Having affirmed their mutual attraction, Jay and Francis put it on hold while trying to resolve a threat to their secret group and thus to themselves. Can they save Alpha Eta Rho?

Today’s story is the second of two: “All That Glitters” by Altivo Overo, who thinks he's a Renaissance horse.

Or was that just a wooden-headed carousel horse? No matter.

He writes, draws, and makes music from time to time, and has stories published in print format as well as on the internet. You can find him on Fur Affinity, Weasyl, and Furry Amino as "Altivo," and on Amazon under Altivo Overo.

Read for you by Khaki, your faithful fireside companion.

Speaker: 00:00:00

You’re listening to The Voice of Dog.

Speaker: 00:00:02

I’m Khaki, your faithful fireside companion,

Speaker: 00:00:04

and we’re continuing yesterday’s story,

Speaker: 00:00:06

“Gibbous Moon Waning.”

Speaker: 00:00:08

with “All That Glitters”, also by Altivo Overo,

Speaker: 00:00:12

a Renaissance horse who writes, draws, and makes music from,

Speaker: 00:00:15

and has stories published in print format as well as on the internet.

Speaker: 00:00:18

You can find him on Fur Affinity,

Speaker: 00:00:19

Weasyl, and Furry Amino as

Speaker: 00:00:21

"Altivo," and on Amazon

Speaker: 00:00:23

under Altivo Overo.

Please enjoy: 00:00:25

“All That Glitters”,

Please enjoy: 00:00:27

by Altivo Overo.

Please enjoy: 00:00:32

Francis already felt his heart growing lighter,

Please enjoy: 00:00:34

with the awareness that if he had his token,

Please enjoy: 00:00:36

then he obviously couldn't have lost it at the site of the murder the previous night.

Please enjoy: 00:00:40

He marched briskly back toward Lupus Hall

Please enjoy: 00:00:42

with Jay Greyson following in his trail.

Please enjoy: 00:00:44

Jay seemed rather disconnected from reality for some reason.

Please enjoy: 00:00:47

Perhaps he had been drinking too much, Francis thought.

Please enjoy: 00:00:50

They entered the dorm through the east end door,

Please enjoy: 00:00:52

since that was the closest to the bridge and,

Please enjoy: 00:00:54

conveniently, the closest to Ernie's and Francis' room.

Please enjoy: 00:00:58

Ernie was not there,

Please enjoy: 00:00:59

and once they were inside the room, Francis went straight to his drawer of personal goods

Please enjoy: 00:01:03

and pulled out the tiny bottle of brandy.

Please enjoy: 00:01:05

He turned it over in his paw, and just as he had expected,

Please enjoy: 00:01:08

the AHP token was stuck to the soft wax that had sealed the top.

Please enjoy: 00:01:13

It glinted in the sunlight from the window

Please enjoy: 00:01:15

as he pried it loose with a claw.

Please enjoy: 00:01:17

Jay watched curiously.

Please enjoy: 00:01:19

"Brandy?" he asked. Francis nodded. "Ernie

Please enjoy: 00:01:22

suggested it for cleansing the hole you punched in my ear,"

Please enjoy: 00:01:25

he said. "Gods!" Jay exclaimed,

Please enjoy: 00:01:28

hiding his muzzle in his paws again.

Please enjoy: 00:01:29

"I can't believe I did that.

Please enjoy: 00:01:31

What a rotten excuse for getting close to you again.

Please enjoy: 00:01:34

I'm really, really sorry, Francis.

Please enjoy: 00:01:36

Francis." The raccoon patted his friend.

Please enjoy: 00:01:39

"You know, Jay, you're right that it was a sneaky trick.

Please enjoy: 00:01:41

But actually I don't mind now.

Please enjoy: 00:01:44

I do plan to put a ring in it.

Please enjoy: 00:01:45

You picked the left ear on purpose, didn't you?"

Please enjoy: 00:01:48

Nodding glumly, the wolf winced.

Please enjoy: 00:01:50

"I'm really terrible,"

Please enjoy: 00:01:51

he said. "You should have nothing more to do with me.

Please enjoy: 00:01:54

me." That made Francis chuckle. "I'll worry about that when you're as terrible as Stefan Ulf was,

Please enjoy: 00:01:59

and not before," he said.

Please enjoy: 00:02:01

An idea hit him then,

Please enjoy: 00:02:02

and he fished in the drawer until he came up with a ball of string.

