The Dog Did It

Dr. Edgar Manstleld waa the aon ■of a wealthy widow living on the beautiful Ilmlson a short ride north Of New 'Vork city. Retnrnlng trom a Jourmey in Europe he bPOUght homo with him a magiiificcnt 8t. Bernard dosT!ex sonn bocanio as well known to the surroundlng rcsionts of Fair VlefW as the oldest inhabitant, and the school cMldren delighted to gather on the lawi! before Mrs. ManaHeld'B flne mansión to play with him. Uex was kept abont the house, scldom accompanying his master, and followlng him om his :i) visita. One eventag Dr. Mansfleld came Sjome weary (rom a tong afternoaa's drive, and while lic was taking off liis ooat in ttoe iia.H hia mother came trom the sitting-room and startled V.im by saying : "Edgar, I fear I have bad news f oor JOU." He kisscd liis mother and asked: "What is it. mother?" "Rex has not been-s?wi about the place sim-e the middle of the aiiernoan. All the peöple have been down in the village and all about eearchln)? lor liim. bul ihey cannot find ïini." said Mrs. Mansfield, anxiously. "Oh! he has ioilowed some ol the children home! He is very fond ol children. Don't let tl'.at bother Vnu; he will turn ui all rlgbi to-morrow, or we shall heax ol him. l!ex is a dog that it would be hard to steal or hide," Baid the doctor. lint the morning came without hrinffinj? tho dog, a:nl the day passed without any news of him. Anyone wh has ever had am animal íor a pel and playmate ean tma Dr. Mansfleld'a feelings over hla loss. Af ter some weeks, during whleh the doctor spent twlce as much money in trylng togei Rex back as lic liad paid tor hun. he made up his mind to give up the search and never again to wwn a dog that might -xrite cupldity. Nearly two montlis after this, Dr. Mansfield had bo go to Irvingtom on business; and while alO'ng ■ii suburbs of that charmlnK vlllage ii" was surprlsed to Bse, on öhe oppotte eide of -vvay. 11. x, wal contentertly besid o ie ol the most toeautiful glrla hla eyes had ever rested OU. His first impulse was m en BS o er, cali Ki'X by name, and aak : ady vrtiere áhe gol that dog, bul a delfberation told hlm that ■ nronld be Indelical on liis part and eqibarraasing Elex's ■ BS. en the young lady passed oo, ■ni ly 11 auui se ing t he 3 ipposite aide of the way, the doctor tiirned back, del rmined to find out -who she was. Without being observed, he saw the . -wit 1 the st. Bernard dog still at her siile. entering a gate, from l up to Olie ol b In the p V"hile he was wondering il he should go in and leara wflio was the oecupants 01' the house lus eye feil on the .name "Bellalre," cut. in Vhe keystome of the arched gate. 01 the gentleman whom he had come ver to see, Dr. Mansfield made Inquirios as to tlie people who Uvcd at lkllalre, though he did not state his purpose In asking. "Bellaire?" repeated the friend. "Wlby, I tuought everybody In Westehester county knew about the palacê whicb the ealthy CaUioriiian, Tames T. Mesters, built here last year. But ï forget that you have been in college or abroad siuce nis coming." "Has lie any ehildrcn?" aeked the cloctur, wlth alfected carelessness. "Yes, Miss Laura Haatere. Bhe Is a beauty, and the youngest swells hei-eabout.i and from New York have been prostrating iliemselves at her leet for ihe last year." Here tlie subject drcupped, but the cloctor's interest in Kex was not less■ened, while there was odded.to it very natural curiosity to kuow more about he beautiful glrl. When he got home that night he said tu tüs mother: "I have found Rex." "Wihere?" she cried. at Irvingtoo." "And wliy did you not bring him l)ack wit h you?" "Well, he see-me very happy where lie is." laughed the doctor. And the he went oa and told all lie had learned. He was not surprised that hls mother shoul.l sliow more interest In the dog tlian In tlie youmg lady: but. as he liad unbounded faith in her tact and Judgrnent, he sald: "That is the case. mother. Xow, if you were in my place -what would jon do?" "Do?" repeated Mrs. Mansfield. "Why, I should go and demand my property, no matter how young and .rieh and pret t y the person was ta possession I knew it to bc" "Your advice aceorda wlth my own opinión," said the doctor, "amd I shall act on it to-morrow afternoon." The next afternoon he drove over to Irvington agaln, and, leaving his borse at his frlend's, he walikcd up to Bellaire. He asked tiie footman who answered Ais ring if Mr. Masfers was in, and receïviiiK a reply in the affirmative, te said: "Picase takclhim my card and say I .