further adventures of lad-第13部分

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To　both　the　Mistress　and　the　Master；　from　the　very　outset；　it　was　plain　that　Lady　was　not　in　any　way　such　a　dog　as　their　beloved　Lad。　She　was　as　temperamental　as　Peter　Grimm　himself。　She　had　hair…trigger　nerves；　a　swirlingly　uncertain　temper　that　was　scarce　atoned　for　by　her　charm　and　lovableness；　and　she　lacked　Lad's　stanchness　and　elusive　semi…human　quality。　The　two　were　as　different　in　nature　as　it　is　possible　for　a　couple　of　well…brought…up　thoroughbred　collies　to　be。　And　the　humans'　hearts　did　not　go　out　to　Lady　as　to　Lad。　Still；　she　was　an　ideal　pet；　in　many　ways。　And；　Lad's　utter　devotion　to　her　was　a　full　set　of　credentials；　by　itself。

Autumn　froze　into　winter。　The　trees　turned　into　naked　black　ghosts；　or；　rather；　into　many…stringed　harps　whereon　the　northwest　gales　alternately　shrieked　and　roared。　The　fire…blue　lake　was　a　sheet　of　leaden　ice；　twenty　inches　thick。　The　fields　showed　sere　and　grayly　lifeless　in　the　patches　between　sodden　snow…swathes。　Nature　had　flown　south；　with　the　birds；　leaving　the　northern　world　a　lifeless　and　empty　husk；　as　deserted　as　last　summer's　robin…nests。

Lady；　in　these　drear　months　of　a　dead　world。　changed　as　rapidly　as　had　the　smiling　Place；　From　a　shapeless　gray…gold　fuzzy　baby；　she　grew　lank　and　leggy。　The　indeterminate　fuzz　was　buried　under　a　shimmering　gold…and…white　coat　of　much　beauty。　The　muskrat　face　lengthened　and　grew　delicately　graceful；　with　its　long　muzzle　and　exquisite　profile。

Lady　was　emerging　from　clownish　puppyhood　into　the　charm　of　youth。　By　the　time　the　first　anemones　carried　God's　message　of　spring　through　the　forests'　lingering　snow…pall；　she　had　lost　her　adolescent　gawkiness　and　was　a　slenderly　beautiful　young　collie；　small　and　light　of　bone；　as　she　remained　to　the　day　of　her　death；　but　with　a　slimness　which　carried　with　it　a　hint　of　lithe　power　and　speed　and　endurance。

It　was　in　the　early　spring　that　the　Master　promoted　Lady　from　her　winter　sleeping…quarters　in　the　tool…house；　and　began　to　let　her　spend　more　and　more　time　indoors。

Lady　had　all　the　promise　of　becoming　a　perfect　housedog。　Fastidious；　quick　to　learn；　she　adapted　herself　almost　at　once　to　indoor　life。　And　Lad　was　overjoyed　at　her　admission　to　the　domain　where　until　now　he　had　ruled　alone。　Personally；　and　with　the　gravity　of　an　old…world　host；　he　conducted　her　from　room　to　room。　He　even　offered　her　a　snoozing…place　in　his　cherished　〃cave；〃　under　the　piano；　in　the　music　room　the　spot　of　all　others　dearest　to　him。

But　it　was　dim　and　cheerless；　under　the　piano；　or　so　Lady　seemed　to　think。　And　she　would　not　go　there　for　an　instant。　She　preferred　the　disreputable　grizzly…bear　rug　in　front　of　the　living　room　hearth。　And；　temporarily　deserting　his　loved　cave；　Lad　used　to　lie　on　this　rug　at　her　side；　well　content　when　she　edged　him　off　its　downy　center　and　onto　the　bumpy　edges。

All　winter；　Lady's　sleeping　quarters　had　been　the　tool…house　in　the　back　garden；　behind　the　stables。　Here；　on　a　sweet…smelling　（and　flea…averting）　bed　of　cedar　shavings；　she　had　been　comfortable　and　wholly　satisfied。　But；　at　once；　on　her　promotion；　she　appeared　to　look　upon　the　once…homelike　tool…house　as　a　newly　rich　daylaborer　might　regard　the　tumbledown　shack　where　he　had　spent　the　days　of　his　poverty。

She　avoided　the　tool…house；　and　even　made　wide　detours　to　avoid　passing　close　to　it。　There　is　no　more　thoroughgoing　snob；　in　certain　ways；　than　a　high…bred　dog。　And；　to　Lady；　the　tool…house　evidently　represented　a　humiliating　phase　of　her　outlived　past。

