further adventures of lad-第39部分

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ing　thought　was　of　the　shaggy　shoulder　pressed　so　protectingly　against　her　side；　and　of　the　reassuring　thrust　of　Lad's　muzzle　into　her　cupped　palm。　It　all　seemed　as　vividly　real　as　though　she　could　still　feel　the　friendly　contact。

On　the　next　morning；　Ruloff　alone　of　all　the　village's　population　went　to　work。　For　it　was　Labor　Day。

Ruloff　did　not　believe　in　holidays；either　for　himself　or　for　his　family。　And　while　wages　were　so　high。　he　was　not　minded　to　throw　away　a　full　day's　earnings；　just　for　the　sake　of　honoring　a　holiday　ordained　in　a　country　for　which　he　felt　no　fondness　or　other　interest。　So；　with　Sonya　tagging　after　him；　he　made　his　way　to　the　Place；　as　usual。

Now；　on　Labor　Day；　of　that　year；　was　held　the　annual　outdoor　dog…show　at　Hawthorne。　Lad；　of　course；　was　far　too　old　to　be　taken　to　a　show。　And　this　was　one　of　the　compensations　of　old　age。　For　Laddie　detested　dog　shows。　But；　abnormally　sensitive　by　nature；　this　sensitiveness　had　grown　upon　him　with　failing　strength　and　added　years。　Thus；　when　he　saw　Bruce　and　Bob　and　Jean　bathed　and　groomed　and　made　ready　for　the　show；　he　was　sad　at　heart。　For　here　was　one　more　thing　in　which　he　no　longer　had　any　share。

And　so　he　lay　down　in　his　cave；　under　the　piano；　his　head　between　his　absurdly　small　white　forepaws；　and　hearkened　sadly　to　the　preparations　for　departure。

Bruce　（〃Sunnybank　Goldsmith〃）　was　perhaps　the　most　beautiful　collie　of　his　generation。　Groomed　for　a　show；　he　made　most　other　dogs　look　plebeian　and　shabby。　That　day；　one　may　say　in　passing；　he　was　destined　to　go　through　the　collie　classes；　to　Winners；　with　a　rush；　and　then　to　win　the　award　and　cup　for　〃Best　Dog　Of　Any　Breed　In　The　Show。〃

Bruce's　son　and　daughterBobby　and　Jean　were　to　win　in　their　respective　collie　classes　as　Best　Puppy　and　Best　Novice。　It　was　to　be　a　day　of　triumph　for　the　Sunnybank　Kennels。　Yet；　somehow；　it　was　to　be　a　day　to　which　the　Mistress　and　the　Master　never　enjoyed　looking　back。

Into　the　car　the　three　dogs　were　put。　The　Mistress　and　the　Master　and　the　Place's　superintended　got　aboard；　and　the　trip　to　Hawthorne　began。

Laddie　had　come　out　from　his　cave　to　see　the　show…goers　off。　The　Mistress；　looking　back；　had　a　last　glimpse　of　him；　standing　in　the　front　doorway；　staring　wistfully　after　the　car。　She　waved　her　hand　to　him　in　farewell。　Lad　wagged　his　plumed　tail；　once；　in　reply；　to　the　salute。　Then；　heavily；　he　turned　back　again　into　the　house。

〃Dear　old　Laddie！〃　sighed　the　Mistress。　〃He　used　to　hate　to　go　to　shows。　And　now　he　hates　being　left　behind。　It　seems　so　cruel　to　leave　him。　And　yet〃

〃Oh　the　maids　will　take　good　care　of　him！〃　consoled　the　Master。　〃They　spoil　him；　whenever　they　get　a　chance。　And　we'll　be　back　before　five　o'clock。　We　can't　be　forever　looking　out　for　his　crotchety　feelings。〃

〃We　won't　be　'forever'　doing　that；〃　prophesied　the　Mistress；　unhappily。

Left　alone　the　old　dog　paced　slowly　back　to　his　cave。　The　day　was　hot。　His　massive　coat　was　a　burden。　Life　was　growing　more　of　a　problem　than　of　old　it　had　been。　Also；　from　time　to　time；　lately；　his　heart　did　queer　things　that　annoyed　Lad。　At　some　sudden　motion　or　undue　exertion　it　had　a　new　way　of　throbbing　and　of　hammering　against　his　ribs　so　violently　as　to　make　him　pant。