Please enjoy: 00:02:06

He measured a length off and bit it

Please enjoy: 00:02:07

free, then carefully threaded one end through the hole in his token.

Please enjoy: 00:02:11

"What are you going to do with that?"

Please enjoy: 00:02:12

Jay asked. Francis didn't answer,

Please enjoy: 00:02:15

but tied the ends of the string in a sturdy knot,

Please enjoy: 00:02:17

and worked the loop over his muzzle and ears so that it settled into his neck ruff,

Please enjoy: 00:02:20

allowing the token to hang in the hollow of his throat.

Please enjoy: 00:02:23

"I'm making sure I can't lose it again,"

Please enjoy: 00:02:25

he said. "But it's meaningless,

Please enjoy: 00:02:28

a piece of junk I picked up in an antique store,"

Please enjoy: 00:02:31

Jay protested. "No, Jay,"

Please enjoy: 00:02:33

the raccoon said.

Please enjoy: 00:02:35

"It's not worthless.

Please enjoy: 00:02:36

You gave it to me.

Please enjoy: 00:02:37

I was happy to receive it,

Please enjoy: 00:02:38

and not just because of what I thought it stood for.

Please enjoy: 00:02:40

I was glad because I liked you already.

Please enjoy: 00:02:42

Now, show me your token.

Please enjoy: 00:02:44

token." Francis held out his paw.

Please enjoy: 00:02:47

Jay dug in his pocket and gave the disk to Francis, who measured out another piece of the string, and suspended the second disc from it as he had done with his own.

Please enjoy: 00:02:54

Then he held it behind his back.

Please enjoy: 00:02:56

"Show me your token,"

Please enjoy: 00:02:58

he demanded again.

Please enjoy: 00:02:59

Jay blinked and then understanding came into his eyes as he remembered playing the same trick a few days ago.

Please enjoy: 00:03:05

"I can't," he said, "you have it.

Please enjoy: 00:03:08

How can I earn it back?"

Please enjoy: 00:03:10

Francis winked, and stood facing the taller wolf,

Please enjoy: 00:03:13

closing his eyes and turning his face up toward Jay.

Please enjoy: 00:03:16

"Easy," he said very softly.

Please enjoy: 00:03:19

"Kiss me, Jay." The raccoon felt himself enfolded in strong, furry arms

Please enjoy: 00:03:25

and their muzzles met,

Please enjoy: 00:03:26

sharing breath. Jay's tongue tickled his lips,

Please enjoy: 00:03:29

and he opened his mouth,

Please enjoy: 00:03:30

instinctively turning his head slightly so they could kiss as only canids and ursids do.

Please enjoy: 00:03:35

In a few seconds it ended,

Please enjoy: 00:03:37

as Jay released him.

Please enjoy: 00:03:39

Francis took another second to catch his breath.

Please enjoy: 00:03:42

Yes, he thought, I did want that.

Please enjoy: 00:03:44

I just didn't know it until today.

Please enjoy: 00:03:47

"OK, Mr. Greyson," he commanded,

Please enjoy: 00:03:49

"sit on the bed so I can reach over your ears.

Please enjoy: 00:03:52

Jay obeyed him, and Francis slipped the improvised necklace over Jay's head and around his neck."There,"

Please enjoy: 00:03:56

he said. "Since they mean nothing to anyone but us, there's no need to hide them any more."

Please enjoy: 00:04:02

"I guess you're right,"

Please enjoy: 00:04:03

Jay agreed. "Win will laugh at us."

Please enjoy: 00:04:06

"Win laughs at everything and everyone," Francis declared. "It signifies nothing.

Please enjoy: 00:04:10

nothing." As they stood there,

Please enjoy: 00:04:12

just looking at each other in the sunlight

Please enjoy: 00:04:15

as if they'd never seen each other before, the door opened.

Please enjoy: 00:04:17

It was Ernie who stopped on the mat.

Please enjoy: 00:04:20

"Sorry," he said, "I didn't mean to interrupt anything."

Please enjoy: 00:04:24

"Hey, Ernie," Francis laughed.

Please enjoy: 00:04:26

"I want you to meet Jay Greyson. Jay,

Please enjoy: 00:04:28

this is my room mate, Ernie Darkeyes."

Please enjoy: 00:04:30

Ernie offered his paw.

