The puppy, startled, gave a sudden loud howl.

"Put that thing out and come to supper, Jude! If he howls to-night, I'll
shoot him." Judith left the house indignantly.

"No, you won't, Dad," said Douglas quietly, as he buttered a biscuit.

"If you're going to give me back talk, young fellow, you leave the table
now, before I lose my temper."

"I'm not giving you any more back talk than you deserve," replied
Douglas. "Any man that would threaten to shoot a pup because it howls
deserves something more than back talk. Let's forget it. Johnny, how
about this stunt of Mother's breaking horses?"

Old Johnny gave John a timid glance. "I don't remember," he muttered.

Mary laughed. "What's the use of a woman breaking horses when she's got a
man to do it for her?"

"Did you ever see her break a horse, Johnny?" insisted Doug.

"Once," said the old man, "a lot of the boys tied me on a mule and the
mule ran away. It wasn't broke, that mule. Seem like it had run a gregus
long way when Mary come along. She was just a walking and she reached up
and grabbed the mule and she rode him back with me. And she made them
untie me. And I loved her ever since. I came up here every year to see
how John is treating her. I depone--"

John rose and, striding around the table, he seized the old man by the