further adventures of lad-第32部分

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ven　to　most　dogs；even　to　colliesand　a　queer　psychic　twist　to　his　brain　that　had　puzzled　his　owners　as　much　as　it　had　delighted　them：

Watching　the　Mistress；　now；　with　his　classic　head　on　one　side　and　his　deep…set　dark　eyes　fixed　on　her　eager　face；　he　saw　that　his　roadway　gift　had　made　her　very　happy。　Also；　that　her　caressing　hand　on　his　head　showed　pride　in　what　he　had　done。　And　this；　as　ever；　thrilled　the　old　dog；　to　the　very　soul。

He　wagged　his　plumed　tail；　in　gladness；　and　thrust　his　nose　into　her　palm　and　began　to　〃talk〃　in　gleeful　treble。　To　none　but　the　Mistress　and　the　Master　would　Lad　deign　to　〃talk。〃　And；　none　listening　to　him　could　doubt　he　was　trying　to　copy　the　human　voice　and　human　meanings。

〃Dear　old　Laddie！〃　praised　the　Mistress；　running　her　fingers　through　his　lion…like　ruff。　〃GOOD　Laddie！；　Thank　you；　ever　so　much！　Nobody　but　a　very；　VERY　wonderful　collie　named　Lad　could　have　had　the　perfect　taste　to　pick　out　such　a　parasol。　And　now　we're　going　to　have　a　whole　handful　of　animal　crackers；　for　reward。〃

The　crooningly　sweet　voice；　the　petting；　the　gift　of　animal　crackers　of　which　he　was　childishly　fondall　these　delighted　Lad　beyond　measure。　And　they　confirmed　him　in　the　belief　that　he　had　done　something　most　laudable。

What　he　had　done　was　to　pick　up　a　stray　object；　away　from　home；　and　bring　it　to　the　Mistress。　He　knew　that。　And　that　was　all　he　knew。　But；　having　won　high　praise　for　the　deed；　he　resolved　then　and　there　to　repeat　it。

Which　proves　that　old　dogs　can　be　taught　new　tricks。　And　which　started　all　the　trouble。

That　afternoon；　the　Mistress　and　the　Master　went　for　a　five…mile　ramble　through　the　woods　and　over　the　mountains；　back　of　the　Place。　With　them　went　old　Laddie；　who　paced　gravely　between　them。　With　them；　also；　went　Bruce；　the　magnificent　dark　sable　collie　of　kingly　look　and　demeanor；　who　was　second　only　to　Lad　in　human　traits　and　second　to　no　living　animal　in　beauty。　Bruce　was　glorious　to　look　upon。　In　physique　and　in　character　he　had　not　a　flaw。　There　was　a　strange　sweetness　to　his　disposition　that　I　have　found　in　no　other　dog。

With　Lad　and　Bruce；　on　this　walk；　raced　Lad's　fiery　little　golden　son；　Wolf。

Of　old；　Lad　had　led　such　runs。　Now；　advancing　age　and　increased　weight　had　begun　to　make　him　chary　of　throwing　away　his　fading　energies。　Wherefore；　he　walked　between　his　two　deities；　and　let　the　two　younger　dogs　do　the　galloping　and　rabbit　chasing。

And　he　had　his　reward。　For；　as　they　neared　the　highroad　on　the　way　home；　Wolf　and　Bruce　chanced　to　tree　a　squirrel。　Thus；　Lad　was　first　to　reach　the　road　with　the　two　humans。　Suddenly；　he。　darted　ahead　of　them；　and　snatched　up　from　the　wayside　the　somewhat　worn　case　of　a　thermos　bottle　which　had　been　discarded　there　or　had　fallen　from　a　car…seat。　This　he　bore　to　the　Mistress；　fairly　vibrating　with　pride　in　his　own　exploit。

Noting　his　joy　in　the　deed；　she　made　much　of　the　shabby　gift；　praising　and　thanking　Lad；　inordinately；　and　forbearing　to　throw　away　the　worn　case　until　the　collie　was　out　of　sight。

Of　late；　as　Laddie　began　to　show　signs　of　age；　she　and　the　Master　had　taken　to　making　more　and　more　of　him；　to　atone　for　his　growing　feebleness　and　to　anticipate　the　dark　day　which　every　dog…owner　must　face；the　day　　when　his　voice　and　his　caress　can　no　longer　mean　anything　to　the　pet　who　once　rejoiced　so　utterly　in　them。

