further adventures of lad-第14部分

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　mutilation。

Wherefore；　he　was　minded　to　spare　Lady　from　any　future　punishment　by　making　this　present　lesson　sink　deep　into　her　brain。　Disregarding　her　manifest　aversion　for　the　tool…house；　he　motioned　her　into　it　and　shut　the　door　behind　her。

〃You'll　stay　there；　till　morning；〃　he　told　her；　as　he　closed　the　window　and　glanced　in　at　the　forlorn　little　wisp　of　fur　and　misery。　〃You'll　be　comfortable。　And　the　open　spaces　under　the　roof　will　give　you　all　the　air　you　want。　I　don't　dare　leave　this　window　open；　for　fear　you　might　be　able　to　jump　out。　You've　had　your　supper。　And　there's　a　pan　of　fresh　water　in　there。　You'll　be　no　worse　off　there　than　you　were　all　winter。　A　night　in　jail　may　teach　you　to　be　a　decent；　house…broke　dog；　and　not　a　mutt。〃

As　he　was　on　the　way　back　to　his　study；　in　the　sunset；　the　car　came　down　the　drive；　bearing　the　Mistress。　Lad　was　seated　in　solemn　joy　on　the　front　seat；　at　her　side。　The　big　collie　loved　motoring。　And；　as　a　rule；　he　was　relegated　to　the　back　seat。　But　when　the　Mistress　went　out　alone；　his　was　the　tremendously…enjoyed　privilege　of　sitting　in　front；　beside　her。

〃I　had　to　lick　Lady；〃　reported　the　Master；　shamefacedly；　as　he　helped　his　wife　from　the　car。　〃She　went　for　the　eagle　in　my　study。　You　remember　how　I　scolded　her　for　that；　last　week；　don't　you？　Well；　that's　all　the　good　it　did。　And　I　had　to　whip　her。　I　hated　to。　I'm　glad　you　weren't　here　to　look　unhappy　about　it。　Then　I　shut　her　up　for　the　night　in　the　tool…house。　She〃

He　broke　off；　to　look　at　Lad。

As　the　collie　had　jumped　down　from　the　car　and　had　started　toward　the　house；　he　had　struck　Lady's　trail；　and　he　had　followed　it。　It　had　led　him　to　the　tool…house。　Finding　Lady　was　locked　inside　and　unhappy；　he　had　come　galloping　back　to　the　Master。

Standing　in　front　of　the　man；　and　whining　softly；　he　was　scanning　the　faces　of　his　two　deities　with　troubled　eagerness。　Evidently；　he　considered　that　Lady　had　been　locked　in　by　mistake；　and　he　was　pleading　for　her　release。　As　these　humans　did　not　seem　to　catch　the　idea　his　eyes　and　expression　conveyed；　he　trotted　a　few　steps　toward　the　tool…house　and　then　paused　to　look　invitingly　back　at　them。

Twice　he　did　this。　Then；　coming　up　to　the　Master；　he　caught　the　latter's　coat…hem　lightly　between　his　teeth　and　tugged　on　it　as　he　backed　toward　the　tool…house。

〃No；　old　friend；〃　said　the　Master；　petting　the　silken　head　so　appealingly　upraised　to　him。　〃I　know　what　you're　getting　at。　But　I　can't　let　her　out。　Tomorrow　morning。　Not　till　then。　Come　on　up　to　dinner。〃

Unwillingly　and　with　wistful　backward　looks；　Lad　followed　the　Mistress　and　the　Master　to　the　house　and　into　the　dining　room　and　to　his　wonted　place　on　the　floor　at　the　Master's　left　side。　But；　more　than　once　during　the　meal；　the　man　caught　the　collie's　eyes　fixed　on　him　in　worried　supplication；　and　was　hard　put　to　it　not　to　grant　the　plea　which　fairly　clamored　in　his　chum's　mute　gaze。

After　dinner；　when　the　Mistress　and　the　Master　set　off　on　their　usual　evening　walk；　Lad　was　not　on　hand　to　accompany　them。　As　a　rule；　he　was　all　around　them　and　in　front　and　behind；　in　a　series　of　gay　rushes；　as　they　started　on　these　walks。　But　not　until　the　Master　called　him；　tonight；　did　he　appear。　And　then　he　came　up　dolorously　from　the　tool…house。

