further adventures of lad-第15部分

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rily　insane。

Staggering　up　from　his　fall；　he　flung　his　splendid　head　back　and；　with　muzzle　to　the　clouded　skies；　he　tore　to　shreds　the　solemn　silences　of　the　spring　night　with　a　wolf…howl；　hideous　in　its　savage　grief；　deafeningly　loud。

As　though　the　awesome　yell　had　cleared　his　brain；　he　sprang　to　his　feet　amid　the　stinging　embers；　steady；　alert；　calm；　with　no　hint　of　despair　or　of　surrender。

His　smarting　eyes　fixed　themselves　on　the　single　dusty　window　of　the　tool…house。　Its　sill　was　a　full　five　feet　above　ground。　Its　four　small　panes　were　separated　by　a　wide　old…fashioned　cross…piece　of　hardwood　and　putty。　The　putty；　from　age；　was　as　solid　as　cement。　The　whole　window　was　a　bare　sixteen　by　twenty　inches。

Lad　ran　back；　once　more；　a　few　feet；　his　gaze　fixed　appraisingly　on　the　window　and　measuring　his　distance　with　the　sureness　of　a　sharpshooter。

The　big　collie　had　made　up　his　mind。　His　plan　was　formed。　And　as　he　was　all…wise；　with　the　eerie　wisdom　of　the　highest　type　of　collie；　there　can　be　scant　doubt　he　knew　just　what　that　plan　entailed。

It　was　suicide。　But；　oh；　it　was　a　glorious　suicide！　Compared　to　it　the　love…sacrifices　of　a　host　of　Antonys　and　Abelards　and　Romeos　are　but　petty　things。　Indeed；　its　nearest　approach　in　real　life　was　perhaps　Moore's　idiotically　beautiful　boast

Through　the　fiery　furnace　your　steps　I'll　pursue；　To　find　you　and　save　you：or　perish　there；　too！

The　great　dog　gathered　himself　for　the　insane　hero…deed。　His　shaggy　body　whizzed　across　the　scarlet　pattern　of　embers；　then　shot　into　the　air。　Straight　as　a　flung　spear　he　flew；　hurtling　through　the　flame…fringed　billows　of　smoke。

Against　the　shut　window　he　crashed；　with　the　speed　of　a　catapult。　Against　it　he　crashed；　and　clean　through　it；　into　the　hell　of　smoke　and　fire　and　strangulation　inside　the　shack。

His　head　had　smashed　the　strong　cross…piece　of　wood　and　dried　putty　and　had　crumpled　it　like　so　much　wet　paper。　His　giant　shoulders　had　ripped　the　window…frame　clean　of　its　screws。　Into　the　burning　room　spun　Lad；　amid　a　hail　of　broken　glass　and　splintered　wood。

To　the　fire…eaten　floor　he　was　hurled；　close　to　his　cowering　and　whimpering　mate。　He　reeled　to　his　feet；　and　stood　there；　shoulder　to　shoulder　with　Lady。　His　work　was　done。

And；　yet；　it　was　not　in　Sunnybank　Lad's　nature　to　be　such　a　fool　as　is　the　usual　melodrama　hero。　True；　he　had　come　to　share　Lady's　fate；　if　he　could　not　rescue　her。　Yet；　he　would　not　submit　tamely　to　death；　until　every　resource　had　been　tried。

He　glanced　at　the　door。　Already　he　had　found　by　harsh　experience　that　his　strength　availed　nothing　in　the　battering　down　of　those　strong　panels。　And　he　peered　up；　through　the　swirling　red　smoke；　toward　the　oblong　of　window；　whereby　he　had　made　his　tumultuous　entrance　to　the　death…trap。

Again；　he　must　have　known　how　hopeless　of　achievement　was　the　feat　he　was　about　to　try。　But；　as　ever；　mere　obstacles　were　not　permitted　to　stand　in　Lad's　way。

Wheeling；　he　seized　Lady　by　the　nape　of　the　neck。　With　a　mighty　heave；　he　swung　her　clear　of　the　hot　floor。　Gathering　all　his　fierce　strength　into　one　sublime　effort；　he　sprang　upward　toward　the　window；　his　mate　hanging　from　his　iron　jaws。

Yes；　it　was　a　ridiculous　thing　to　attempt。　No　dog；　with　thrice　Lad's　muscular　strength；　could　have　accomplished　the　impossibility　of　springing　out　through　that　high；　narrow　window；　carrying　a　weight　of　fifty　pounds　between　his　teeth。