All　of　which　went　to　confirm　Lad　in　the　natural　belief　that　anything　found　on　the　road　and　brought　to　the　Mistress　would　be　looked　on　with　joy　and　would　earn　him　much　gratitude。　So；as　might　a　human　in　like　circumstances；he　ceased　to　content　himself　with　picking　up　trifles　that　chanced　to　be　lying　in　his　path；　in　the　highway；　and　fell　to　searching　for　such　flotsam　and　jetsam。

He　began　the　hunt；　next　morning。　Pacing　gravely　along　the　center　of　the　road；　he　headed　toward　the　mile…distant　village。　By　sheer　luck；　such　few　automobiles　as　chanced　along；　at　that　hour；　were　driven　by　folk　who　had　heart　enough　to　slow　down　or　to　turn　aside　for　the　majestically　strolling　old　dog。　To　the　end　of　his　long　life；　Lad　could　never　be　made　to　understand　that　he　was　not　entitled　to　walk　at　will　in　the　exact　middle　of　the　road。　Perhaps　his　lofty　assurance　in　taking　such　a　course　made　motorists　check　speed　to　spare　him。

This　morning；　he　had　fared　but　a　half…mile　when　he　saw　a　car　drawn　up　at　the　edge　of　the　road；　beside　a　shaded　bit　of　turf。　Several　people　had　just　descended　from　it；　and　were　making　preparations　for　an　early　picnic　lunch。　One　of　them　had　finished　depositing　a　basket　on　the　ground；　at　the　side　of　the　car　farthest　from　the　strip　of　sward　where　the　others　were　spreading　a　sea…rug　and　setting　an　impromptu　table。

The　man　put　the　basket　down　in　the　road。　Then　he　dived　back　into　the　nether　regions　of　the　machine　for　more　provender。　And　he　was　engaged　in　this　groping　when　Lad　came　in　view；　around　a　bend。

The　big　collie　saw　the　basket　standing　there；　unprotected　and；　so　far　as　he　knew；　ownerless。　Gravely　he　stepped　forward；　lifted　the　heavy　receptacle　by　the　handle　and　turned　about　with　it；　still　moving　with　dignified　slowness。　The　table…setters　were　busy；　and　the　car　was　between　him　and　them。

By　the　time　the　other　member　of　the　party　succeeded　in　finding　the　things　he　was　seeking　under　the　rear　seat；　Lad　had　rounded　the　bend　and　was　out　of　sight。　To　this　day；　none　of　the　motorists　has　the　remotest　solution　to　the　mystery　of　the　vanished　lunch。

Lad　had　not　stolen　the　basket。　He　would　have　suffered　himself　to　be　cut　in　three；　before　sinking　to　theft　or　to　any　other　sneaking　act。　He　had　found　a　basket　standing　alone　in　the　highroad；　several　feet　away　from　the　nearest　humans。　He　had　no　way　of　guessing　it　belonged　to　them。　So　far　as　he　was　concerned；　this　was　as　much　a　lost　article　as　had　been　the　gorgeous　parasol。　He　had　been　praised　to　the　skies　for　bringing　the　parasol　and　the　thermos　case　to　the　Mistress。　He　had　every　reason　to　expect　the　same　meed　of　praise　for　this　new　gift。

Indeed；　to　Lad's　way　of　thinking；　he　might　well　hope　for　even　higher　praise。　For　the　parasol　had　been　an　odorless　and　foolish　thing　of　no　apparent　usefulness；　while　this　basket　exhaled　most　heavenly　scents　of　fried　chicken　and　other　delectable　foods。　Heavy　as　was　the　burden；　it　did　not　occur　to　Lad　to　set　it　down。　Fragrant　as　were　its　contents；　it　did　not　occur　to　him　to　nose　the　cover　off　and　sample　them。　There　was　no　tinge　of　snooping　in　his　make…up。　No；　the　basket　was　a　gift　for　the　Mistress。　And　as　such　he　was　bearing　it　home　to　her。

〃See　what　Laddie　brought　me；　this　time！〃　cried　the　Mistress；　coming　into　her　husband's　study；　a　few　minutes　later；　and　holding　forth　the　trophy。　〃It's　full　of　food；　too；　and　of　course　he　never　touched　a　mouthful　of　it。　But　I　gave　him　two　of　the　frosted　cakes；　by　way　of　reward。　He's　ridiculously　happy　over　them；and　over　the　fuss　I　made　about　the　basket。〃

