Looking up into his ugly face, I knew he would do just what he said. I told him to let me up and I would go and not say anything to anyone.
'Don't let him up, Rubin,' Rainie said. 'Beat the hell out of him, or hold him and let me do it.'
Just then I heard growling, and a commotion off to one side. The blue hound had finally gotten a fight out of Old Dan. Turning my head sideways, I could see them standing on their hind legs, tearing and slashing at each other. The weight of the big hound pushed Old Dan over.
I told Rubin to let me up so we could stop the fight.
He laughed, 'While my dog is whipping yours, I think I'll just work you over a little.' So saying, he jerked my cap off, and started whipping me in the face with it.
I heard Rainie yell, 'Rubin, they're killing Old Blue.'
Rubin jumped up off me.
I clambered up and looked over to the fight. What I saw thrilled me. Faithful Little Ann, bitch though she was, had gone to the assistance of Old Dan.
I knew my dogs were very close to each other. Everything they did was done as a combination, but I never expected this. It is a very rare occasion for a bitch dog to fight another dog, but fight she did.
I could see that Little Ann's jaws were glued to the throat of the big hound. She would never loosen that deadly hold until the last breath of life was gone.
Old Dan was tearing and slashing at the soft belly. I knew the destruction his long sharp teeth were causing.
Again Rainie yelled, 'Rubin, they're killing him. They're killing Old Blue. Do something quick.'
Rubin darted over to one side, grabbed my ax from the ground, and said in a loud voice, 'I'll kill them damn hounds.'
At the thought of what he was going to do with the ax, I screamed and ran for my dogs. Rubin was about ten feet ahead of me, bent over, running with the ax held out in front of him. I knew I could never get to them in time, I was screaming, 'No, Rubin, no!'
I saw the small stick when it whipped up from the ground. As if it were alive, it caught between Rubin's legs. I saw him fall. I ran on by.
Reaching the dogfight, I saw the big hound was almost gone. He had long since ceased fighting. His body lay stretched full-length on the ground. I grabbed Old Dan's collar and pulled him back. It was different with Little Ann. Pull as I might, she wouldn't let go of the hound's throat. Her jaws were locked.
I turned Old Dan loose and, getting astraddle of Little Ann, I pried her jaws apart with rny hands. Old Dan had darted back in. Grabbing his collar again, I pulled them off to one side.
The blue hound lay where he was. I thought perhaps he was already dead, and then I saw him move a little.
Still holding my dogs by their collars, I looked back. I couldn't understand what I saw. Rubin was laying where he had fallen. His back was toward me, and his body was bent in a 'U' shape. Rainie was standing on the other side of him, staring down.
I hollered and asked Rainie, 'What's the matter?'
He didn't answer. He just stood as though in a trance, staring down at Rubin.
I hollered again. He still didn't answer. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't turn my dogs loose. They would go for the hound again.
Again I hollered at Rainie, asking him to come and help me. He neither moved nor answered. I had to do something.
Looking around, my glance fell on the old barbed-wire fence. I led my dogs to it. Holding onto their collars with one hand, I worked a rusty barbed wire backwards and forwards against a staple until it broke. Running the end of it under their collars, I tied them up. They made two or three lunges toward the hound, but the wire held.
I walked over and stopped at Ramie's side. I again asked, 'What's the matter?'
He said not a word.
