The Monsaldale farmers were still paying their nightly tribute to the
Mad Fox, when the snow came, late in December. Poor Widow Cot lost her
entire flock of twenty sheep, and the fiery cross went forth early in
the morning. With guns unconcealed the burly farmers set out to follow
to the finish the tell-tale tracks in the snow, those of a very large
fox, undoubtedly the multo-murderous villain. For a while the trail was
clear enough, then it came to the river and the habitual cunning of the
animal was shown. He reached the water at a long angle pointing down
stream and jumped into the shallow, unfrozen current. But at the
other side there was no track leading out, and it was only after long
searching that, a quarter of a mile higher up the stream, they found
where he had come out. The track then ran to the top of Henley's high
stone wall, where there was no snow left to tell tales. But the patient
hunters persevered. When it crossed the smooth snow from the wall to the
high road there was a difference of opinion. Some claimed that the track
went up, others down the road. But Jo settled it, and after another long
search they found where apparently the same trail, though some said a
larger one, had left the road to enter a sheep-fold, and leaving this
without harming the occupants, the track-maker had stepped in the
footmarks of a countryman, thereby getting to the moor road, along which
he had trotted straight to Dorley's farm.
That day the sheep were kept in on account of the snow and Wully,
without his usual occupation, was lying on some planks in the sun. As
the hunters drew near the house, he growled savagely and sneaked around
to where the sheep were. Jo Greatorex walked up to where Wully had
crossed the fresh snow, gave a glance, looked dumbfounded, then pointing
to the retreating sheep-dog, he said, with emphasis:
"Lads, we're off the track of the Fox. But there's the killer of the
Widder's yowes."
Some agreed with Jo, others recalled the doubt in the trail and were for
going back to make a fresh follow. At this juncture, Dorley himself came
out of the house.
"Tom," said Jo, "that dog o' thine 'as killed twenty of Widder Gelt's
sheep, last night. An' ah fur one don't believe as its 'is first
killin'."
"Why, mon, thou art crazy," said Tom. "Ah never 'ad a better
sheep-dog--'e fair loves the sheep."
"Aye! We's seen summat o' that in las' night's work," replied Jo.
In vain the company related the history of the morning. Tom swore that
it was nothing but a jealous conspiracy to rob him of Wully.
"Wully sleeps i' the kitchen every night. Never is oot till he's let
to bide wi' the yowes. Why, mon, he's wi' oor sheep the year round, and
never a hoof have ah lost."
Tom became much excited over this abominable attempt against Wully's
reputation and life. Jo and his partisans got equally angry, and it was
a wise suggestion of Huldah's that quieted them.
"Feyther," said she, "ah'll sleep i' the kitchen the night. If Wully
'as ae way of gettin' oot ah'll see it, an' if he's no oot an' sheep's
killed on the country-side, we'll ha' proof it's na Wully."
That night Huldah stretched herself on the settee and Wully slept as
usual underneath the table. As night wore on the dog became restless. He
turned on his bed and once or twice got up, stretched, looked at Huldah
and lay down again. About two o'clock he seemed no longer able to resist
some strange impulse. He arose quietly, looked toward the low window,
then at the motionless girl. Huldah lay still and breathed as though
sleeping. Wully slowly came near and sniffed and breathed his doggy
breath in her face. She made no move. He nudged her gently with his
nose. Then, with his sharp ears forward and his head on one side he
studied her calm face. Still no sign. He walked quietly to the window,
mounted the table without noise, placed his nose under the sash-bar
and raised the light frame until he could put one paw underneath. Then
changing, he put his nose under the sash and raised it high enough to
slip out, easing down the frame finally on his rump and tail with an
adroitness that told of long practice. Then he disappeared into the
darkness.
From her couch Huldah watched in amazement. After waiting for some time
to make sure that he was gone, she arose, intending to call her father
at once, but on second thought she decided to await more conclusive
proof. She peered into the darkness, but no sign of Wully was to be
seen. She put more wood on the fire, and lay down again. For over an
hour she lay wide awake listening to the kitchen clock, and starting at
each trifling sound, and wondering what the dog was doing. Could it
be possible that he had really killed the widow's sheep? Then the
recollection of his gentleness to their own sheep came, and completed
her perplexity.
Another hour slowly tick-tocked. She heard a slight sound at the window
that made her heart jump. The scratching sound was soon followed by the
lifting of the sash, and in a short time Wully was back in the kitchen
with the window closed behind him.
By the flickering fire-light Huldah could see a strange, wild gleam in
his eye, and his jaws and snowy breast were dashed with fresh blood. The
dog ceased his slight panting as he scrutinized the girl. Then, as
she did not move, he lay down, and began to lick his paws and muzzle,
growling lowly once or twice as though at the remembrance of some recent
occurrence.
Huldah had seen enough. There could no longer be any doubt that Jo was
right and more--a new thought flashed into her quick brain, she realized
that the weird fox of Monsal was before her. Raising herself, she looked
straight at Wully, and exclaimed:
"Wully! Wully! so it's a' true--oh, Wully, ye terrible brute."
Her voice was fiercely reproachful, it rang in the quiet kitchen, and
Wully recoiled as though shot. He gave a desperate glance toward the
closed window. His eye gleamed, and his mane bristled. But he cowered
under her gaze, and grovelled on the floor as though begging for mercy.
Slowly he crawled nearer and nearer, as if to lick her feet, until quite
close, then, with the fury of a tiger, but without a sound, he sprang
for her throat.
The girl was taken unawares, but she threw up her arm in time, and
Wully's long, gleaming tusks sank into her flesh, and grated on the
bone.
"Help! help! feyther! feyther!" she shrieked.
Wully was a light weight, and for a moment she flung him off. But there
could be no mistaking his purpose. The game was up, it was his life or
hers now.
"Feyther! feyther!" she screamed, as the yellow fury, striving to kill
her, bit and tore the unprotected hands that had so often fed him.
In vain she fought to hold him off, he would soon have had her by the
throat, when in rushed Dorley.
Straight at him, now in the same horrid silence sprang Wully, and
savagely tore him again and again before a deadly blow from the
fagot-hook disabled him, dashing him, gasping and writhing, on the
stone floor, desperate, and done for, but game and defiant to the last.
Another quick blow scattered his brains on the hearthstone, where so
long he had been a faithful and honored retainer--and Wully, bright,
fierce, trusty, treacherous Wully, quivered a moment, then straightened
out, and lay forever still.