sarcastic and sceptical. It seems an inevitable part of their
occupation. They never believed me when I was a little girl, either.
Then what?"

"He said the only thing that concerned him was that Baldy was in town
when he found him, and hadn't no license. Besides, he thought the dog
was vicious 'cause he growled when the wire was around his neck. Pretty
near any dog 'ud do that ef he had any spirit in him; an' Baldy's jest
full o' spirit."

Both the Woman and "Scotty" looked involuntarily at Baldy who stood,
dejected and uneasy; and then exchanged a glance in which amusement and
pity struggled for expression.

"The pound-man said ef I didn't pay the $2.50 t' git him out, an'
another $2.50 t' git him a license, he'd sell the dog along with a lot
o' others he'd ketched durin' the week. I tuk Mother's money, an' what
the cook give me, an' got Baldy out, an' bought him a license so's he'd
be safe nex' time. Now," sadly, "there ain't goin' t' be any nex' time."

"There really did not seem to be any other way out of it for the
moment," observed the Woman sympathetically.

"No, ma'am, but it wasn't very honest t' use the cook's money, ner
Mother's; it'll take a long time t' pay 'em back, an' I guess Mother
won't have much patience with Baldy after this. I wouldn't mind gittin'
punished myself, but I don't want him blamed. He'd be a lot better off
with you, Mr. Allan; an' mebbe ef you'd feed him up, an' give him a
chanct, he'd be a racer some day. He'd never lay down on you, an',"
almost defiantly, "he's got good legs."