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for a li…cen…ced vender。 With the truck and butter； and mayhap
some milk； I could load that wagon〃
〃O； Pomona；〃 interrupted Euphemia。 〃You don't mean to say that you
were thinking of doing anything like that？〃
〃Well； I was just beginning to think of it；〃 said Pomona； 〃but of
course I couldn't have gone away and left the house。 And you'll
see I didn't do it。〃 And then she continued her novel。 〃But while
my thoughts were thus employ…ed； I heard Lord Edward burst into
bark…ter〃
At this Euphemia and I could not help bursting into laughter。
Pomona did not seem at all confused； but went on with her reading。
〃I hurried to the door； and； look…ing out； I saw a wagon at the
gate。 Re…pair…ing there； I saw a man。 Said he； 'Wilt open this
gate？' I had fasten…ed up the gates and remov…ed every steal…able
ar…ticle from the yard。〃
Euphemia and I looked at each other。 This explained the absence of
the rustic seat and the dipper。
〃Thus； with my mind at ease； I could let my faith…ful fri…end； the
dog （for he it was）； roam with me through the grounds； while the
fi…erce bull…dog guard…ed the man…si…on within。 Then said I； quite
bold； unto him； 'No。 I let in no man here。 My em…ploy…er and
employ…er…ess are now from home。 What do you want？' Then says he；
as bold as brass； 'I've come to put the light…en…ing rods upon the
house。 Open the gate。' 'What rods？' says I。 'The rods as was
ordered；' says he； 'open the gate。' I stood and gaz…ed at him。
Full well I saw through his pinch…beck mask。 I knew his tricks。
In the ab…sence of my em…ployer； he would put up rods； and ever so
many more than was wanted； and likely； too； some miser…able trash
that would attrack the light…ening； instead of keep…ing it off。
Then； as it would spoil the house to take them down； they would be
kept； and pay demand…ed。 'No； sir；' says I。 'No light…en…ing rods
upon this house whilst I stand here；' and with that I walk…ed away；
and let Lord Edward loose。 The man he storm…ed with pas…si…on。
His eyes flash…ed fire。 He would e'en have scal…ed the gate； but
when he saw the dog he did forbear。 As it was then near noon； I
strode away to feed the fowls； but when I did return； I saw a sight
which froze the blood with…in my veins〃
〃The dog didn't kill him？〃 cried Euphemia。
〃Oh no； ma'am！〃 said Pomona。 〃You'll see that that wasn't it。 At
one corn…er of the lot； in front； a base boy； who had accompa…ni…ed
this man； was bang…ing on the fence with a long stick； and thus
attrack…ing to hisself the rage of Lord Edward； while the vile
intrig…er of a light…en…ing rod…der had brought a lad…der to the
other side of the house； up which he had now as…cend…ed； and was on
the roof。 What horrors fill…ed my soul！ How my form trembl…ed！
This；〃 continued Pomona； 〃is the end of the novel；〃 and she laid
her foolscap pages on the porch。
Euphemia and I exclaimed； with one voice； against this。 We had
just reached the most exciting part； and； I added； we had heard
nothing yet about that affair of the taxes。
〃You see； sir；〃 said Pomona； 〃it took me so long to write out the
chapters about my birth； my parentage； and my early adventures；
that I hadn't time to finish up the rest。 But I can tell you what
happened after that jus' as well as if I had writ it out。〃 And so
she went on； much more glibly than before； with the account of the
doings of the lightning…rod man。
〃There was that wretch on top of the house； a…fixin' his old rods
and hammerin' away for dear life。 He'd brought his ladder over the
side fence； where the dog； a…barkin' and plungin' at the boy
outside； couldn't see him。 I stood dumb for a minute； an' then I
know'd I had him。 I rushed into the house； got a piece of well…
rope； tied it to the bull…dog's collar； an' dragged him out and
fastened him to the bottom rung of the ladder。 Then I walks over
to the front fence with Lord Edward's chain； for I knew that if he
got at that bull…dog there'd be times； for they'd never been
allowed to see each other yet。 So says I to the boy； 'I'm goin' to
tie up the dog； so you needn't be afraid of his jumpin' over the
fence；'which he couldn't do； or the boy would have been a corpse
for twenty minutes； or may be half an hour。 The boy kinder
laughed； and said I needn't mind； which I didn't。 Then I went to
the gate； and I clicked to the horse which was standin' there； an'
off he starts； as good as gold； an' trots down the road。 The boy；
he said somethin' or other pretty bad； an' away he goes after him；
but the horse was a…trottin' real fast； an' had a good start。〃
〃How on earth could you ever think of doing such things？〃 said
Euphemia。 〃That horse might have upset the wagon and broken all
the lightning…rods； besides running over I don't know how many
people。〃
〃But you see； ma'am； that wasn't my lookout；〃 said Pomona。 〃I was
a…defendin' the house； and the enemy must expect to have things
happen to him。 So then I hears an awful row on the roof； and there
was the man just coming down the ladder。 He'd heard the horse go
off； and when he got about half…way down an' caught a sight of the
bull…dog； he was madder than ever you seed a lightnin'…rodder in
all your born days。 'Take that dog off of there！' he yelled at me。
'No； I wont； says I。 'I never see a girl like you since I was
born；' he screams at me。 'I guess it would 'a' been better fur you
if you had；' says I； an' then he was so mad he couldn't stand it
any longer； and he comes down as low as he could； and when he saw
just how long the rope was；which was pretty short；he made a
jump； and landed clear of the dog。 Then he went on dreadful
because he couldn't get at his ladder to take it away； and I
wouldn't untie the dog； because if I had he'd 'a' torn the tendons
out of that fellow's legs in no time。 I never see a dog in such a
boiling passion； and yet never making no sound at all but blood…
curdlin' grunts。 An' I don't see how the rodder would 'a' got his
ladder at all if the dog hadn't made an awful jump at him； and
jerked the ladder down。 It just missed your geranium…bed； and the
rodder； he ran to the other end of it； and began pullin' it away；
dog an' all。 'Look…a…here；' says I； 'we can fix him now； and so he
cooled down enough to help me； and I unlocked the front door； and
we pushed the bottom end of the ladder in； dog and all； an' then I
shut the door as tight as it would go； an' untied the end of the
rope； an' the rodder pulled the ladder out while I held the door to
keep the dog from follerin'； which he came pretty near doin'；
anyway。 But I locked him in； and then the man began stormin' again
about his wagon； but when he looked out an' see the boy comin' back
with it；for somebody must 'a' stopped the horse；he stopped
stormin' and went to put up his ladder ag'in。 'No； you don't；'
says I； 'I'll let the big dog loose next time； and if I put him at
the foot of your ladder； you'll never come down。' 'But I want to
go and take down what I put up；' he says； 'I aint a…goin' on with
this job。' ' No；' says I； 'you aint； and you can't go up there to
wrench off them rods and make rain…holes in the roof； neither。' He
couldn't get no madder than he