further adventures of lad-第4部分

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Lad　had　leaped　the　narrow　and　deep　ditch　left　along　the　lawn…edge　by　workers　who　were　putting　in　a　new　water…main　for　the　Place。　On　the　far　side　of　this　obstacle　he　had　stopped；　and　had　waited　for　his　friend　to　follow。　But　the　friend　had　not　followed。　Instead；　he　had　been　somehow　responsible　for　a　spurt　of　red　flame　and　for　a　most　thrilling　racket。　Lad　was　more　impressed　than　ever　by　the　man's　wondrous　possibilities　as　a　midnight　entertainer。　He　waited；　gayly　expectant；　for　more。　He　got　it。

There　was　a　second　rackety　explosion　and　a　second　puff　of　lightning　from　the　man's　out…flung　hand。　But；　this　time；　something　like　a　red…hot　whip…lash　smote　Lad　with　horribly　agonizing　force　athwart　the　right　hip。

The　man　had　done　this；the　man　whom　Laddie　had　thought　so　friendly　and　playful！

He　had　not　done　it　by　accident。　For　his　hand　had　been　out…flung　directly　at　the　pup；　just　as　once　had　been　the　arm　of　the　kennelman；　back　at　Lad's　birthplace；　in　beating　a　disobedient　mongrel。　It　was　the　only　beating　Lad　had　ever　seen。　And　it　had　stuck；　shudderingly；　in　his　uncannily　sensitive　memory。　Yet　now；　he　himself　had　just　had　a　like　experience。

In　an　instant；　the　pup's　trustful　friendliness　was　gone。　The　man　had　come　on　the　Place；　at　dead　of　night；　and　had　struck　him。　That　must　be　paid　for！　Never　would　the　pup　forget；his　agonizing　lesson　that　night　intruders　are　not　to　be　trusted　or　even　to　be　tolerated。　Within　a　single　second；　he　had　graduated　from　a　little　friend　of　all　the　world；　into　a　vigilant　watchdog。

With　a　snarl；　he　dropped　the　bag　and　whizzed　forward　at　his　assailant。　Needle…sharp　milk…teeth　bared；　head　low；　ruff　abristle；　friendly　soft　eyes　as　ferocious　as　a　wolf's；　he　charged。

There　had　been　scarce　a　breathing…space　between　the　second　report　of　the　pistol　and　the　collie's　counterattack。　But　there　had　been　time　enough　for　the　onward…plunging　thief　to　step　into　the　narrow　lip　of　the　water…pipe　ditch。　The　momentum　of　his　own　rush　hurled　the　upper　part　of　his　body　forward。　But　his　left　leg；　caught　between　the　ditch…sides；　did　not　keep　pace　with　the　rest　of　him。　There　was　a　hideous　snapping　sound；　a　screech　of　mortal　anguish；　and　the　man　crashed　to　earth；　in　a　dead　faint　of　pain　and　shock；his　broken　left　leg　still　thrust　at　an　impossible　angle　in　the　ditch。

Lad　checked　himself　midway　in　his　own　fierce　charge。　Teeth　bare；　throat　agrowl；　he　hesitated。　It　had　seemed　to　him　right　and　natural　to　assail　the　man　who　had　struck　him　so　painfully。　But　now　this　same　man　was　lying　still　and　helpless　under　him。　And　the　sporting　instincts　of　a　hundred　generations　of　thoroughbreds　cried　out　to　him　not　to　mangle　the　defenseless。

Wherefore；　he　stood；　irresolute；　alert　for　sign　of　movement　on　the　part　of　his　foe。　But　there　was　no　such　sign。　And　the　light　bullet…graze　on　his　hip　was　hurting　like　the　very　mischief。

Moreover；　every　window　in　the　house　beyond　was　blossoming　forth　into　lights。　There　were　sounds；reassuring　human　sounds。　And　doors　were　opening。　His　deities　were　coming　forth。

All　at　once；　Laddie　stopped　being　a　vengeful　beast　of　prey；　and　remembered　that　he　was　a　very　small　and　very　much　hurt　and　very　lonely　and　worried　puppy。　He　craved　the　Mistress's　dear　touch　on　his　wound；　and　a　word　of　crooning　comfort　from　her　soft　voice。　This　yearning　was　mingled　with　a　doubt　lest　perhaps　he　had　been　transgressing　the　Place's　Law；　in　some　new　way；　and　lest　he　might　have　let　himself　in　for　a　scolding。　The　Law　was　still　so　queer　and　so　illogical！

Lad　started　toward　the　house。　Then；　pausing；　he　picked　up　the　bag　which　had　been　so　exhilarating　a　plaything　for　him　this　past　few　minutes　and　which　he　had　forgotten　in　his　pain。

It　was　Lad's　collie　way　to　pick　up　offerings　（ranging　from　slippers　to　very　dead　fish）　and　to　carry　them　to　the　Mistress。　Sometimes　he　was　petted　for　this。　Sometimes　the　offering　was　lifted　gingerly　between　aloof　fingers　and　tossed　back　into　the　lake。　But；　nobody　could　well　refuse　so　jingly　and　pretty　a　gift　as　this　satchel。

The　Master；　sketchily　attired；　came　running　down　the　lawn；　flashlight　in　hand。　Past　him；　unnoticed；　as　he　sped　toward　the　ditch；　a　collie　pup　limped；a　very　unhappy　and　comfort…seeking　puppy　who　carried　in　his　mouth　a　blood…spattered　brown　bag。