Please enjoy: 00:04:32

"Pleased to meet you, Jay,"

Please enjoy: 00:04:33

he said. The wolf took the raccoon's paw in his own and smiled.

Please enjoy: 00:04:37

"Likewise," he smiled.

Please enjoy: 00:04:39

"Ernie has been trying to match me off with someone for a couple of weeks now, Jay," Francis said with a glint of mischief in his eye.

Please enjoy: 00:04:45

"Girls?" Jay asked, raising an eyebrow.

Please enjoy: 00:04:48

"Actually," Ernie grinned, "I tried both.

Please enjoy: 00:04:51

But Francis here is highly resistant.

Please enjoy: 00:04:53

resistant." Jay took a deep breath.

Please enjoy: 00:04:55

"You can stop trying for a while, Ernie,"

Please enjoy: 00:04:57

he said, blushing enough so it was noticeable around his nose.

Please enjoy: 00:05:01

"Francis just claimed me for himself."

Please enjoy: 00:05:04

Ernie blinked, and opened his mouth.

Please enjoy: 00:05:06

Then he shut it. Francis nodded.

Please enjoy: 00:05:09

"I've made my own match, I think,"

Please enjoy: 00:05:10

he declared. "Well shut my mouth," Ernie

Please enjoy: 00:05:14

exclaimed, with an exaggerated gesture of wrapping his paw around his muzzle. "I never expected you to work it out on your own, Francis.

Please enjoy: 00:05:21

I'm glad for you both, really."

Please enjoy: 00:05:23

"We're just going to see if it really works," Francis said. "But I think we both want it to."

Please enjoy: 00:05:28

"That's a good start," Ernie agreed.

Please enjoy: 00:05:31

"Now how about lunch? I'm starved."

Please enjoy: 00:05:34

"Let's go to Ruby's to celebrate," Jay said. "My treat."

Please enjoy: 00:05:38

"Well, since you make it so inviting,"

Please enjoy: 00:05:40

Ernie agreed, "lead on, McWuff,

Please enjoy: 00:05:43

and the devil take him who first cries 'Enough!'"

Please enjoy: 00:05:46

"Gods, Ernie, you sound just like Win,"

Please enjoy: 00:05:48

Francis told him. "Win? Who's Win?" Ernie immediately wanted to know. Jay laughed. "A friend of ours,

Please enjoy: 00:05:50

whose sense of humor you will probably appreciate, Ernie.

Please enjoy: 00:05:57

Ernie." He opened the door. "This way, gentlemen.

Please enjoy: 00:06:00

gentlemen." So they all marched off to Ruby's.

Please enjoy: 00:06:03

Francis had a hunch what would happen next,

Please enjoy: 00:06:05

and he was right.

Please enjoy: 00:06:06

Win Blackear and the girl from The Wolf's Head were at Ruby's.

Please enjoy: 00:06:10

The table next to them was empty,

Please enjoy: 00:06:11

so he led Jay and Ernie over to sit with the two raccoons. Jay stood

Please enjoy: 00:06:15

next to Win, who appeared to have sobered up somewhat since Francis had seen him earlier.

Please enjoy: 00:06:20

The remains of a substantial lunch still lay on the table before them.

Please enjoy: 00:06:24

"Win, show me your token,"

Please enjoy: 00:06:26

Jay commanded. The raccoon blinked,

Please enjoy: 00:06:28

then fished in a pocket

Please enjoy: 00:06:29

and produced the little brass disc.

Please enjoy: 00:06:31

"Very good," Jay said,

Please enjoy: 00:06:33

"Put it away now." Win complied.

Please enjoy: 00:06:35

"That accounts for all three,"

Please enjoy: 00:06:37

Jay said. "Three were all I ever had.

Please enjoy: 00:06:40

I don't know where the fourth came from.

Please enjoy: 00:06:42

from." Francis nodded. "Let's not worry about that until someone is officially looking for them," he said.

Please enjoy: 00:06:48

They sat down at the table next to Win and his girl, and ordered lunch.

Please enjoy: 00:06:51

Ernie kept looking first at Jay, then at Francis.

Please enjoy: 00:06:55

"OK," he said, "I see that you each have one. What are they?"

Please enjoy: 00:07:00

"The emblem of a completely imaginary club, Ernie,"

Please enjoy: 00:07:04

Francis explained.

Please enjoy: 00:07:05

"That one you told me you were joining?

