the summary execution of Lion, and refused
to have anything to do with it. But the faithful affectionate fellow was
not to be diverted from his purpose, and accordingly the next night
after the attack, he stealthily approached the Dodson yard from the
rear, got close to old Lion's kennel, and then threw down before his
very nose a juicy bit of beefsteak, in which a strong dose of poison had
been cunningly concealed. The unsuspecting dog took the tempting bait,
and the next morning lay stiff and stark in death, before his kennel
door.

When the Dodsons found their favourite dead, they were highly enraged;
and taking it for granted that either Mr. Lloyd or some one in his
interest or his employ was guilty of Lion's untimely demise, Mr. Dodson,
without waiting to institute inquiries, rushed off to the City Police
Court, and lodged a complaint against the one who he conceived was the
guilty party.

Mr. Lloyd was not a little surprised when, later in the morning, a
blue-coated and silver-buttoned policeman presented himself at his
office, and, in the most respectful manner possible, served upon him a
summons to appear before the magistrate to answer to a complaint made by
one Thomas Dodson, who alleged that he "had with malice prepense and
aforethought killed or caused to be killed a certain Newfoundland dog,
the same being the property of the said Thomas Dodson, and thereby
caused damage to the complainant, to the amount of one hundred dollars."

So soon as Mr. Lloyd read the summons, which was the first intimation he
had had of Lion's taking off, he at once suspected who was the real
criminal. But of course he said nothing to the policeman beyond assuring
him that he would duly appear to answer to the summons.

That evening he sent for Michael, and without any words of explanation
placed the summons in his hand. The countenance of the honest fellow as
he slowly read it through and took in its import was an amusing study.
Bewilderment, surprise, indignation, and alarm were in turn expressed in
his frank face, and when he had finished he stood before Mr. Lloyd
speechless, but looking as though he wanted to say: "What will you be
after doing to me now, that I've got you into such a scrape?"

Assuming a seriousness he did not really feel, Mr. Lloyd looked hard at
Michael, as he asked:

"Do you know anything about this?"

Michael reddened, and dropped his eyes to the ground, but answered,
unhesitatingly:

"I do, sir.