FRUITLESS NEGOTIATIONS 
129 
were liable to be slaughtered. I had a handsome 
cocker spaniel bitch, of which I was very fond, and, 
as I strongly objected to those signboards for her, I 
went to the Consul, and told him the dog had a 
collar with my name and address on it, and I was 
quite willing to pay the fee half a dozen times over 
if necessary, but I would not tie on her one of those 
wooden tickets. Although the old gentleman had 
no children, both he and his wife, strange to say, 
disliked animals, and they had not even a cat in the 
house. I therefore got no sympathy or help. I 
told him, however, that, if I found anyone interfering 
with my dog, I would take the law into my own 
hands and stand the consequences. 
Some time after this the office-boy came running 
in to tell me that the dog-killers had enticed Nell 
outside the compound, and were about to kill her. 
I dropped my pen, and, hatless, ran out and on to 
the vacant 46 compound 55 next ours, and there saw 
a crowd of children and others, among whom were 
several dog-killers with their clubs. As I ran 
towards them, one of the dog-killers left the crowd 
and bolted down a street. Thinking he had killed 
the dog, and, seeing me, had run away, I started 
after him, and caught him at the end of the street. 
I was so angry I could not speak, but caught him by 
the neck and seat of his trousers, and rushed him 
back to the place he had left, as I wanted to make 
sure about the dog before I did more. As I ran 
him up, my dog came out from amongst the crowd, 
unhurt and wagging her tail. This was a pleasant 
surprise, but embarrassing. I let the man go, and, 
to relieve the situation, gave the dog a beating for 
being off the compound. Poor Nell died some 
9 