Please enjoy: 00:07:07

It's not real?" "That's the one," Francis admitted,

Please enjoy: 00:07:11

"And you're right.

Please enjoy: 00:07:12

It wasn't real. Or at least not in the usual sense of the word.

Please enjoy: 00:07:16

word." Jay looked like he wished he could shrink down and hide under the table, but Francis patted his paw.

Please enjoy: 00:07:21

"It was a sort of a test," he continued,

Please enjoy: 00:07:24

"and I think we've both passed now.

Please enjoy: 00:07:26

now." The waitress brought their lunch then,

Please enjoy: 00:07:28

and there was a pause while everyone dug in.

Please enjoy: 00:07:30

Jay kept drifting off into space, thinking about something,

Please enjoy: 00:07:33

Francis supposed,

Please enjoy: 00:07:34

but he did eat slowly and methodically.

Please enjoy: 00:07:36

Ernie munched away as usual of course,

Please enjoy: 00:07:38

making Francis smile to himself.

Please enjoy: 00:07:40

Nothing ever seemed to shake Ernie up for long.

Please enjoy: 00:07:43

He was ready to adapt to anything.

Please enjoy: 00:07:46

When everyone started to slow down,

Please enjoy: 00:07:48

and Win and his girlfriend had taken their leave and gone off on their own,

Please enjoy: 00:07:51

Francis brought up the murder again.

Please enjoy: 00:07:53

"So," he said, "we have the watch looking for someone or something associated with this emblem we are wearing.

Please enjoy: 00:07:59

What are we going to do about that?"

Please enjoy: 00:08:01

"Good question," Jay answered.

Please enjoy: 00:08:04

"We don't have any useful information to give them, but it sure is a funny coincidence that someone would have dropped one of these at the scene of the crime,

Please enjoy: 00:08:10

and yet we don't know of anyone other than ourselves who had one."

Please enjoy: 00:08:14

"Wait," Ernie said. "What are you talking about?

Please enjoy: 00:08:17

You guys are associated with that murder last night?"

Please enjoy: 00:08:20

Francis shook his head.

Please enjoy: 00:08:21

"No, Ernie, we had nothing to do with it. But rumor has it

Please enjoy: 00:08:24

that an emblem like this,"

Please enjoy: 00:08:26

at which he held up the token on the string around his neck,

Please enjoy: 00:08:28

"was found lying on the ground

Please enjoy: 00:08:30

near the body of that poor buck."

Please enjoy: 00:08:32

"And where did yours come from?"

Please enjoy: 00:08:34

Ernie asked. Jay answered,

Please enjoy: 00:08:37

"I bought three of them at a shop called Yesterday's Tomorrow in Chatton.

Please enjoy: 00:08:40

As far as I know,

Please enjoy: 00:08:41

they had only the three."

Please enjoy: 00:08:44

"Perhaps they had more, but had already sold the rest," Francis suggested.

Please enjoy: 00:08:47

"You're right," Jay agreed.

Please enjoy: 00:08:49

"That's possible. I didn't really ask.

Please enjoy: 00:08:52

I was just glad to get three matching items with Greek letters on them.

Please enjoy: 00:08:55

I didn't think anything else of it at the time."

Please enjoy: 00:08:58

"So you didn't know about Alpha Eta Rho and Stefan Ulf at the time?" Francis asked,

Please enjoy: 00:09:03

folding his ears back a bit.

Please enjoy: 00:09:05

"No," the wolf shook his head,

Please enjoy: 00:09:07

"I only looked it up after I had the discs.

Please enjoy: 00:09:09

There isn't a lot of information, really.

Please enjoy: 00:09:11

Ulf founded the group sometime around 346.

Please enjoy: 00:09:15

It was recognized by the college in 347,

Please enjoy: 00:09:17

but that recognition was cancelled or else the group had already disbanded or renamed itself by 348." "So the tokens really might be associated with

Please enjoy: 00:09:22

the original group,

Please enjoy: 00:09:27

which explains how they got into an antique dealer's shop,"

Please enjoy: 00:09:30

Francis said. "And apparently there was at least one other,

Please enjoy: 00:09:34

perhaps more," Ernie added.

Please enjoy: 00:09:36

Both Francis and Jay nodded.

Please enjoy: 00:09:38

"Well, it seems like the first thing to do is go ask the shopkeeper, don't you think?

