按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
The exception was the girl whose collie had had the bench next to Chum's。
At the table head； looking very magisterial indeed； sat Colonel Marden。
Beside him lounged a larger and older man in a plaid sport suit。
Link's escort ranged his prisoners at the foot of the table； Chum
standing tight against Ferris's knee； as if to guard him from possible harm。
Link stood glowering in sullen perplexity at the Colonel。 Marden cleared
his voice pompously； then spoke。
49
… Page 50…
HIS DOG
〃Ferris；〃 he began with much impressiveness； 〃I am a magistrate of
this county as you perhaps know。 You may consider yourself before the
Bar of Justice； and reply to my questions accordingly。〃
Awed by this thundered preamble； Ferris made shift to mutter：
〃I ain't broke no laws。 What d'j' want of me； anyhow？〃
〃First of all；〃 proceeded Marden； 〃where did you get that dog？〃
〃Chum here？〃 said Ferris。 〃Why； I come acrost him； early last spring；
on the patch of state road； jes' outside of Hampton。 He was a…layin' in a
ditch； with his leg bust。 Throwed off'n a auto； I figgered it。 I took him
home an'〃
He paused； as the sport…suited man next to Marden nodded excitedly to
the girl and then whispered to the Colonel。
〃You took him home？〃 pursued Marden。 〃Couldn't you see he was a
valuable dog？〃
〃I c'd see he was a sufferin' an' dyin' dawg；〃 retorted Link。 〃I c'd see
he was a goner； 'less I took him home an' 'tended him。 If you're aimin' at
findin' out why I went on keepin' him after that； I done so because no one
claimed him。 I put up notices 'bout him。 I put one up at the post…office here；
too。 I〃
〃He did！〃 interrupted the girl。 〃That's true！ I saw it。 Onlythe notice
said it was a bird dog。 That's why we didn't follow it up。 He〃
〃Miss Gault；〃 suggested Marden in lofty reproof； 〃suppose you leave
the interrogatory to me； if you please？ Yes； I recollect that notice。 My
attention was called to it at the time。 But；〃 again addressing Link； 〃why
did you call 'Glenmuir Cavalier' a 'BIRD dog'？ Was it to throw us off the
track or〃
〃Don't know no What's…His…Name Cav'lier！〃 snapped Ferris。 〃This
dawg's name is Chum。 Like you c'n see in my entry blank； what's layin' on
the table in front of you。 I adv'tised Chum as a bird dawg because I s'posed
he WAS a bird dawg。 I ain't a sharp on dawgs。 He's the fust one ever I had。
If he ain't a bird dawg； 'tain't my fault。 He looks more like one than like
'tother breeds I'd seen。 So I called him one。〃
50
… Page 51…
HIS DOG
〃There is no need to raise your voice at me！〃 rebuked the colonel。 〃I
am disposed to accept your explanation。 But if you read the local papers
you must have seen〃
〃I did read 'em；〃 said Ferris。 〃I read 'em steady for a month or more； to
see was there was adv'tisement fer a lost dawg。 Nary an adv'tisement did I
see excep' one fer a 'sable' collie。 'Sable' means 'black。' I know； because
our dominie told me so。 I asked him； when I see that piece in the paper。
Chum ain't black； nor nowheres near black。 So I knowed it couldn't be him。
What d'j' want of me； anyhow？〃 he demanded once more。
〃Again； I am disposed to credit your explanation；〃 boomed the colonel；
frowning down a ripple of giggles that had its rise in Miss Gault。 〃And I
am disposed to acquit you of consciously dishonest intent。 I am glad to do
so。 Here is the situation： Early last spring； Mr。 Gault；〃 indicating the sport…
suit wearer at his left； 〃bought from the famous Glenmuir Collie Kennels；
on the Hudson； an unusually fine young colliea dog for which
connoisseurs predicted a great future in the show ring。 He purchased it as a
gift for his daughter； Miss Marion Gault。〃 He inclined his head slightly
toward the girl； then proceeded：
〃As Mr。 Glenmuir was disbanding his kennel； Mr。 Gault was able to
secure the dogGlenmuir Cavalier。 He started for Craigswold； with the
