What is the significance of the title, “The Renegade”?

In the story, The Renegade, Jackson does not make it clear whether the title refers to Mrs. Walpole, the protagonist, or to Lady, the dog. The dog serves as a metaphor for Mrs. Walpole and her own existence in the stifling small town, as she herself feels. Like Lady, she cannot live according to her own natural desires and wishes. She feels constrained by the expectations and judgments of others in the village. Lady is a renegade because she persists in killing the neighbors' chickens. Likewise, Mrs. Walpole is a renegade because she is unable to bring herself to put Lady down, as speculated or demanded by various neighbors and townspeople, and because she is stuck in her lifestyle but wants to get out. The title of this short story is cleverly ambiguous, allowing the renegade to refer to both characters.