AMID THE SHADOWS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1509, 31 January 1901, Page 14

AMID THE SHADOWS

This is a story of dogs, or rather a aim-, plo recital of a fact that happened some ; ypars ago in Australia. The chief factors in it are dead, but its truth can be r Touched for by those who remember,, A young Englishman, whom we will call Lindsay Danvers, had newly entered ' lip bn the duties of a small Government appointment, and —•' his day's work' done was returning to his official quarters. His way led through the bush y _>g- * itation of that beautiful-country and amid the beautiful shadows and luminous star-shine of the Australian night. Bejrpnd his own modest lodging lay the' gardens of the chief he served; ‘ and a' little gate, sheltered by a wealth of clematis, gave, entrance to that enchanted . ground. • Ehrapturtd with the beauty of the f night .Lindsay stood, and turnedl to "aze • upon the silver sea that shone through the branches of the tries. As he swervtd back .into the pathway again three \ dogs passed him swiftly.. and silently. They came THROUGH THE BRUSHWOOD

and made for the little gate under the

• “ oiematis; Lindsay saw them quite plainly in the soft radiance—three little ter- >■' riers, white as milk, and smooth as satin, with brown ears. One, the leader, was r ‘ larger thah the other two, and darker i about the head. Lindsay thought to have heard the click of the gate, which *rjm where he stood he could not see, as iomeone entered, letting the dogs pans also. But-there was no sound, not even a rustle in the long grasses. Next morning Lmasay mentioned the matter to “Old Sam,” a packer who worked for him in the office. He spoke of it casually. “I did not know,” he said, “that the Commandant had any ” I saw them last night—three little whde brown-eared terriers. They passed me near the white gate.” With a face or fear Old Sam turned upon him, and the old veined hands trem-

bled as thev were stretched out to him

“Thdre be no dogs,” Mr Danvers,” quavered the old man. “There be no dogs there nowadays; and if _ you saw any such, sir, they’were ghost-dogs. God save us all!”

“Nonsense,” said Lindsay, with some impatience. “1 tell you I saw them as plain as I see you—one a Dib bigger than the other two, and darker about the head.”

“Aye, aye, sir—that was dandy, a cunning chap and full up wi’ spirits and tricks. We thought a lot of Dandy. And I’d make so bold as beg of you, Mr Danvers, to say no word cf what you’ve seen, for the mistress', sir, SHE LOVED THE DOGS. and the dogs loved her. I’ve seen them many a time sitting about her feet, like so many children, and lookin’ up at her, same as if they wished they could speak, an’ tell her how they loved her! . . . .’’ “What became of them?” said Lindsay, sharply, for. he loved all dumb creatures, and knew also the heart of that-' gentle, gracious lady, the wife of the. Commandant, a woman far on in the vale of years, yet one whom to look upon was to love-

. “Well, sir,” replied Old Sam, speaking with one hand, curved about his mouth for greater caution, “they carno up that; there path' as innercent as critters could be, and then, just inside the gate, little temptin’ bits of food werel laid all hand.) , and the upshot of it was they were all three found stretched out straight—dead as dead, and cold as cold and master had to tell the mistress somehow.” “What confounded cur did such a deed?” said Lindsay hotly. . Old Sam spoke-lower and came nearer. “Someone ’as had a grudge against master; nellther him nor us put a name to the thing, but—we had our thoughts all the same .... and, sir, don’t go tc speak of the little dogs to the mistress, for she loved them so dear.” As time went oil, Lindsay Danvc;vs saw tfie three little dogs again; and being ‘‘a very gentle, perfect knight,” and knowing no fear of anything in God’s world, called them his “phantom dogs,” and grew to love! them. But before the summer was ended loving hands bore Lindsay Danvers to his grave beside the sea, and no one ever saw those two i vie getatle shades again.

This is the story that is not a story that is strange, and wonderful, yet true. -—Bertha Jehu Laffan, in the “Outlook.”