Please enjoy: 00:09:42

How long ago did you get them?" Jay counted

Please enjoy: 00:09:45

silently.

Please enjoy: 00:09:46

"Three months back,"

Please enjoy: 00:09:47

he said. "Not so long, then," Ernie

Please enjoy: 00:09:49

nodded. "Where is the place?"

Please enjoy: 00:09:52

"Three streets from the bridge, or maybe four,"

Please enjoy: 00:09:55

Jay answered. "Well,

Please enjoy: 00:09:57

what are we waiting for then?

Please enjoy: 00:09:58

Let's go find out.

Please enjoy: 00:09:59

out." Ernie was ready to leave immediately.

Please enjoy: 00:10:02

"Finish your lunch, Ernie," Francis told him. "A few minutes hardly matter

Please enjoy: 00:10:05

at this point." Jay did insist on paying for all three lunches,

Please enjoy: 00:10:09

and when they had taken care of that, they headed for the antique dealer.

Please enjoy: 00:10:13

It was actually five streets from the bridge,

Please enjoy: 00:10:15

and took some asking about for directions before they found the place, but Jay assured them that it was the right shop.

Please enjoy: 00:10:20

A bell sounded as they entered,

Please enjoy: 00:10:21

and a rabbit came from the back to greet them.

Please enjoy: 00:10:24

"Welcome, gentlemen,

Please enjoy: 00:10:25

how can we help you?"

Please enjoy: 00:10:26

she asked. Jay showed her the token around his neck.

Please enjoy: 00:10:30

"I bought three of these here a few months ago," he told her.

Please enjoy: 00:10:33

"Do you have any more of them?"

Please enjoy: 00:10:35

The rabbit shook her head.

Please enjoy: 00:10:37

"No, sir, I'm afraid those three were the last we had.

Please enjoy: 00:10:40

There were about a dozen of them originally, but the others had all been sold off by ones and twos."

Please enjoy: 00:10:46

"Do you remember who bought any of them?"

Please enjoy: 00:10:48

Francis asked. "Not by name, sir, no.

Please enjoy: 00:10:51

But I think all the buyers were wolves, so I wasn't surprised when this gentleman showed an interest in them.

Please enjoy: 00:10:56

them." The rabbit scratched her ear.

Please enjoy: 00:10:58

"And of course you yourself came back again, sir,"

Please enjoy: 00:11:01

she said, addressing Jay directly,

Please enjoy: 00:11:03

"asking for anything else we had with those three letters on it.

Please enjoy: 00:11:06

All we had was that leather bound ledger,

Please enjoy: 00:11:08

the one you bought then,

Please enjoy: 00:11:09

with all the names written in it."

Please enjoy: 00:11:11

"The pledge book you signed, Francis," Jay explained.

Please enjoy: 00:11:15

"You haven't seen anything else with those letters on it since?" Ernie asked the girl.

Please enjoy: 00:11:19

"No sir, I'm quite sure of that," she answered.

Please enjoy: 00:11:23

Francis had his eye on something in the glass case in front of the rabbit,

Please enjoy: 00:11:26

and he bent to look more closely.

Please enjoy: 00:11:27

"These gold chains," he said,

Please enjoy: 00:11:29

pointing to some fine chains in a velvet lined box.

Please enjoy: 00:11:32

"How much?" "Oh, sir, those aren't really gold,"

Please enjoy: 00:11:36

the girl said, shaking her head so her ears flapped a bit.

Please enjoy: 00:11:39

"They are only brass.

Please enjoy: 00:11:41

Two coppers for the pair of them."

Please enjoy: 00:11:43

"May I see them?" Francis asked.

Please enjoy: 00:11:45

"Certainly," she answered,

Please enjoy: 00:11:47

sliding open the back of the case and pulling the little box out, setting it on top of the counter.

Please enjoy: 00:11:51

She untangled the chains and presented them draped across her paw.

Please enjoy: 00:11:55

They were neck chains, as for a locket or pendant,

Please enjoy: 00:11:57

with little spring clasps in the back.

Please enjoy: 00:11:59

"I'll take them," Francis said,

Please enjoy: 00:12:01

and laid two coppers on the countertop.

Please enjoy: 00:12:03

"Very good, sir," the rabbit agreed,

Please enjoy: 00:12:05

and proceeded to wrap the chains into a little packet of tissue paper.

