little dog thwarts crime, around 1800

You need to read this story. Not just because it honors a clever, brave little dog saving his mistress from harm, but because quite frankly his mistress is badass. She gets a reward from the government for finding a cure to the "stone" (probably kidney stones), AND when threatened she coolly grabs her pair of pistols and defends herself.

* * *
ANECDOTE XXXIII.
A Few years since, a lady, by the name of Osborn, who lived a few miles out of town, came to London to receive a large sum of money, granted her by parliament, for discovering a cure for the stone. She received the money, and returned back with it in her own carriage to the country, without any thing particular happening on the road. It was evening when she arrived, and being fatigued with her journeys she proposed retiring early to rest.
On her stepping into bed, she was much surprised at the uneasiness of her little Dog, who always slept in the chamber with her. He kept pulling the clothes repeatedly. Mrs. Osborn then chid him, and desired him to lie still, that she might go to sleep. The Dog still persisting in his efforts, kept pulling the bed-clothes, and at length jumped on the bed, and endeavoured, with great avidity, to pull them off.
Mrs. Osborn then conceiving something very extraordinary must occasion the Dog's uneasiness, immediately jumped out of bed, and being a very courageous woman, flipped on her under petticoat, and placed a brace of pistols (which were always in a closet adjoining), at her side, and boldly went down stairs. She had not proceeded far, when looking around, she perceived the coachman coming down another pair of stairs, quite dressed—with great presence of mind she pointed one of the pistols, threatened him with instant death, unless he directly returned to his bed. She then proceeded to the back parlour, when, on hearing a distant murmuring kind of noise, she advanced to the window, and fired in the direction from whence the noise came. All was then immediately silent, and nothing further transpired that night.
The next morning she traced blood through her garden to a considerable distance: and not thinking it prudent to keep so large a sum any longer in the house, ordered her carriage, and drove to town with the utmost expedition; and after depositing her property, went to Sir John Fielding, and related the whole of the circumstance to him, who after applauding her singular courage, advised her to part with the coachman directly, and he. would endeavour to investigate the matter minutely, and punish the offending parties according to their deserts.
Thus was robbery, and murder, most likely, prevented by the instinct of this faithful little animal.
* * *
- From Joseph Taylor, The general character of the dog: illustrated by a variety of original and interesting anecdotes (London: Darton and Harvey, 1804) pps. 81-83.