dog on the rear seat of the car。 At first he kept a hand on the dog's collar；
but as the collie made no attempt to escape； he soon turned aroundhe was
in the front seatand paid no more attention to him。 Just outside of Suffern；
he looked backto find Cavalier had disappeared。 He advertised； and
made all possible efforts to locate the dog。 But he could get no clew to him；
until to…day。 Seeing this dog of yours in the show ring； he recognized him
at once。〃
The pompously booming voice； with its stilted diction； ceased。 All
eyes were upon Link Ferris。 The mountaineer； stung to life by the silence
and the multiple gaze； came out of his trance of shock。
〃Thenthen；〃 he stuttered； forcing the words from a throat sanded by
sudden dread； 〃then Chum rightly b'longs to this man？〃
51
… Page 52…
HIS DOG
〃Quite so！〃 assented Marden； in some relief。 〃I am glad you grasp the
point so readily。 Mr。 Gault has talked the matter over with me； and he is
taking a remarkably broad and generous view of the case if I may say so。
He is not only willing that you should keep the cup and the cash prize
which you have won to…day； but he is also ready to pay to you the seventy…
five dollar reward he offered for the return of Glenmuir Cavalier。 I repeat；
this strikes me as most gener〃
〃NO！〃 yelled Link； a spasm of foreseen loneliness sweeping over him。
〃NO！ ！ He can't have him！ Nobody can！ Why Chum's my dawg！ I've
learned him to fetch cows an' shake hands an'an' everything！ An' he drug
me out'n the lake； when I was a…drowndin'！ An' he done a heap more'n
that fer me！ He's drug me up to my feet； out'n wuthlessness； too； an' he's
learned me that livin' is wuth while！ He's mymyhe's my dawg！〃 he
finished lamely； his scared eyes sweeping the circle of faces in panic
appeal。
〃That will do； Ferris！〃 coldly exhorted the colonel。 〃We wish no
scenes here。 You will take this seventyfive dollar check which Mr。 Gault
has so kindly made out for you； and you will go。〃
〃Leavin' Chum behind？〃 babbled Ferris； aghast。 〃Not leavin' Chum
behind？ PLEASE not！〃
He pulled himself together with an effort that drove his nails bitingly
into his palms and left his face gray。 He saw the uselessness of pleading
with these people of polished iron； who could not understand his fearful
loss。 For the sake of Chumfor the sake of the self…respecting man he
himself had becomehe would not let himself go to pieces。 Forcing his
shaken voice to a dry steadiness； he addressed the uneasily squirming
Gault。
〃What d'j' you pay for Chum when you bought him off'n that Hudson
River fellerthat Glenmuir chap？〃 he demanded。
〃Why； as a matter of fact；〃 responded Gault； 〃as Colonel Marden has
told you； I couldn't have hoped to get such a promising collie at any price
it〃
52
… Page 53…
HIS DOG
〃What d'j' you pay for him？〃 insisted Link； his voice harsh and
unconsciously domineering as a vague new hope dawned on his troubled
mind。
〃I paid six hundred dollars；〃 answered Gault shortly； in annoyance at
the boor's manner。
〃Good！〃 approved Link； 〃That gives us suthin' to go on。 I'll pay you
six hundred dollars fer him back。 This hundred dollars in gold an' this yer
silver cup an' seven dollars more I got with meto bind the bargain。 An' a
second mortgage on my farm fer the rest。 Fer as much of the rest；〃 he
amended； 〃as I ain't got ready cash for。〃
In his stark earnestness； Link's rough voice sounded more hectoring
and unpleasant than before。 Gault； unused to such talk from the alleged
〃peasantry；〃 resolved to cut short the haggling。
〃Sell for six hundred a dog that's cleaned up 'best in the show？'〃 he
rasped。 〃No； thank you。 Leighton says Cavalier will go far。 One man； ten
minutes ago； offered me a thousand for him。〃
〃A thousan'？〃 repeated Ferris； scared at the magnitude of the sum
then； rallying； he asked：
〃What WILL you let me have h