Do you think that twenty-five dollars would be fair,
considering that we are in on the ground floor?"
"Yes, ma'am, that's lots more'n I expected. But it ain't so much the
money I'm gittin' as the home he's gittin' an' the trainin' an' all."
"Well, that's a bargain, then; come to my husband's office--Darling and
Dean, on Front Street, you know--the first time you are in town, and we
will give you a check; and you can bring Baldy with you then."
"I guess," slowly, "you'd better take him now. It 'ud be easier fer me
t' let him go while I'm kinda worked up to it. Mebbe ef I thought about
it fer a few days I wouldn't be able t' do it, an' he mightn't have
another chanct like this in his whole life."
He drew a frayed bit of rope from a torn pocket, and tied it to the old
strap that served as Baldy's collar--handing the end to "Scotty."
In the deepening shadows of the chill November dusk the boy's face was
ashen. He stooped over as if to see that the knot in the rope was secure
at the dog's neck--but the Woman knew in that brief instant the
trembling blue lips had been pressed in an agony of renunciation against
Baldy's rough coat.
"Thank you both very much," he said in a tone that he tried to keep
steady. "Thank you fer the ride and fer--fer everything."
He did not trust himself to look at the dog again, but stepped quickly
into the Golconda Trail.
"You must come to see Baldy often," the Woman called to him.
"Yes, ma'am, I'll be glad to--after a while," he replied gratefully.
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