Yet；　she　was　foredoomed　to　go　back　to　the　loathed　abode。　And　her　return　befell　in　this　way：

In　the　Master's　study　was　something　which　Lady　considered　the　most　enthrallingly　wonderful　object　on　earth。　This　was　a　stuffed　American　eagle；　mounted；　rampant　and　with　outflung　wings；　on　a　papier…mache　stump。

Why　the　eagle　should　have　fascinated　Lady　more　than　did　the　leopard…or…bear　rugs　or　other　chase…trophies；　in　the　various　downstairs　rooms；　only　Lady　herself　could　have　told。　But　she　could　not　keep　her　eyes　off　of　it。　Tiptoeing　to　the　study　door；　she　used　to　stand　for　half　an　hour　at　a　time　staring　at　the　giant　bird。

Once；　in　a　moment　of　audacity；　she　made　a　playful　little　rush　at　it。　Before　the　Master　could　intervene；　Lad　had　dashed　between　her　and　the　sacred　trophy；　and　had　shouldered　her　gently　but　with　much　firmness　out　of　the　room；　disregarding　her　little　swirl　of　temper　at　the　interference。

The　Master　called　her　back　into　the　study。　Taking　her　up　to　the　eagle；　he　pointed　at　it；　and　said；　with　slow　emphasis

〃Lady！　Let　it　ALONE！　LetitALONE！〃

She　understood。　For；　from　babyhood；　she　had　learned；　by　daily　practice；　to　understand　and　interpret　the　human　voice。　Politely；　she　backed　away　from　the　alluring　bird。　Snarling　slightly　at　Lad；　as　she　passed　him　in　the　doorway；　she　stalked　out　of　the　room　and　went　out　on　the　veranda　to　sulk。

〃I'm　glad　I　happened　to　be　here　when　she　went　for　the　eagle；〃　said　the　Master；　at　lunch　that　day。　〃If　I　hadn't；　she　might　have　tackled　it　sometime；　when　nobody　was　around。　And　a　good　lively　collie　pup　could　put　that　bit　of　taxidermy　out　of　commission　in　less　than　five　seconds。　She　knows；　now；　she　mustn't　touch　it。〃

He　spoke　smugly；　his　lore　on　the　subject　being　bounded　by　his　experiences　in　teaching　Lad　the　simple　Law　of　the　Place。　Lad　was　one　of　the　rare　dogs　to　whom　a　single　command　or　prohibition　was　enough　to　fix　a　lesson　in　his　uncannily　wise　brain　for　life。　Lady　was　not。　As　the　Master　soon　had　occasion　to　learn。

Late　one　afternoon；　a　week　afterward；　the　Mistress　had　set　forth　on　a　round　of　neighborhood　calls。　She　had　gone　in　the　car；　and　had　taken　Lad　along。　The　Master；　being　busy　and　abhorring　calls；　had　stayed　at　home。　He　was　at　work　in　his　study；　and　Lady　was　drowsing　in　the　cool　lower　hall。

A　few　minutes　before　the　Mistress　was　due　to　return　for　dinner；　a　whiff　of　acrid　smoke　was　wafted　to　the　man's　nostrils。

Now；　to　every　dweller　in　the　country；　there　is　one　all…present　peril；　namely；　fire。　And；　the　fear　of　this　is　always　lurking　worriedly　in　the　back　of　a　rural　householder's　brain。　A　vagrant　breath　of　smoke；　in　the　night；　is　more　potent　to　banish　sleep　and　to　start　such　a　man　to　investigating　his　house　and　grounds　than　would　be　any　and　every　other　alarm　known　to　mortals。

Even　now；　in　broad　daylight；　the　faint　reek　was　enough　to　bring　the　Master's　mind　back　to　earth　and　the　Master's　body　to　its　feet。　Sniffing；　he　went　out　to　find　the　cause　of　the　smell。　The　chimneys　and　the　roof　and　the　windows　of　the　house　showing　no　sign　of　smoke；　he　explored　farther；　and　presently　located　the　odor's　origin　in　a　small　brush…fire　at　some　distance　behind　the　stables。　Two　of　the　men　were　raking　pruned　vine…suckers　and　leaves　onto　the　blaze。　The　wind　set　away　from　the　house　and　stables。　There　was　nothing　to　worry　over。　Ashamed　of　his　own　fussiness；　the　Master　went　back　to　his　work。

