered by some vines, right at the bot
tom of the bluff, a fair young girl was
seated dreaming bright day dreams in
a boat," and started intoattention as
the collie came hurtling through
SDace. She was Naomi Barton, the
i- daughter of John Marsh's alleged en
P emy, and she recognized the animal
at once.
"Quick, Jackzie!" she cried at once,
and in another moment the animal
was-in the boat and crouched down,
concealed by a shawl thrown over
him.
From the shots, from the voices
overhead, from some stray fragments
of .rumor that had come to her ears,
Naomi comprehended the situation.
A bright dream of love for she was
engaged to honest, hard-working Ab
ner Gale had been drifting through
her mind when the interruption had
come. But her vision of domestic
bliss had seemed very far away. Since
the great lawsuit the Burtons had
been brought very low financially.
She could not leave the old folks to
struggle on alone. She was too proud
to have her lover care for them. So
the wedding had been postponed in
definitely. Naomi waited until she was sure
that the constables were returned to
the town. Then she ran the boat
nearer to the home farm. She, took
Jackzie with her, housed him in the
barn, fed him and attended to his
slight, wound. At dusk she stoHs from
the house and by secluded" paths
started for the home where Mr.
Marsh lived. ,
At supper time, when the men folks
had come home, the rage and misery
of old Marsh was discussed. There
was. a vengeful satisfaction in the
community that "the old reprobate"
had got his desserts. Gentle, humane,
although he had wronged themj Naomi-
pictured his sordid misery and
loneliness and resolved to restore to
him his Only friend.
"Come in," spoke a gruff voice as
Naomi knocked at the door.
She stood aside smiling through
her tears as Jackzie sprank upon his
master. The beautiful affection of
the dog, the almost insane delight of
Marsh, were touching in the extreme.
Finally Marsh eyed her keenly.
"You are Robert Barton's daugh
ter?" he said.
"Yes."
"Tell me about the dog."
Naomi did so. Her auditor listened.
A strange expression stole over his
time-scarred face. He drew towards
him from the stand at his side a tin
box and took some papers "out of it.
"Give those to your father, and tell
him to burn them up," he said husk
ily. "I do this because you are the