Page:Four interesting tales.pdf/22

22 is open!—ejaculated the publican ; then all is over!” As his lordship was re-entering the closet, he was met by his servant who, with every mark of almost speechless consternation in his voice and countenance, exclaimed, “O, my lord!—my lord! I have seen such shocking sights!” and, without being abloable [sic] to finish his sentence, he sunk on the floor. Before his master could explore the cause of this, or succeed in raising up his fallen domestic; the poor dog came limping from the closet, while a blood track marked his path. He gained, with great difficulty, the place where his lordship stood aghast, and fell at his master’s feet. Every demonstration of grief ensued; but the dog, unmindful of his wounds, kept his eyes still intent upon the closet door; and denoted that the whole of the mystery was not yet developed.

Seizing the other pistol from the servant who had fallen into a swoon, his lordship now re-entered tho closet. The wounded dog crawled after him ; when, on examining every part, he perceived in one corner, an opening into the inn yard, by a kind of trap door, to which some broken steps descended. The dog seated himself on the steps; but there was nothing to be seen but a common sack. Nor was any thing visible upon the floor, except some drops of blood, part of which were evidently those which had issued from the wound of the dog himself, and part must have been of long standing, as they were dried into the boards. His lordship went back into the bed-chamber, but the dog remained in the closet. On his return the dog met him, breathing hard, as if from violent exercise, and he followed his master into the chamber.

The state of the man-servant, upon whom fear had operated so as to continue him in a succession of swoons, now claimed his lordship’s affections, and while those werowere [sic] administered, the dog again left