was a halloo at the gate. It was old Squire
Middleton and the circuit-rider, and old Joel went toward them with a
darkening face.

"Why, hello, Chad," the Squire said. "You back again?"

He turned to Joel.

"Look hyeh, Joel. Thar hain't no use o' your buckin' agin yo' neighbors
and harborin' a sheep-killin' dog." Chad started and looked from one
face to another--slowly but surely making out the truth.

"You never seed the dawg afore last spring. You don't know that he
hain't a sheep-killer."

"It's a lie--a lie," Chad cried, hotly, but the school-master stopped
him.

"Hush, Chad," he said, and he took the boy inside and told him Jack was
in trouble. A Dillon sheep had been found dead on a hill-side. Daws
Dillon had come upon Jack leaping out of the pasture, and Jack had come
home with his muzzle bloody. Even with this overwhelming evidence, old
Joel stanchly refused to believe the dog was guilty and ordered old man
Dillon off the place. A neighbor had come over, then another, and an
other, until old Joel got livid with rage.

"That dawg mought eat a dead sheep but he never would kill a live one,
and if you kill him, by ----, you've got to kill me fust."

Now there is no more unneighborly or unchristian act for a farmer than
to harbor a sheep-killing dog. So the old Squire and the circuit-rider
had come over to show Joel the grievous error of his selfish, obstinate
course, and, so far, old Joel had refused to be shown. All of his sons
sturdily upheld him and little Melissa fiercely--the old mother and the
school-master alone remaining quiet and taking no part in the
dissension.

"Have they got Jack?"

"No, Chad," said the school-master. "He's safe--tied up in the stable."
Chad started out, and no one followed but Melissa. A joyous bark that
was almost human came from the stable as Chad approached, for the dog
must have known the sound of his master's footsteps, and when Chad drew
open the door, Jack sprang the length of his tether to meet him and was
jerked to his back. Again and again he sprang, barking, as though
beside himself, while Chad stood at the door, looking sorrowfully at
him.

"Down, Jack!" he said sternly, and Jack dropped obediently, looking
straight at his master with honest eyes and whimpering like a child.

"Jack," said Chad, "did you kill that sheep?" This was all strange
conduct for his little master, and Jack looked wondering and dazed, but
his eyes never wavered or blinked. Chad coul