Lad's　leap　did　not　carry　him　half　the　distance　he　had　aimed　for。　Back　to　the　floor　he　fell；　Lady　with　him。

Maddened　by　pain　and　by　choking　and　by　stark　terror；　Lady　had　not　the　wit　to　realize　what　Lad　was　attempting。　All　she　knew　was　that　he　had　seized　her　roughly　by　the　neck；　and　had　leaped　in　air　with　her；　and　had　then　brought　her　bangingly　down　upon　the　torturing　hot　boards。　And　her　panic　was　augmented　by　delirious　rage。

At　Lad's　face　she　flew；　snarling　murderously。　One　slash　of　her　curving　eyetooth　laid　bare　his　cheek。　Then　she　drove　for　his　throat。

Lad　stood　stock　still。　His　only　move　was　to　interpose　his　shaggy　shoulder　to　her　ravening　jaws。　And；　deep　into　the　fur　and　skin　and　flesh　of　his　shoulder　her　furious　teeth　shore　their　way。

It　would　have　been　child's　play　for　him　to　have　shaken　her　off　and　to　have　leaped　to　safety；　alone；　through　the　sash…less　window。

Yet　he　stood　where　he　was；　his　sorrowful　eyes　looking　tenderly　down　upon　the　maddened　youngster　who　was　tearing　into　him　so　ferociously。

And　that　was　the　picture　the　Master　beheld；　as　he　flung　open　the　door　and　blinked　gaspingly　through　the　smoke　for　the　dog　he　had　locked　in。

Brought　out　of　bed；　on　the　jump；　by　Lad's　unearthly　wolf　howl；　he　had　smelt　the　smoke　and　had　run　out　to　investigate。　But；　not　until　he　unbarred　the　tool…house　door　did　he　guess　that　Lady　was　not　the　burning　shack's　only　prisoner。

〃It'll　be　another　six　months　before　your　wonderful　coat　grows　out　again；　Laddie　dear；〃　observed　the　Mistress；　next　day；　as　she　renewed　the　smelly　wet　cloths　on　Lad's　burned　and　glass…cut　body。　〃Dr。　Hopper　says　so。　But　he　says　the　rest　of　you　will　be　as　well　as　ever；　inside　of　a　fortnight。　And　he　says　Lady　will　be　well；　before　you　will。　But；　honestly；　you'll　never　look　as　beautiful；　again；　to　me；　as　you　do　this　very　minute。　Hehe　said　you　look　like　a　scarecrow。　But　you　don't。　You　look　like　alike　aa…What　gorgeously　splendid　thing　DOES　he　look　like；　dear？〃　she　appealed　to　her　husband。

〃He　looks；〃　replied　the　Master；　after　deep　thought；　〃he　looks　like　LAD。　And　that's　about　the　highest　praise　I　know　how　to　give　him；or　give　to　anyone。〃



CHAPTER　V。　The　Stowaway

There　were　but　three　collies　on　the　Place；　in　those　days。　Lad；　his　dainty　gold…and…white　mate；　Lady；　and　their　fluffy　and　fiery　wisp　of　a　son；　little　Wolf。

When　Wolf　was　a　spoiled　and　obstreperous　puppy　of　three　months　or　so；　Lady　was　stricken　with　distemper　and　was　taken　to　a　veterinary　hospital。　There；　for　something　more　than　three　months　she　was　nursed　through　the　scourging　malady　and　through　the　chorea　and　pneumonia　which　are　so　prone　to　follow　in　distemper's　dread　wake。

Science　amuses　itself　by　cutting　up　and　otherwise　torturing　helpless　dogs　in　the　unholy　name　of　vivisection。　But　Science　has　not　yet　troubled　itself　to　discover　one　certain　cure　or　preventive　for　the　distemper　which　yearly　robs　thousands　of　homes　of　their　loved　canine　pets　and　guards。　Apparently　it　is　pleasanter　for　scientists　to　watch　a　screaming　dog　writhe　under　the　knife　in　a　research　laboratory　than　to　trouble　about　finding　a　way　to　abolish　distemper；　and　thus　of　ridding　the　dog　world　of　its　worst　scourge。

This　is　a　digression　from　our　story。　But　perhaps　it　is　worth　your　remembering；you　who　care　about　dogs。

