w what to do. He was concealed by the side of a fence, but
did not dare strike the dog, which kept a few paces from him, barking
incessantly. Mrs. Maroney heard the noise, and opening her window, said;
"Sic, sic; good fellow, sic."

Rivers jumped up and got the dog to follow him until he reached a field
some distance from the house, when, with a well-directed throw he
stunned him with a large stone, and soon stamped all life out of him. He
then took the "melancholy remains," placed them at Barclay's door, and
returned to Cox's, where he found all quiet. He returned to his old
position and remained until day began to dawn.

At dawn he crawled to the window, easily removed it, and slipped into
the cellar. He examined everything carefully, found some marks on the
floor where barrels had been removed, and in less than half an hour had
obliterated all traces of Madam Imbert's operations. He then crawled
out, replaced the window, and quietly returned to his boarding-house. He
had made arrangements by which he could always let himself in or out at
any hour of the night. The family he boarded with thought he was
somewhat of a "rake," but as he always paid his bills promptly, liked
him for a boarder.

In the morning Madam Imbert was on the lookout, and between nine and ten
Rivers came along. He reported that he had replaced everything in the
cellar, and described how he had killed Josh.'s dog and left his remains
at Barclay's.

Madam Imbert strolled down to Cox's, and met Mrs. Maroney at the door.
She was more polite than usual, having made an examination of the cellar
and found her suspicions baseless. Soon Josh. and Rivers made their
appearance. Rivers remarked that he had heard a strange dog barking the
night before, and got up to find out what was going on, but could
discover nothing.

"Yes," said Mrs. Maroney, "that was Josh.'s dog. A man was lurking
around here before I went to bed, so I let the dog out. In a short time
I heard it after some one, and opened my window and set it on. You see,
Josh., how necessary it is for you to keep sober. If you had been up you
might have shot that scoundrel. This morning I saw his footprints
distinctly impressed in the walks."

"Well," said Josh., "if my dog got hold of him, he made a hole in his
leg, I'll bet. I know he is a good dog."

"Yes, I think he is," said Rivers, as he and Josh. strolled over toward
Barclay's.

Barclay met them on the way. "Josh.," says he, "that dog o