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healthful to walk to and from the station than to ride； but then I
did not own a horse。 At night I attended to everything； Euphemia
generally following me about the stable with a lantern。 When the
days grew longer we would have delightful rides after dinner； and
even now we planned to have early breakfasts； and go to the station
by the longest possible way。
One day； in the following spring； I was riding home from the
station with Euphemia；we seldom took pleasure…drives now； we were
so busy on the place；and as we reached the house I heard the dog
barking savagely。 He was loose in the little orchard by the side
of the house。 As I drove in； Pomona came running to the carriage。
〃Man up the tree！〃 she shouted。
I helped Euphemia out； left the horse standing by the door； and ran
to the dog； followed by my wife and Pomona。 Sure enough； there was
a man up the tree； and Lord Edward was doing his best to get at
him； springing wildly at the tree and fairly shaking with rage。
I looked up at the man； he was a thoroughbred tramp； burly； dirty；
generally unkempt； but； unlike most tramps； he looked very much
frightened。 His position； on a high crotch of an apple…tree； was
not altogether comfortable； and although； for the present； it was
safe； the fellow seemed to have a wavering faith in the strength of
apple…tree branches； and the moment he saw me； he earnestly
besought me to take that dog away； and let him down。
I made no answer； but turning to Pomona； I asked her what this all
meant。
〃Why； sir； you see；〃 said she； 〃I was in the kitchen bakin' pies；
and this fellow must have got over the fence at the side of the
house； for the dog didn't see him； and the first thing I know'd he
was stickin' his head in the window； and he asked me to give him
somethin' to eat。 And when I said I'd see in a minute if there was
anything for him； he says to me； 'Gim me a piece of one of them
pies；'pies I'd just baked and was settin' to cool on the kitchen
table！ 'No； sir；' says I； 'I'm not goin' to cut one of them pies
for you； or any one like you。' 'All right！' says he。 'I'll come
in and help myself。' He must have known there was no man about；
and； comin' the way he did； he hadn't seen the dog。 So he come
round to the kitchen door； but I shot out before he got there and
unchained Lord Edward。 I guess he saw the dog； when he got to the
door； and at any rate he heard the chain clankin'； and he didn't go
in； but just put for the gate。 But Lord Edward was after him so
quick that he hadn't no time to go to no gates。 It was all he
could do to scoot up this tree； and if he'd been a millionth part
of a minute later he'd 'a' been in another world by this time。〃
The man； who had not attempted to interrupt Pomona's speech； now
began again to implore me to let him down； while Euphemia looked
pitifully at him； and was about； I think； to intercede with me in
his favor； but my attention was drawn off from her； by the strange
conduct of the dog。 Believing； I suppose； that he might leave the
tramp for a moment； now that I had arrived； he had dashed away to
another tree； where he was barking furiously； standing on his hind
legs and clawing at the trunk。
〃What's the matter over there？〃 I asked。
〃Oh； that's the other fellow；〃 said Pomona。 〃He's no harm。〃 And
then； as the tramp made a movement as if he would try to come down；
and make a rush for safety； during the absence of the dog； she
called out； 〃Here； boy！ here； boy！〃 and in an instant Lord Edward
was again raging at his post； at the foot of the apple…tree。
I was grievously puzzled at all this； and walked over to the other
tree； followed； as before； by Euphemia and Pomona。
〃This one；〃 said the latter； 〃is a tree…man〃
〃I should think so；〃 said I； as I caught sight of a person in gray
trowsers standing among the branches of a cherry…tree not very far
from the kitchen door。 The tree was not a large one； and the
branches were not strong enough to allow him to sit down on them；
although they supported him well enough； as he stood close to the
trunk just out of reach of Lord Edward。
〃This is a very unpleasant position； sir；〃 said he； when I reached
the tree。 〃I simply came into your yard； on a matter of business；
and finding that raging beast attacking a person in a tree； I had
barely time to get up into this tree myself； before he dashed at
me。 Luckily I was out of his reach； but I very much fear I have
lost some of my property。〃
〃No； he hasn't；〃 said Pomona。 〃It was a big book he dropped。 I
picked it up and took it into the house。 It's full of pictures of
pears and peaches and flowers。 I've been lookin' at it。 That's
how I knew what he was。 And there was no call for his gittin' up a
tree。 Lord Edward never would have gone after him if he hadn't run
as if he had guilt on his soul。〃
〃I suppose； then；〃 said I； addressing the individual in the cherry…
tree； 〃that you came here to sell me some trees。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 said he quickly； 〃trees； shrubs； vines； evergreens；
everything suitable for a gentleman's country villa。 I can sell
you something quite remarkable； sir； in the way of cherry…trees；
French ones； just imported； bear fruit three times the size of
anything that could be produced on a tree like this。 And pears
fruit of the finest flavor and enormous size〃
〃Yes；〃 said Pomona。 〃I seen them in the book。 But they must grow
on a ground…vine。 No tree couldn't hold such pears as them。〃
Here Euphemia reproved Pomona's forwardness； and I invited the
tree…agent to get down out of the tree。
〃Thank you；〃 said he； 〃but not while that dog is loose。 If you
will kindly chain him up； I will get my book； and show you
specimens of some of the finest small fruit in the world； all
imported from the first nurseries of Europethe Red…gold Amber
Muscat grape；the〃
〃Oh； please let him down！〃 said Euphemia； her eyes beginning to
sparkle。
I slowly walked toward the tramp…tree； revolving various matters in
my mind。 We had not spent much money on the place during the
winter； and we now had a small sum which we intended to use for the
advantage of the farm； but had not yet decided what to do with it。
It behooved me to be careful。
I told Pomona to run and get me the dog…chain； and I stood under
the tree； listening； as well as I could； to the tree…agent talking
to Euphemia； and paying no attention to the impassioned entreaties
of the tramp in the crotch above me。 When the chain was brought； I
hooked one end of it in Lord Edward's collar； and then I took a
firm grasp of the other。 Telling Pomona to bring the tree…agent's
book from the house； I called to that individual to get down from
his tree。 He promptly obeyed； and taking the book from Pomona；
began to show the pictures to Euphemia。
〃You had better hurry； sir；〃 I called out。 〃I can't hold this dog
very long。〃 And； indeed； Lord Edward had made a run toward the
agent； which jerked me very forcibly in his direction。 But a
movement by the tramp had quickly brought the dog back to his more
desired victim。
〃If you will just tie up that dog； sir；〃 said the agent； 〃and come
this way； I would like to show you the Meltinagua