Please enjoy: 00:12:08

Francis took the parcel and put it into his inner pocket,

Please enjoy: 00:12:11

winking at Jay as he did so.

Please enjoy: 00:12:13

"Thank you for your help, miss," Ernie

Please enjoy: 00:12:15

said as they left the shop.

Please enjoy: 00:12:17

"Oh, not at all," the girl answered him.

Please enjoy: 00:12:19

"Thank you for your custom,

Please enjoy: 00:12:21

and please come again."

Please enjoy: 00:12:24

"So," Francis said when they were out on the street again, "that

Please enjoy: 00:12:27

didn't help very much did it."

Please enjoy: 00:12:29

"On the contrary," Ernie told them,

Please enjoy: 00:12:31

"it told us that there are several others somewhere in Chatton

Please enjoy: 00:12:34

who have similar badges or tokens.

Please enjoy: 00:12:36

The watch will learn that eventually,

Please enjoy: 00:12:38

and realize that the evidence is of limited value.

Please enjoy: 00:12:41

"So what can we do to help solve the case?" Francis asked.

Please enjoy: 00:12:45

"This ledger book you mentioned," Ernie

Please enjoy: 00:12:47

wondered. "What's in it?

Please enjoy: 00:12:49

Where is it?" "I have it in my room,"

Please enjoy: 00:12:52

Jay answered. "It has the signatures of students and perhaps others who pledged themselves to Alpha Eta Rho back in 347.

Please enjoy: 00:12:59

I started a new page when I got Win to sign, and then Francis."

Please enjoy: 00:13:03

"Are you sure all the signatures before that were so old?" Ernie

Please enjoy: 00:13:07

asked. "I didn't check each one.

Please enjoy: 00:13:09

They were smeary and difficult to read. I thought perhaps the book had been wet at some time,"

Please enjoy: 00:13:14

Jay answered. "Why?"

Please enjoy: 00:13:16

"Because," Ernie said,

Please enjoy: 00:13:18

"if anyone else tried to revive the name as you did,

Please enjoy: 00:13:21

he might have used the same book just as you did."

Please enjoy: 00:13:24

"You're right," Jay agreed, clapping his paws together.

Please enjoy: 00:13:27

"So it's at least possible that the actual killer signed that book too,

Please enjoy: 00:13:31

on one of the more recent pages."

Please enjoy: 00:13:32

"Precisely my thought," Ernie

Please enjoy: 00:13:34

said. "Shall we go look?"

Please enjoy: 00:13:37

"I think we had better,"

Please enjoy: 00:13:38

Francis agreed. And they set off for Jay's living quarters.

Please enjoy: 00:13:42

As it happened, Jay lived in one of the modern dormitories down on the river.

Please enjoy: 00:13:46

They crossed the bridge

Please enjoy: 00:13:47

and took the old towpath to get there,

Please enjoy: 00:13:49

walking where the barge workers used to go with their ropes and pulleys

Please enjoy: 00:13:52

when the current or wind didn't cooperate.

Please enjoy: 00:13:54

Francis smiled to himself

Please enjoy: 00:13:56

at the thought that he would now find out exactly where Jay lived.

Please enjoy: 00:14:00

The room was in a third year building,

Please enjoy: 00:14:01

up a little rise from the waterfront, with a south facing.

Please enjoy: 00:14:05

Ivy was growing over the bricks,

Please enjoy: 00:14:06

and there was a modern gravity lift that took them to the third floor in a cage.

Please enjoy: 00:14:11

Francis was pleased to find that Jay had many books on shelves,

Please enjoy: 00:14:14

and a writing desk under the window.

Please enjoy: 00:14:17

"What are you studying, Jay?" he asked.

Please enjoy: 00:14:19

The wolf blinked

Please enjoy: 00:14:19

and made as if to cover his face.

Please enjoy: 00:14:22

"Literature and writing,"

Please enjoy: 00:14:24

he admitted. "Not exactly a wolfish occupation,

Please enjoy: 00:14:26

but it has always been my first love.

Please enjoy: 00:14:29

love." His tail wagged a bit,

Please enjoy: 00:14:30

and Francis smiled.

Please enjoy: 00:14:32

The raccoon glanced over the shelves.

Please enjoy: 00:14:34

"You like Shakesbear, I see."

Please enjoy: 00:14:36

"Yes, I admit it," Jay answered. "Even the poetry."