Lad　did　not　understand；　at　all；　what　was　wrong。　He　knew　only　that　Lady　had　been　shut　up　in　a　place　she　detested　and　that　she　was　horribly　unhappy　and　that　the　Master　would　not　let　her　out。　It　perplexed　him；　and　it　made　him　increasingly　wretched。　Not　only　did　he　miss　his　playfully　capricious　young　mate；　but　her　unhappiness　made　him　heartsick。

Vainly；　he　tried　to　plead　with　the　Master　for　her　release；　as　the　walk　began；　and　again　at　its　end。

There　were　such　a　lot　of　things　in　the　world　that　even　the　cleverest　collie　could　not　make　head　or　tail　of！　And　most　of　these　things　were　sad。

That　night；　when　the　house　was　shut；　Lad　crept　as　usual　into　his　cave　under　the　piano。　And　he　lay　down　with　a　sigh；　his　great　head　between　his　two　absurdly　small　white　forepaws。　As　a　rule；　before　going　to　sleep　for　the　night；　Lad　used　to　spend　much　time　in　licking　those　same　snowy　forepaws　into　shining　cleanliness。　The　paws　were　his　one　gross　vanity；　and　he　wasted　more　than　an　hour　a　day　in　keeping　them　spotlessly　white。　But　tonight　he　was　too　depressed　to　think　of　anything　but　the　whimpering　little　dog　imprisoned　down　in　the　tool…house。

After　a　while；　he　fell　asleep。

A　true　watchdog　sleeps　with　all　his　senses　or　the　very　edge　of　wakefulness。　And　when　he　wakens；　he　does　not　waken　as　do　we　humans；yawningly；　dazedly；　drunk　with　slumber。　At　one　moment　he　is　sound　asleep。　At　the　next　he　is　broad　awake；　with　every　faculty　alert。

So　ever　it　was；　with　Lad。　So　it　was　with　him；　this　night。　An　hour　before　dawn；　he　woke　with　sharp　suddenness；　and　at　once　he　was　on　his　feet；　tense；　on　guard。　He　did　not　know　what　had　roused　him。　Yet；　now　that　he　was　awake；　two　of　his　senses　recorded　something　which　banished　from　him　all　thought　of　further　sleep。

To　his　ears　came　a　far…off　muffled　wail；a　wail　which　held　more　than　unhappiness；a　wail　which　vibrated　with　real　terror。　And　he　knew　the　voice　for　Lady's。

To　his　sensitive　nostrils；　through　the　intervening　distance　and　the　obstructing　walls　and　windows；　drifted　a　faint　reek　of　smoke。

Now；　the　smoke…smell；　by　itself；　meant　nothing　whatever　to　Lad。　All　evening　a　trace　of　it　had　hung　in　the　air；　from　the　brush　fire。　And；　in　any　case；　this　whiff　was　too　slight　to　have　emanated　from　the　house　or　from　any　spot　near　the　house。　Yet；　taken　together　with　Lady's　cry　of　fear

Lad　crossed　to　the　front　door；　and　scratched　imperiously　at　it。　The　locked　door　did　not　yield　to　his　push。　Too　sensible　to　keep　on　at　a　portal　he　could　not　open；　he　ran　upstairs；　to　the　closed　door　of　the　Master's　room。　There；　again　he　scratched；　this　time　harder　and　more　loudly。　Twice　and　thrice　he　scratched；　whining　under　his　breath。

At　last　the　deep…slumbering　Master　heard　him。　Rousing　himself；　and　still　three…quarters　asleep；　he　heard　not　only　the　scratching　and　the　whimper　but；　in　the　distance；　Lady's　wail　of　fear。　And；　sleep…drugged；　he　mumbled

〃Shut　up；　Laddie！I　hear　her。Let　her　howl。If　she's　lonely；　down　there；　she'llshe'll　remember　the　lessonall　the　better。　Go　downstairs　andbe　quiet！〃

He　fell　sound　asleep　again。　Obedient　to　the　slumbrous　mandate；　Lad　turned　and　pattered　mournfully　away。　But；　he　was　not　content　to　return　to　his　own　nap；　with　that　terror…cry　of　Lady's　echoing　in　his　ears。　And　he　made　a　second　attempt　to　get　out。

At　each　side　of　the　piano；　in　the　music　room；　was　a　long　French　window。　Often；　by　day；　Lad　used　to　pass　in　or　out　of　these　door…like　windows。　He　knew　that　they；　as　well　as　the　doors；　were　a　recognized　means　of　exit。　Now；　with　eagerly　scratching　paw；　he　pushed　at　the　nearest　of　them。