Lad　did　not　understand　this。　And；　as　with　most　things　he　did　not　understand；　it　vexed　him。　This　morning；　for　example；the　heat　of　the　day　and　the　fatigue　of　his　ramble　down　through　the　rose　garden　to　the　lake　and　back；　had　set　it　to　thumping　painfully。　He　was　glad　to　lie　at　peace　in　his　beloved　cave；　in　the　cool　music…room；　and　sleep　away　the　hours　until　his　deities　should　return　from　that　miserable　dog…show。　He　slept。

And　so　an　hour　wore　on；　and　then　another　and　another。

At　the　show；　the　Mistress　developed　one　of　her　sick　headaches。　She　said　nothing　of　it。　But　the　Master　saw　the　black　shadows　grow；　under　her　eyes；　and　the　color　go　out　of　her　face；　and　he　noted　the　little　pain…lines　around　her　mouth。　So；　as　soon　as　the　collie　judging　was　over；　he　made　her　get　into　the　car；　and　he　drove　her　home；　meaning　to　return　to　Hawthorne　in　time　for　the　afternoon　judging　of　specials　and　of　variety　classes。

Meanwhile；　as　the　morning　passed；　Lad　was　roused　from　his　fitful　old…age　slumber　by　the　sound　of　crying。　Into　his　dreams　seeped　the　distressing　sound。　He　woke；　listened；　got　up　painfully　and　started　toward　the　front　door。

Halfway　to　the　door；　his　brain　cleared　sufficiently　for　him　to　recognize　the　voice　that　had　awakened　him。　And　his　leisurely　walk　merged　into　a　run。

Ruloff　and　Sonya　had　been　working　all　morning　in　the　peach　orchard。　To　the　child's　chagrin；　Lad　was　nowhere　in　sight。　Every　time　she　passed　the　house　she　loitered　as　long　as　she　dared；　in　hope　of　getting　a　glimpse　of　him。

〃I　wonder　where　Laddie　is；〃　she　ventured；　once；　as　her　father　was　filling　a　basket　for　her　to　carry。

〃The　dogs　have　gone　to　a　silly　show；〃　grunted　Ruloff；　piling　the　basket。　〃The　superintendent　told　me；　yesterday。　To　waste　a　whole　day　with　dogs！　Pouf！　No　wonder　the　world　is　poor！　Here；　the　basket　is　full。　Jump！〃

Sonya　picked　up　the　heavy　loadtwice　as　big　as　usual　were　the　baskets　given　her　to　carry；　now　that　the　interfering　Master　and　the　superintendent　were　not　here　to　forbidand　started　laboriously　for　the　house。

Her　back　ached　with　weariness。　Yet；　in　the　absence　of　her　protectors；　she　dared　not　complain　or　even　to　allow　herself　the　luxury　of　walking　slowly。　So；　up　the　hill；　she　toiled；　at　top　speed。　Ruloff　had　finished　filling　another　basket；　and　he　prepared　to　follow　her。　This　completed　the　morning's　work。　His　lunch…pail　awaited　him　at　the　barn。　With　nobody　to　keep　tabs　on　him；　he　resolved　to　steal　an　extra　hour　of　time；　in　honor　of　Labor　Dayat　his　employer's　expense。

Sonya　pattered　up　the　rise　and　around　to　the　corner　of　the　house。　There；　feeling　her　father's　eye　on　her；　as　he　followed；　she　tried　to　hasten　her　staggering　steps。　As　a　result；　she　stumbled　against　the　concrete　walk。　Her　bare　feet　went　from　under　her。

Down　she　fell；　asprawl；　the　peaches　flying　in　fifty　directions。　She　had　cut　her　knee；　painfully；　against　the　concrete　edge。　This；　and　the　knowledge　that　Ruloff　would　most　assuredly　punish　her　clumsiness；　made　her　break　out　in　shrill　weeping。

Among　the　cascaded　peaches　she　lay；　crying　her　eyes　out。　Up　the　hill　toward　her　scrambled　Ruloff；　basket　on　shoulder；　yelling　abuse　better　fitted　for　the　ears　of　a　balky　mule　than　for　those　of　a　hurt　child。

〃Get　up！〃　he　bawled。　〃Get　up；　you　worthless　little　cow！　If　you've　spoiled　any　of　those　peaches　or　broke　my　basket；　I'll　cut　the　flesh　off　your　bones。〃

Sonya　redoubled　her　wailing。　For；　she　recognized　a　bumpy　substance　beneath　her　as　the　crushed　basket。　And　these　baskets　belonged　to　Ruloff；　not　to　the　Place。

