Frank of Freedom Hill

looks and manner of one with power and wealth. His name was William Burton, manufacturer of the famous Burton ploughs, and he could have bought this town out,

digree of a young pointer that lived in this town. He had noted how at recurrent intervals in the family tree occurred the word Champion. Already, in the years since he entered, as a hobby, the field-trial game, he had

he edge of the town from whose back yard, as they approached, came a challenging bark. A telegram had preceded them, and Ji

the season, while running in a field trial the very dog who had brought the visitors here, his horse had fallen, crushing Arnold's k

nscious of her, but Ferris respectfully raised his hat. Dog men knew Jessie Arnold because she sometimes rode with her father

t around to the rear yard. Here, in a lot enclosed by a high wire fence,

d was nobly carved, his back long and straight, his legs rangy, clean-cut, his tail thin, like a lance; he was all a pointer of the highest breeding ough

t, Jess," s

f the yard, and even the town itself, were too small for him. Not until Arnold called him twice, and severely, did he come to them. But he had no attention to bestow upon his distinguished visitor. His eye

told him that here was a champion, and he went by hunches. He looked at Ferris, quickly, significantly. Ferris nodded in a way whi

k in his eyes!" whispe

said old

e girl who remained with him, were to know anything about it. So far as the dog was concerned, man, his master and god

e litter when he was a pup. She's fed him and raised him. People are always c

an element was a girl. It has a way of breaking things up. However, for a while, things went smoothly, though the conversation was carried on in lowered to

. He has trained one champion-maybe he can train another. Men send him their dogs; his price goes up, like that of th

owever, it was he who set the price. But when Burton, thinking the matter closed, g

sellin' Drake because I can't afford to take chances on his winnin'. B

" said

e course, that will run away. Drake's one of 'em. When you turn him loose in the field he forgets there's such things as human bein's on this planet. Don't I know him? I won the Southern Championship with him. I man

silent. Arn

e may win. If she don't, he won't win. I tell you, I know. I know that dog inside and out. Nobody but me or the girl can stop him when he gets started. He'll hunt

him. He wanted him worse than ever now he had heard. He had been a bolter himself when yo

Suits me. I'll pay her, and pay her well

n him if she knows it's for you. She's a high-strung girl-and proud; she mustn'

ceive her in the mat

y, sir. I have to tell you in order for you to understand: If I can tell the bank positively that I'll have three thousand dollars in a month, I can renew a note I've got to renew-or lose the place here. That's the reason I'm sellin

u know how women are when they take charge. If that check's in the house she's liable to find it. If I deposit it, in a little town like this, people will find it out, and s

urton heard from behind the cottage the challe

e got the champion this time. I th

classic of America, had been run near Breton Junction where, t

ting. "Wilder looking than ever. The girl's here, t

nters and setters were out with their handlers. They came from every section of the country, from Canada, from England. Each dog represented in him

r than others, strained at their leashes, and looked about alertly at the passing show. Others, reserved veterans, gazed into space

sh, held by the girl. She nodded and smiled quickly, wistfully, at these men who had been to her father's house to see her father's dog. But she

d take that dog back with him, National Champion tacked to his name. He would keep him in his o

ed the truth. But she was young. Young people get over things quickly.

is was rather too forcible a reminder of the bargain. He noticed that the girl was browned with Southern

hall after supper. She was to be the first woman who ever ran a dog in a National Championship race, he hear

for the first week. But in the lottery Drake came on Friday. "Arnold's Drake," he hear

over, sir?" w

on n

run in braces on the plantation of Steve Earle, who was, like his father before him, one of the judges. Gr

g, and he wanted to be fresh on Friday. But once every day, either in the morning or the afternoon

he streets of the town. Once when Burton went out to the barn lot to look at him, where he waited, chained

ting, old man

against her and l

olt?" asked Burton as they

t in the eyes; her own were brown,

bravely. "I c

Burton's room. "She don't know what she's up against. She's nothin

om. She was going to take Drake out to the edge of town for a practise run, sh

hem. In the edge of the town Jessie took the dog out and, Burton an

she

he did not turn. Again and again the shrill command of her little nickel-plated whistle echoed in fields and woods. At

ever do!" ga

her!" comma

e reappeared. Three times shriller and shriller

!" she c

she caught him qui

uld handle him!"