〃H'm！〃　mused　the　Master；　inspecting　the　present。　〃Jostled　off　the　car…seat；　as　some　fool　of　a　driver　took　the　curve　at　top　speed！　Well；　that　same　driver　has　paid　for　his　recklessness；　by　the　loss　of　his　lunch。　It's　funny；　thoughThere's　not　a　trace　of　mud　or　dust　on　this；　and　even　the　food　inside　wasn't　jostled　about　by　the　tumble。　That　curve　is　paying　us　big　dividends；　lately。　It's　a　pity　no　bullion　trucks　pass　this　way。　Still；　parasols　and　picnic　lunches　aren't　to　be　sneered　at。〃

Lad　was　standing　in　the　study　doorway；　eyes　alight；　tail　waving。　The　Master　called　him　over　and　petted　him；　praising　this　newest　accomplishment　of　his；　and　prophesying　untold　wealth　for　the　Place　if　the　graft　should　but　continue　long　enough。

There　was　something　pathetic　in　dear　old　Laddie's　pleasure　over　the　new　trick　he　had　learned；　or　so　it　seemed　to　the　two　people　who　loved　him。　And　they　continued　to　flatter　him　for　it；even　when；　among　other　trophies；　he　dragged　home　a　pickaxe　momentarily　laid　aside　by　a　road　mender；　and　an　extremely　dead　chicken　which　a　motor…truck　wheel　had　flattened　to　waferlike　thickness。

Which　brings　us；　by　degrees　to　the　Rennick　kidnaping　case。

Claude　Rennick；　a　New　York　artist　of　considerable　means；　had　rented　for　the　summer　an　ancient　Colonial　farmhouse　high　among　the　Ramapo　hills；　some　six　miles　north　of　the　Place；　There；　he　and　his　pretty　young　wife　and　their　six…months…old　baby　had　been　living　for　several　weeks；　when；　angered　at　a　sharp　rebuke　for　some　dereliction　in　his　work；　Schwartz；　their　gardener；　spoke　insultingly　to　Mrs。　Rennick。

Rennick　chanced　to　overhear。　Being　aggressively　in　love　with　his　wife；　he　did　not　content　himself　with　discharging　Schwartz。　Instead；　he　thrashed　the　stalwart　gardener；　then　and　there；　and　ended　the　drastic　performance　by　pitching　the　beaten　man；　bodily；　out　of　the　grounds。

Schwartz　collected　his　battered　anatomy　and　limped　away　to　his　home　in　the　hills　just　above。　And；　that　night；　he　called　into　council　his　two　farmhand　brothers　and　his　wife。

Several　characteristic　plans　of　revenge　were　discussed　in　solemn　detail。　These　included　the　burning　of　the　Rennick　house　or　barn；　or　both；　the　shooting　of　Rennick　from　among　the　hillside　boulders　as　the　artist　sketched；　of　waylaying　him　on　his　walk　to　the　post…office；　by　night；　and　crippling　him　for　life；　and　other　suggestions　equally　dear　to　the　hearts　of　rural　malefactors。

But　one　plan　after　another　was　vetoed。　To　burn　any　of　the　property　would　cause　Rennick　nothing　worse　than　temporary　annoyance；　as　he　merely　rented　the　farm。　Daylight　shooting　was　a　dangerous　and　uncertain　job；　especially　since　automobiles　had　opened　up　the　district　to　constantly　passing　outsiders。　It　was　Schwartz　himself　who　decided　against　waylaying　his　foe　by　night。　He　had　too　recent　memories　of　Rennick's　physical　prowess　to　care　about　risking　a　second　dose　of　the　same　medicine。　And　so　on　with　the　other　proposals。　One　and　all　were　rejected。

Then　it　was　that　Mrs。　Schwartz　hit　upon　an　idea　which　promised　not　only　punishment；　but　profit。　She　had　done　washing　for　the　Rennicks　and　she　had　access　to　the　house。　She　proposed　that　they　steal　the　Rennick　baby；　on　the　first　night　when　opportunity　should　offer；　carry　him　to　a　car　the　brothers　were　to　have　waiting；　and　thence　take　him　to　her　sister　in　Paterson。

There；　the　youngster　would　be　well　cared　for。　In　a　family　of　not　less　than　sev