The Day of the Dog | Page 9

light in their eyes faded away and feeble smiles developed into
peals of laughter. The irony of the situation bore down upon them
irresistibly and their genuine, healthy young minds saw the picture in
all of its ludicrous colorings. Not even the prospect of a night in mid-air
could conquer the wild desire to laugh.
"Isn't it too funny for words?" she laughed bravely through her tears.
Then, for some reason, both relapsed into dark, silent contemplation of
the dog who was so calmly enjoying his evening repast.
"I am sorry to admit it, Mr. Crosby, but I am growing frightfully
hungry," she said wistfully.
"It has just occurred to me that I haven't eaten a bite since seven o'clock
this morning," he said.

"You poor man! I wish I could cook something for you."
"You might learn."
"You know what I mean," she explained, reddening a bit. "You must be
nearly famished."
"I prefer to think of something more interesting," he said coolly.
"It is horrid!" she sobbed. "See, it is getting dark. Night is coming. Mr.
Crosby, what is to become of us?" He was very much distressed by her
tears and a desperate resolve took root in his breast. She was so tired
and dispirited that she seemed glad when he drew her close to him and
pressed her head upon his shoulder. He heard the long sigh of relief and
relaxation and she peered curiously over her wet lace handkerchief
when he muttered tenderly:
"Poor little chap!"
Then she sighed again quite securely, and there was a long silence,
broken regularly and rhythmically by the faint little catches that once
were tearful sobs.
"Oh, dear me! It is quite dark," she cried suddenly, and he felt a
shudder run through her body.
"Where could you go to-night, Mrs. Delancy, if we were to succeed in
getting away from here?" he asked abruptly. She felt his figure
straighten and his arm grow tense as if a sudden determination had
charged through it.
"Why--why, I hadn't thought about that," she confessed, confronted by
a new proposition.
"There's a late night train for Chicago," he volunteered.
"But how are we to catch it?"
"If you are willing to walk to town I think you can catch it," he said, a

strange ring in his voice.
"What do you mean?" she demanded, looking up at his face quickly.
"Can you walk the two miles?" he persisted. "The train leaves Dexter at
eleven o'clock and it is now nearly eight."
"Of course I can walk it," she said eagerly. "I could walk a hundred
miles to get away from this place."
"You'll miss the New York train, of course."
"I've changed my mind, Mr. Crosby. I shall remain in Chicago until we
have had our revenge on Austin and the others."
"That's very good of you. May I ask where you stop in Chicago?"
"My apartments are in the C--- Building. My mother lives with me."
"Will you come to see me some time?" he asked, an odd smile on his
lips.
"Come to see you?" she cried in surprise. "The idea! What do you
mean?"
"I may not be able to call on you for some time, but you can be very
good to me by coming to see me. I'll be stopping at St. Luke's Hospital
for quite a while."
"At St. Luke's Hospital? I don't understand," she cried perplexed.
"You see, my dear Mrs. Delancy, I have come to a definite conclusion
in regard to our present position. You must not stay here all night. I'd
be a coward and a cur to subject you to such a thing. Well, I'm going
down to tackle that dog."
"To--tackle--the--dog," she gasped.
"And while I'm keeping him busy you are to cut and run for the road

down there. Then you'll have easy sailing for town."
"Mr. Crosby," she said firmly, clasping his arm; "you are not to leave
this beam. Do you think I'll permit you to go down there and be torn to
pieces by that beast, just for the sake of letting me cut and run, as you
call it? I'd be a bigger brute than the dog and--and--"
"Mrs. Delancy, my mind is made up. I'm going down!"
"That settles it! I'm coming too," she proclaimed emphatically.
"To be sure. That's the plan. You'll escape while I hold Swallow."
"I'll do nothing of the sort. You shall not sacrifice yourself for my sake.
I'd stay up here with you all the rest of my life before I'd permit you to
do that."
"I'll remind you of that offer later on, my dear Mrs. Delancy, when we
are not so pressed for time. Just now you must be practical, however.
We can't stay up here all night."
"Please, Mr. Crosby,