e was quiet on the ride home.

ris stopped with the postmaster down the street, as he had s

to-day, what would he do to-morrow, with another dog to spur him on and

we just leave it to the gir

the wagon that hauled her dog to the place of trial, the other diners said

hat brilliant winter morning. And a little to one side, standing beside a wagon in which were two do

patiently. In a scabbard on the saddl

ce as she looked off across the fields that marked the beginning of the course. Though brave and composed, it s

traw fields, so soon to be her battleground. He liked her silence. From the beginning she had played the game-had asked no

once more her hand stroked his head. Then, at a command of the judges, she was leading him into the field, her pony

y?" asked the

eran, said "Ready!" as he had said it a hundred time

ordered

ehind followed the judges, then, after an interval, the field, among them old Burton, his heart beating fast. The fight was

nception of the judges, but is usually confined to half an hour-that dog is ruled out. This much Burton knew. The question was whether the girl by her whistle and the wave of her h

then came the shrill of her whistle and the wave of her handkerchief. Then it began to be rumoured among the field that she had lost him. But not for long. On t

d, head up, tail straight out, stood the pointer. The girl had dismounted, taken the littl

ds!" ordered th

tle gun barked; the pointer dropped

d man!" sh

e the strain she was under. How precious was every moment with a wild dog like this! She rammed the

oitering among the rearmost of the field, heard rumours that something was wrong, and, a

the men explained to Burton, until Jessie Arnold could find her dog. A short distance from the judges Count Redstone was sitting on his haunches, pa

fields and woods outside the course, looking for her dog. The rest of them had better stay here; the judges would not allo

taining birds, and make for that country of their own sweet will. Arnold's Drake belonged to the latter class. The girl was looking for him in the "birdy" spots. But heaven only knew how far

side of these woods were extensive fields of broom straw that lay outside the

little mouth was set in a straight line. Her pony was flecked with foam; his e

roken his knee. He wheeled his own horse about and tried to follow. But she had disappeared in her mad search; even the sound of her pony's hoofs had died away

hem all showed with what sympathy they were watching Jess Arnold's gallant fight. Again Burton loo

something?" d

dog would see them, from a distant hill, perhaps, think he was going right, and keep on. It was all over, anyway, one man ventured: Arnold's Drake

she comes now! She's got him, too! Tha

ing toward them, and

he panted, rein

utes!" sa

ed. "But he was off the cou

am-flecked pony, and she was down on the ground beside the dog, while the ot

darling! You beauty! You wonder! Oh, I lo

teady!" she was pleading. "Steady, old man. Look at me!" She had caught his head and raised his eyes to hers. "Can't

the amber-brown eyes. Once he started to rise, but she pushed him gent

?" she said. "

and swallowed. The pricked, eager ears fell back gently against the long thoroughbred head. The wildness faded

don't you?" sh

ere looking up at her humbly, wonderingly. She st

said one of t

ght break the spell if she spoke. The man led the pon

she co

rose and loo

she re

judges, at her pony's heels trotted the pointer, obedient now, as

t it. Fast as ever, yet he kept the course. Bold, independent, aggressive, yet at every sh

men saw him flash ten times into the statuesque immobility of a point. They forgot even so stead

Freedom Hill, was telephoned in. And the decision showed them to be dog men, not martinets-men who c

tood in the dining-room door a moment, his

d paused a moment, "Cha

t telegraph her father, old Burton

nd to that

her upraised eyes. Had he not s

phone Ferris," he said. "He's stopping wit

n a bold hand that dashed across the sheet. But the excitement of it mu

lant. Behind Ferris was the girl. At sight of her old Burton did a

be sure," she sa

o that," he sa

e he hastily addr

Tell him it's often done. Tell him if he does get into trouble, I'll make it all right. Tell him he'll be glad he got into it. Tell him to stamp this letter tw

e train with his daughter and with the National Champion, who now lay before the fire. As

Jessie, amazed at what

morning,

r S

me to believe. According to your representation, your daughter could handle him. I find her absolutely i

am Bu

"God knows I'm glad to get my dog. Three thousand

d excitement, he told the girl at his side t

ilent, with staring ey

er Drake was made champion. I know-I saw hi

ight, in the stateroom,

ho owns a dog I belie

e a twinkle that lit the

broken leg an

, s

the dog,