-hall detain liim only a few minutes." He was usliered into a roceptionrooui, and within a. few minutes a rugged, grey 'liaircd man put in am appearanoe and announced himsell as "Mr. Masters." "I come on a delicate errand, Mr. Masters," gald the doctor, wlth the ieeling of a man eagcr to be aoaa through wlth an unpleasasit duty. "About two months ago I lost a valuable St. Bernard, whieh I brousht home with me on my return trom Euröpe last (all. Terterday, In passIng your place, I am very eure I saw the animal, and I reasoned that, if vmi owned lnm, you must have obtainedthim from aome person who did not." "There la cwtainly such a doi' as you spvak of here," Baid Mr. MastiTs, "but be was f.civen to my daughter, who is muoh attaened to the splendid creabnre, by a young gentleman bom Fair View. vho is a frequent visitnr in-re." Tlion the old gentleman rose and went hurriedly out. returninii in a Short time with the youiiK lady, who seermed to the doctor even more beautitul tlian wlicn he had seom her on the si reel . Mr. Masters introdueed the doctor ti lus daughter, and tmmedlately told the object ol hls visit. "The cUiii COTlld int have been stolen." said the blushlng glrl! "for Mr. Uiirry Collins gave liim to me, and sald he had hlmsell imported him for that purpose." The doctor knew that Ilarry Collins was a worthlesa scapegrace and lus inrn Ufelong eoemy. ■lc is quite possible that I have been mistaken," said the doctor, somewliat confused, Imt now more gure of hia CTonnd than ever. for Colli. is was hia nest neighbor; "bul U you wiil klndly let me ece the dog, 1 can teil." Laura weni into the hall, and. in response bo lier musical i all the splendld creature came boundlng in and began ;■( fawn upon her, and xo lick her ilainty hands. But in ui instant he became aware her preseüce. "Bex!" said the doctor. Wlth a bark oí Joy the brute rushed to lus master, uid, putting both paws on hls Bhoulder, began to licik ïiis face as iï crazed ivith delis Then, when he had eatisfied Mr. Mastera and hls dausrhter that he had found hia rightful toaster, he ran tirsi to one nml Chen to the other of them, ,-is il eager to öhOTV "thai they held sec on d place in iiis canino h i ■Yon are eertainly right, Dr. Mansfield," said the old gentleman, the dog Is yours, and T cannot retain liiai." On hearing i'.iis. tears filled Laura's beautiful eyes, and ahe turned away Ide her grief. "Pardon me, Miss Mastcrs. bul Bex seems happy here. The fear that the tine irüov. had fallen toto unkind hands annoyed me, but aiv tluu I know he will be well cared íor, I beg you svith my implim mts." "To a Long story short." as .. tellers have it. Laura Masters, ■. i:li her father'e i onsent, became the undisputed owner oí Rex. When the dot tor lelt that even Mr. Mas:lim a pressing invltation I - ain, "to see us as well : ■" he said, in conelu From tliat day on, Harry Cqllins never visited Bellaire, and as soon as It ie known thitt he had pri m ed to a young lady a dog stolen by bimsell he fled the country. The doctor acepted fche invitation, but. thouírh he teil grateiul to Bexlor haviiifi been the meams, we may be suro tliat ho was not the attractkm. A year alter Edgar Mansfield's first visit to Bellaire, Laura Mastere became his wiie. And the old g-entleman said, wixen the marrlage ei remomy ias over: The dog did it, and I slmll get liim o, collar ol gold."- Satarday NigOit.