The　house　was　but　carelessly　locked　at　night。　For　Lad's　presence　downstairs　was　a　better　burglar…preventive　than　the　best　bolts　ever　forged。　Tired　and　drowsy；　the　Master；　this　night；　had　neglected　to　bar　the　French　windows。

The　window　gave；　at　Lad's　vehement　scratch；　and　swung　outward　on　its　hinges。　A　second　later；　the　big　dog　was　running　at　top　speed　toward　the　tool…house。

Now；　the　ways　of　the　most　insignificant　brushfire　are　beyond　the　exact　wisdom　of　man。　Especially　in　droughty　weather。　When　they　knocked　off　work　for　the　day；　the　two　laborers　had　gone　back　to　the　blaze　beyond　the　tool…house　and　conscientiously　had　scattered　and　stamped　on　its　last　visible　remnants。　The　Master；　too；　coming　home　from　his　evening　walk；　had　glanced　toward　the　back　garden　and　had　seen　no　telltale　spark　to　hint　at　life　in　the　trampled　fire。

Nevertheless；　a　scrap　of　ember；　hidden　from　the　men's　gaze　beneath　a　handful　of　dead　leaves　had　refused　to　perish　with　its　comrade…sparks。　And；　in　the　course　of　five　hours；　an　industrious　little　flicker　had　ignited　other　bits　of　brush　and　of　dried　leafage　and　last　year's　weed　stumps。　The　wind　was　in　the　north。　And　it　had　guided　the　course　of　the　crawling　thread　of　red。　The　advancing　line　had　thrown　out　tendrils　of　scarlet；　as　it　went。

Most　of　these　had　died；　in　the　plowed　ground。　One　had　not。　It　had　crept　on；　half…extinguished　at　times　and　again　snapping　merrily；　until　it　had　reached　the　tool…house。　The　shed…like　room　stood　on　low　joists；　with　a　clear　space　ten　inches　high　between　its　flimsy　board　floor　and　the　ground。　And；　in　this　space；　the　leaves　of　the　preceding　autumn　had　drifted　in　windrows。　The　persevering　spark　did　the　rest。

Lady　woke　from　a　fitful　doze；　to　find　herself　choking　from　smoke。　The　boards　of　the　floor　were　too　hot　for　endurance。　Between　their　cracks　thin　wavery　slices　of　smoke　were　pouring　upward　into　the　room。　The　leaves　had　begun　to　ignite　the　floor…boards　and　the　lower　part　of　the　ramshackle　building's　thin　walls。

While　the　pain　and　humiliation　of　her　whipping　had　not　been　able　to　wring　a　sound　from　the　young　thoroughbred；　yet　fright　of　this　sort　was　afar　different　thing。　Howling　with　panic　terror；　she　dashed　about　the　small　enclosure；　clawing　frantically　at　door　and　scantling。　Once　or　twice　she　made　half…hearted　effort　to　spring　up　at　the　closed　window。　But；　from　lack　of　running…space　as　well　as　from　lack　of　nerve　to　make　the　high　leap；　she　failed。

Across　the　lawn　and　door…yard　and　around　the　end　of　the　stables　thundered　Lad。　With　the　speed　of　a　charging　bull　he　came　on。　Before　he　reached　the　burning　shack；　he　knew　more　of　his　mate's　plight　and　peril　than　any　human　could　have　known。

Around　the　small　building　he　whirled；　so　close　to　it　that　the　flames　at　its　base　seared　his　mighty　coat　and　blistered　and　blackened　his　white　paws。

Then；　running　back　a　yard　or　so；　he　flung　his　eighty…pound　weight　crashingly　at　the　fastened　door。　The　door；　as　it　chanced；　was　well…nigh　the　only　solid　portion　of　the　shack。　And　it　held　firm；　under　an　impact　that　bruised　the　flying　dog　and　which　knocked　him　breathless　to　the　fire…streaked　ground。

At　sound　of　her　mate's　approach；　Lady　had　ceased　wailing。　Lad　could　hear　her　terrified　whimpers　as　she　danced　frantically　about　on　the　red…hot　boards。　And　the　knowledge　of　her　torture　drove　him　momentarily　insane。

Staggering　up　from　his　fall；　he　flung　his　splendid　head　back　and；　with　muzzle　to　the