Altogether；　Lady　was　away　from　the　Place　for　fifteen　weeks。

And；　in　her　absence；　the　unhappy　Lad　took　upon　himself　the　task　of　turning　little　Wolf　from　a　pest　into　something　approaching　a　decent　canine　citizen。　It　was　no　sinecure；　this　educating　of　the　hot…tempered　and　undisciplined　youngster。　But　Lad　brought　to　it　an　elephantine　patience　and　an　uncannily　wise　brain。　And；　by　the　time　Lady　was　brought　back；　cured；　the　puppy　had　begun　to　show　the　results　of　his　sire's　stern　teachings。

Indeed；　Lady's　absence　was　the　best　thing　that　could　have　befallen　Wolf。　For；　otherwise；　his　training　must　needs　have　devolved　upon　the　Mistress　and　the　Master。　And　no　mere　humans　could　have　done　the　job　with　such　grimly　gentle　thoroughness　as　did　Lad。　Few　dogs；　except　pointers　or　setters　or　collies；　will　deign　to　educate　their　puppies　to　the　duties　of　life　and　of　field　and　of　house。　But　Lad　had　done　the　work　in　a　way　that　left　little　to　be　asked　for。

When　Lady　came　home；　her　flighty　brain　seemed　to　have　forgotten　the　fact　that　young　Wolf　was　her　once…adored　son。　Of　her　earlier　capricious　devotion　to　him；　no　trace　remained。　She　sniffed　in　stand…offish　inquiry　at　him；　as　at　a　stranger。　And　the　scatterbrain　pup　remembered　her　no　better　than　she　remembered　him。　There　is　a　wide　gulf　in　intelligence　between　a　three…month　puppy　and　one　six　months　old。

Yet；perhaps　because　they　were　both　excitable　and　mischievous　and　loved　romping；and　because　each　was　a　novelty　to　the　othermother　and　son　quickly　formed　a　new　friendship。　From　the　more　sedate　and　discipline…enforcing　Lad；　the　youngster　turned　eagerly　to　chum…ship　with　this　flighty　gold…white　stranger。　And　Lady；　for　similar　reason；　seemed　to　find　ten　times　as　much　congeniality　and　fun　in　romping　with　Wolf　as　in　playing　with　the　less　galvanically　agile　Lad。

In　brief；　Lady　and　little　Wolf　became　inseparable　companions；　this　to　the　semi…exclusion　of　Lad。

The　great　collie　did　not　resent　this　exclusion；　nor　did　he　try　to　regain　his　fast…slipping　hold　on　Wolf's　affections。　Yet；　in　fashion　that　was　more　pathetic　than　ludicrous；　he　sought　to　win　back　Lady's　waning　affection。　A　bit　clumsily；　he　tried　to　romp　and　gambol　with　her；　as　did　Wolf。　He　tried　to　interest　her；　as　of　yore；　in　following　his　lead　in　break…neck　forest　gallops　after　rabbits　or　in　gloriously　exhilarating　swims　in　the　fire…blue　lake　at　the　foot　of　the　lawn。　To　the　pityingly　on…looking　Mistress　and　Master；　he　seemed　like　some　general　or　statesman　seeking　to　unbend　in　the　games　and　chatter　of　a　party　of　high　school　boys　and　girls。

But　it　was　no　use。

True；　in　the　cross…country　runs　or　the　swirling　charges　after　rabbits；　neither　Lady　nor　Wolf　could　keep　up　with　Lad's　flying　stride。　And　a　long　swim；　which　scarce　breathed　Lad；　would　exhaust　either　or　both　of　them。

But；　they　were　young；　and　he　was　middle…aged。　And；　as　in　human　relationships；　that　one　sentence　told　the　whole　tragic　story。

As　well　expect　a　couple　of　flyaway　children　to　give　up　a　game　of　tag　in　order　to　listen　to　the　solemn　discourse　of　an　elderly　uncle；　as　to　make　the　fun…loving　Lady　and　Wolf　widen　their　selfish　comradeship　to　include　in　it　the　steadier　and　older　and　infinitely　wiser　Lad。

Perforce；　Lad　was　thrown　more　and　more　on　the　society　of　the　Mistress　and　the　Master。　And；　in　their　friendship；　he　was　happy；until　he　would　chance　to　see　his　mate　and　his　little　son　playing　in　wild　ecstasy　with　a　stick　or　ball；　and　would　frisk　bulkily　over　to　join　them。　In　a　bare　second　or　two；　the　demeanor　of　both　showed　him　just　what　a　grossly　unwelcome　interloper　he