pse of him, gave a sniff, and knew that this
other man was the one who had been with William in the Pixley stable. He
felt that he had two enemies now to fight.

As William came toward the dog, Jan strained on the rope.

"You'll get that temper taken out of you before long," threatened the
man, at the same time keeping carefully beyond the length of the rope.
But William's hatred outbalanced his caution, and he lifted his foot to
give the dog a kick. Jan shrank back, not from fear as William supposed,
but to get a better chance to spring and grab the man's leg.

"Let him alone," called the other man. "The worse you treat that dog the
harder it will be to handle him."

William scowled. "The best thing is to kill him now. We're taking a big
risk on the chance of selling him."

"Oh, go ahead and kill him if you want to," the other man shrugged his
shoulders. "Let your spite keep you from making a thousand dollars."

He held out a bottle, "Here's the chloroform. Go on, finish the job if
you're going to."

"I don't believe you can sell him," sneered William. "You just said that
because you knew I was going to kill him before I left here."

"If you didn't hate dogs the way you do," replied Shorty, "you'd know
that he'll sell for a thousand dollars as soon as he is over the
Canadian line. The man I told you about will buy that dog without a
question."

"Some one will recognize the dog before we get there, if the old man
stirs things up."

"Not when I get him fixed," bragged Shorty.

"There's no time to fool with him," persisted William, "We've got to get
away quick."

"Let me alone," snapped Shorty. "This is my end of the job. If you stop
picking on the dog, I'll have no trouble with him. I never knew a dog
from the time we were kids that didn't hate you on sight."

"Yes, and you're a regular fool over them," William retorted. "You take
care of him and get the money for him, and I'll look out for the machine
and sell that. But you've got to keep that dog muzzled or there'll be
trouble coming your way fast and plenty. See?"

Shorty did not answer and William went out. Jan and Shorty faced each
other. The dog's muscles were taut, his eyes alert. The man looked at
him steadily.

"You're the dandiest, spunkiest dog I ever saw," he said at last, as
though sure that Jan understood the words. "I like you, old fellow, and
I'd turn you loose, if I dared."

He placed a pan of water in front of the dog and the angry g