In the Best Families

I discovered that I was shivering, decided to stop, and did.

“Pull the knife out of him? I suggested. “Maybe-

“No. That would finish him. I think he's finished anyhow.

He was. The dog died as Leeds squatted there, and I stood, not permitting myself to shiver in the cold night breeze. I could see the slender muscular legs stretch tight and then go loose, and after another minute Leeds took his hand away and stood up.

“Will you please hold the door open? he asked. “It's off plumb and swings shut.

I obliged, holding it wide and standing aside to let him through. With the dog's body in his arms, he crossed to a wooden bench at one side of the little square hall and put the burden down. Then he turned to me. “I'm going to put something on and go out and look around. Come or stay, suit yourself.

“I'll come. Is it one of your dogs? Or-

He had started for the stairs, but halted. “No. Sarah's-my cousin's. He was there to-night, you saw him. His face twitched. “By God, look at him! Getting here with that knife in him! I gave him to her two years ago; he's been her dog for two years, but when it came to this it was me he came to. By God!

He went for the stairs and up, and I followed. Over the years there have been several occasions when I needed to get some clothes on without delay, and I thought I was fast, but I was still in my room with a shoe to lace when Leeds' steps were in the hall again and he called in to me, “Wait downstairs. I'll be back in a minute.

I called that I was coming, but he didn't halt. By the time I got down to the little square hall he was gone, and the outside door was shut. I opened it and stepped out and yelled, “Hey, Leeds!

His voice came from somewhere in the darkness. “I said wait!

Even if he had decided not to bother with me there was no use trying to dash after him, with my handicap, so I settled for making my way around the corner of the house and across the gravelled rectangle to where my car was parked. Getting the door unlocked, I climbed in and got the flashlight from the dash compartment. That put me, if not even with Leeds for a night outdoors in the country, at least a lot closer to him. Relocking the car door, I sent the beam of the flash around and then switched it off and went back to the side door of the house.