For　the　accidental　breaking　of　far　less　worthwhile　things；　at　home；　she　and　her　brothers　and　sisters　had　often　been　thrashed　most　unmercifully：　Her　lamentations　soared　to　high　heaven。　And　her　father's　running　feet　sounded　like　the　tramp　of　Doom。

There　is　perhaps　no　other　terror　so　awful　as　that　of　an　ill　treated　child　at　the　approach　of　punishment。　A　man　or　woman；　menaced　by　danger　from　law　or　from　private　foe；　can　either　fight　it　out　or　run　away　from　it。　But　there　is　no　hiding　place　for　a　child　from　a　brute　parent。　The　punishment　is　as　inevitable　and　as　fearsome　as　from　the　hand　of　God。

No；　there　is　no　other　terror　so　awful。　And；　one　likes　to　think；　there　is　no　other　punishment　in　the　next　world　so　severe　as　that　meted　out　to　the　torturers　of　little　children。　For　this　hope's　basis　there　is　the　solemn　warning　voiced　by　the　All…pitying　Friend　of　children；a　threat　which；　apparently；　was　unfamiliar　to　Ruloff。

Down　upon　the　weepingly　prostrate　Sonya　bore　the　man。　As　he　came　toward　her；　he　ripped　off　the　leathern　belt　he　wore。　And　he　brandished　it　by　the　hole…punch　end；　the　brass　buckle　singing　ominously　about　his　head。　Then；　out　from　the　house　and　across　the　wide　veranda　flashed　a　giant　tawny　shape。

With　the　fierce　speed　of　his　youngest　days；　Lad　cleared　the　porch　and　reached　the　crying　child。　In　the　same　instant　he　beheld　the　advancing　Ruloff；　and　the　wise　old　brain　read　the　situation　at　a　glance。

Stopping　only　to　lick　the　tear…streaked　little　face；　Lad　bounded　in　front　of　Sonya　and　faced　the　father。　The　collie's　feeble　old　body　was　tense；　his　eyes　blazed　with　indignant　fury。　His　hackles　bristled。　The　yellowed　and　useless　teeth　glinted　from　beneath　back…writhed　lips。　For　all　his　age；　Lad　was　a　terrible　and　terrifying　figure　as　he　stood　guard　over　the　helpless　waif。

Ruloff　hesitated　an　instant；　taken　aback　by　the　apparition。　Sonya　ceased　shrieking。　Lad　was　here　to　protect　her。　Over　her　frightened　soul　came　that　former　queer　sense　of　safety。　She　got　up；　tremblingly；　and　pressed　close　to　the　furry　giant　who　had　come　to　her　rescue。　She　glared　defiantly　up　at　Ruloff。

Perhaps　it　was　this　glare；　perhaps　it　was　the　knowledge　that　Lad　was　very　old　and　the　sight　of　his　worn…down　teeth；　perhaps　it　was　the　need　of　maintaining　his　hold　of　fear　over　the　rebellious　child。　At　all　events；　Ruloff　swung　aloft　the　belt　once　more　and　strode　toward　the　two；　balancing　himself　for　a　kick　at　the　thundrously　growling　dog。

The　kick　did　not　land。　For；　even　as　Sonya　cried　out　in　new　terror；　Lad　launched　himself　at　the　Slav。

All　unprepared　for　the　clash；　and　being　an　utter　coward　at　heartif　he　had　a　heartthe　father　reeled　back；　under　the　impact。　Losing　his　balance；　he　tumbled　prone　to　earth。

By　the　time　his　back　struck　ground；　Lad　was　upon　him；　ravening　uselessly　at　the　swarthy　throat。

But；　yelling　with　fright；　Ruloff　fended　him　off；　and　twisted　and　writhed　out　of　reach；　bunching　his　feet　under　him　and；　in　a　second；　staggering　up　and　racing　for　the　shelter　of　the　nearest　tree。

Up　the　low…stretching　branches　the　man　swarmed；　until　he　was　well　out　of　reach。　Then；　pausing　in　his　climb；　he　shook　his　fist　down　at　the　collie；　who　was　circling　the　tree　in　a　vain　attempt　to　find　some　way　of　climbing　it。

Chattering；　mouthing；　gibbering　like　a　monkey；　Ruloff　shook　an　impotent　fist　at　the　dog　that　had　treed　him；　and　squalled　insults　at　him　and　at　the　hysterically　delighted　child。

Sonya　rushed　up　to　Lad；　flinging　her　arms　around　him　and　trying　to　kiss　him。　At　her　em