The squire called again and in a moment the young man had joined him and stood horror-struck at what he saw.
"Don't touch the dog!" cried the squire.

"Don't come near him, I say!" he added as John came forward.

"There--there has been an accident, Mr.
Short," he added in calmer tones.

"Would you mind seeing if the fellow is alive ?" John was too much startled to say anything, but he went and knelt down by Goddard's body and looked into his face.
"Feel his pulse," said the squire.

"Listen at his heart." To him it seemed a very simple matter to ascertain whether a man were alive or dead.