Please enjoy: 00:14:40

"Good," was the single reply.

Please enjoy: 00:14:43

Ernie shook his head. "So where is this ledger?"

Please enjoy: 00:14:46

he asked. "Over here,"

Please enjoy: 00:14:48

Jay answered, reaching into the compartment under the desk

Please enjoy: 00:14:51

and pulling out a leather bound volume that Francis recognized immediately.

Please enjoy: 00:14:54

They spread it open on the desktop,

Please enjoy: 00:14:56

and examined the pages.

Please enjoy: 00:14:58

Turning back the one on which Francis and Win Blackear had signed the pledge,

Please enjoy: 00:15:01

they found that the previous one was dated in 352.

Please enjoy: 00:15:04

"Well, at least we know that the group continued beyond the year that the the college dropped it,"

Please enjoy: 00:15:08

Francis said. "But it doesn't look as if this will help find the killer.

Please enjoy: 00:15:12

All these names must belong to people who died years ago."

Please enjoy: 00:15:15

"Not necessarily," Ernie announced,

Please enjoy: 00:15:18

pointing to the last signature on the page.

Please enjoy: 00:15:22

The names above were dated when signed,

Please enjoy: 00:15:24

with a witness adding initials.

Please enjoy: 00:15:25

All those dates were in 352.

Please enjoy: 00:15:28

The last on the page, though,

Please enjoy: 00:15:29

was signed and under it the signer had written

Please enjoy: 00:15:32

"by himself, 461CY."

Please enjoy: 00:15:36

"That's just last year,"

Please enjoy: 00:15:38

Francis declared unnecessarily.

Please enjoy: 00:15:39

"But how did the book end up in that shop

Please enjoy: 00:15:42

if it was in someone's possession to sign just a year ago?"

Please enjoy: 00:15:45

Ernie asked. "I can answer that," said Jay.

Please enjoy: 00:15:49

"When I bought it, they told me that the owner had sold it to them because he was in need of ready cash.

Please enjoy: 00:15:54

He claimed it had been passed down in his family, but was of no value to him

Please enjoy: 00:15:57

except for the binding.

Please enjoy: 00:15:58

binding." Francis was looking closely at the signature.

Please enjoy: 00:16:01

"Whoever he is, he has terrible penmanship," the

Please enjoy: 00:16:04

raccoon stated flatly. "I can't make anything of this scrawl."

Please enjoy: 00:16:08

"Let me have a look, Francis,"

Please enjoy: 00:16:09

Jay insisted. He carried the book to the windowsill,

Please enjoy: 00:16:12

letting the sunlight shine directly on the page.

Please enjoy: 00:16:15

"I have some practice with reading bad handwriting," he mumbled.

Please enjoy: 00:16:18

After a minute or so,

Please enjoy: 00:16:20

he added, "I'm quite sure the first name is Sylvan or Sylvanus.

Please enjoy: 00:16:26

The surname is short and ends in an 'F.'"

Please enjoy: 00:16:30

Francis blinked and put a paw to his mouth.

Please enjoy: 00:16:32

"Ulf!" he exclaimed.

Please enjoy: 00:16:34

"A relative or descendant, probably.

Please enjoy: 00:16:36

probably." Jay pulled a college directory from the pocket of his desk.

Please enjoy: 00:16:39

Flipping to the proper pages, he shook his head.

Please enjoy: 00:16:42

"No Ulf listed, student or faculty."

Please enjoy: 00:16:45

"So perhaps this guy wasn't even a student," Ernie

Please enjoy: 00:16:48

said. "Shouldn't we just turn this over to the watch?"

Please enjoy: 00:16:52

"And leave Jay to explain why he was masquerading as a long dead organization with a shady history?" Francis asked,

Please enjoy: 00:16:57

shaking his head even as he said it.

Please enjoy: 00:17:00

"Well, what else can we do?"

Please enjoy: 00:17:03

Jay wondered. "Hush and let me think,"

Please enjoy: 00:17:05

was Francis' answer.

Please enjoy: 00:17:07

He sat down at the desk

Please enjoy: 00:17:08

and covered his eyes with his paws.

Please enjoy: 00:17:12

This was “All That Glitters”, by Altivo Overo, read for you by Khaki, your faithful fireside companion.

Please enjoy: 00:17:18

Thank you for listening

Please enjoy: 00:17:19

to The Voice of Dog