The Clinging Death

           BeautySmithslippedthechainfromhisneckandsteppedback. 

           ForonceWhiteFangdidnotmakeanimmediateattack. Hestoodstill,earsprickedforward,alertandcurious,surveyingthestrangeanimalthatfacedhim. Hehadneverseensuchadogbefore. TimKeenanshovedthebull-dogforwardwithamuttered "Gotoit." Theanimalwaddledtowardthecentreofthecircle,shortandsquatandungainly.HecametoastopandblinkedacrossatWhiteFang. 

           Therewerecriesfromthecrowdof, "Gotohim,Cherokee! Sick‘m,Cherokee! Eat‘mup!" 

           ButCherokeedidnotseemanxioustofight. Heturnedhisheadandblinkedatthemenwhoshouted,atthesametimewagginghisstumpofatailgood-naturedly. Hewasnotafraid,butmerelylazy. Besides,itdidnotseemtohimthatitwasintendedheshouldfightwiththedoghesawbeforehim. Hewasnotusedtofightingwiththatkindofdog,andhewaswaitingforthemtobringontherealdog. 

           TimKeenansteppedinandbentoverCherokee,fondlinghimonbothsidesoftheshoulderswithhandsthatrubbedagainstthegrainofthehairandthatmadeslight,pushing-forwardmovements. Theseweresomanysuggestions. Also,theireffectwasirritating,forCherokeebegantogrowl,verysoftly,deepdowninhisthroat. Therewasacorrespondenceinrhythmbetweenthegrowlsandthemovementsoftheman’shands. Thegrowlroseinthethroatwiththeculminationofeachforward-pushingmovement,andebbeddowntostartupafreshwiththebeginningofthenextmovement. Theendofeachmovementwastheaccentoftherhythm,themovementendingabruptlyandthegrowlingrisingwithajerk.