As　he　passed　the　open　study　window；　on　his　way　indoors；　a　motion　inside　made　him　stop。　He　was　just　in　time　to　see　Lady　trot　into　the　room；　crouch　playfully；　and　then　spring　full　at　the　stuffed　eagle。

His　shout　deflected　the　young　dog's　leap；　and　kept　her　merrily　outstretched　jaws　from　closing　on　the　bird。　As　it　was；　the　impact　knocked　the　eagle　and　the　papier…mache　stump　to　the　floor；　with　much　clatter　and　dust。

The　Master　vaulted　in　through　the　window；　arriving　on　the　study　floor　almost　as　soon　as　did　the　overthrown　bird。　Lady　was　slinking　out　into　the　hall；　crestfallen　and　scared。　The　Master　collared　her　and　brought　her　back　to　the　scene　of　her　mischief。

The　collie　had　disobeyed　him。　Flagrantly　she　had　sinned　in　assailing　the　bird；　after　his　injunction　of　〃Let　it　alone！〃　There　could　be　no　doubt；　from　her　wriggling　aspect　of　guilt；　that　she　knew　she　was　doing　wrong。　Worse；　she　had　taken　sneaky　advantage　of　his　absence　in　order　to　spring　at　the　eagle。　And　disgust　warred　with　the　Master's　normal　indignation。

Speaking　as　quietly　as　he　could　bring　himself　to　speak；　he　told　Lady　what　she　had　done　and　what　a　rotten　thing　it　had　been。　As　he　talked　to　the　utterly　crestfallen　pup；　he　was　ransacking　a　drawer　of　his　desk　in　search　of　a　dogwhip　he　had　put　there　long　ago　and　had　never　had　occasion　to　use。

Presently；　he　found　it。　Pointing　to　the　overthrown　trophy；　he　brought　the　lash　down　across　the　shrinking　collie's　loins。　He　did　not　strike　hard。　But　he　struck　half　a　dozen　times；　and　with　glum　knowledge　that　it　was　the　only　course　to　take。

Never　before　in　her　eight　foolish　months　of　life；　had　Lady　known　the　meaning　of　a　blow。　While　the　whip…slashes　were　too　light　to　do　more　than　sting　her　well…mattressed　back；　yet　the　humiliation　of　them　seared　deep　into　her　sensitive　nature。　No　sound　did　she　utter。　But　she　cowered　flat　to　the　floor；　and　trembled　as　if　in　a　hard　chill。

The　whipping　was　over；　in　a　few　seconds。　Again　the　Master　explained　to　her　what　it　had　been　inflicted　for。　Then；　calling　her　to　follow；　he　led　the　way　out　of　doors　and　toward　the　stables。　Stomach　to　earth；　the　shamed　and　miserable　Lady　writhed　along；　close　at　his　heels。

The　Master　passed　the　stables　and　walked　toward　the　brush　fire；　where　the　two　men　were　still　at　work。　But　he　did　not　go　within　a　hundred　feet　of　the　fire。　Turning；　after　he　had　left　the　stables　behind　him；　he　made　for　the　tool…house。

Lady　saw　whither　he　was　bound。　She　ceased　to　follow。　Wheeling　about；　she　trotted　stealthily　back　toward　the　stables。　Reaching　the　tool…house　door；　the　Master　opened　it　and　whistled　to　the　unhappy　young　collie。　Lady　was　nowhere　in　sight。　At　a　second　summons；　she　appeared　from　around　the　corner　of　the　stables；　moving　close　to　the　ground；　and　with　many　wriggles　of　protest。　Twice；　she　stopped；　and　looked　appealingly　at　the　man。

The　Master　hardened　his　soul　against　the　prettily　pathetic　appeal　in　her　eyes　and　actions；　and　called　her　to　him　again。　His　own　momentary　anger　against　the　luckless　youngster　was　gone；the　more　so　since　the　eagle　had　not　been　damaged　by　its　fall；but　he　knew　it　was　needful　to　impress　strongly　on　Lady　the　fact　of　her　punishment。　This　for　her　own　sake　as　much　as　for　his；　since　a　housedog　is　worthless　until　it　learns　that　each　and　every　indoor　object　must　be　respected　and　held　sacred　from　mutilation。

Wherefore；　he　was　minded　to　spare　Lady　from　any　f