〃It　doesn't　make　sense　to　me！〃　complained　the　Master；　next　day；　as　he　told　the　story　for　the　dozenth　time；　to　a　new　group　of　callers。　〃I　heard　the　shots　and　I　went　out　to　investigate。　There　he　was　lying；　half　in　and　half　out　of　the　ditch。　The　fellow　was　unconscious。　He　didn't　get　his　senses　back　till　after　the　police　came。　Then　he　told　some　babbling　yarn　about　a　creature　that　had　stolen　his　bag　of　loot　and　that　had　lured　him　to　the　ditch。　He　was　all　unnerved　and　upset；　and　almost　out　of　his　head　with　pain。　So　the　police　had　little　enough　trouble　in　'sweating'　him。　He　told　everything　he　knew。　And　there's　a　wholesale　round…up　of　the　motor…robbery　bunch　going　on　this　afternoon　as　a　result　of　it。　But　what　I　can't　understand〃

〃It's　as　clear　as　day；〃　insisted　the　Mistress；　stroking　a　silken　head　that　pressed　lovingly　against　her　knee。　〃As　clear　as　day。　I　was　standing　in　the　doorway　here　when　Laddie　came　pattering　up　to　me　and　laid　a　little　satchel　at　my　feet。　I　opened　it；　and　well；　it　had　everything　of　value　in　it　that　had　been　in　the　safe　over　there。　That　and　the　thief's　story　make　it　perfectly　plain。　Laddie　caught　the　man　as　he　was　climbing　out　of　that　window。　He　got　the　bag　away　from　him；　and　the　man　chased　him；　firing　as　he　went。　And　he　stumbled　into　the　ditch　and〃

〃Nonsense！〃　laughed　the　Master。　〃I'll　grant　all　you　say　about　Lad's　being　the　most　marvelous　puppy　on　earth。　And　I'll　even　believe　all　the　miracles　of　his　cleverness。　But　when　it　comes　to　taking　a　bag　of　jewelry　from　a　burglar　and　then　enticing　him　to　a　ditch　and　then　coming　back　here　to　you　with　the　bag〃

〃Then　how　do　you　account？〃

〃I　don't。　None　of　it　makes　sense　to　me。　As　I　just　said。　But；　whatever　happened；　it's　turned　Laddie　into　a　real　watchdog。　Did　you　notice　how　he　went　for　the　police　when　they　started　down　the　drive；　last　night？　We've　got　a　watchdog　at　last。〃

〃We've　got　more　than　a　watchdog；〃　amended　the　Mistress。　〃An　ordinary　watchdog　would　just　scare　away　thieves　or　bite　them。　Lad　captured　the　thief　and　then　brought　the　stolen　jewelry　back　to　us。　No　other　dog　could　have　done　that。〃

Lad；　enraptured　by　the　note　of　praise　in　the　Mistress's　soft　voice；　looked　adoringly　up　into　the　face　that　smiled　so　proudly　down　at　him。　Then；　catching　the　sound　of　a　step　on　the　drive；　he　dashed　out　to　bark　in　murderous　fashion　at　a　wholly　harmless　delivery　boy　whom　he　had　seen　every　day　for　weeks。

A　watchdog　can't　afford　to　relax　vigilance；　for　a　single　instant；especially　at　the　responsible　age　of　five　months。



CHAPTER　II。　The　Fetish

From　the　night　of　the　robbery；　Lad's　high　position　at　the　Place　was　assured。

Even　in　the　months　of　ganglingly　leggy　awkwardness　which　generally　separate　furry　puppyhood　from　dignified　collie　maturity；　he　gave　sure　promise　of　his　quality。　He　was　such　a　dog　as　is　found　perhaps　once　in　a　generation；　the　super…collie　that　neither　knows　nor　needs　such　things　as　whip　and　chain；　and　that　learns　the　Law　with　bewildering　swiftness。　A　dog　with　a　brain　and　a　mighty　heart；　as　well　as　an　endless　fund　of　loveableness　and　of　gay　courage。

Month　by　month；　the　youngster　developed　into　a　massive　giant；　his　orange…mahogany　coat　a　miracle　of　thickness　and　length；　his　deep　chest　promising　power　as　well　as　wolflike　grace。　His　mind　and　his　oddly　human　traits　developed　as　fast　as　did　his　body。

After　the　first　month　or　so　he　received　privileges　never　to　be　accorded　to　any　other　of　the　Place's　dogs　in　Lad's　lifetime。　He　slept　at　night　under　the　music…room　piano；　in　the　〃cave〃　that　was　his　delight。　At　mealtimes　he　was　even　admitted　into　the　sacred　dining…room；　where　he　lay　on　the　floor　at　the　Master's　left　hand。　He　had　the　run　of　the　house；　as　fully　as　any　human。

It　was　when　Lad　was　eighteen　months　old　that　the　mad…dog　scare　swept　Hampton　village；　and　reached　its　crawly　tentacles　out　across　the　lake　to　the　mile…distant　Place。

Down　the　village　street；　one　day；　trotted　an　enormous　black　mongrel；　full　in　the　center　of　the　roadway。　The　mongrel's　heavy　head　was　low；　and　lolled　from　side　to　side　with　each　lurching　stride　of　the　big　body。　The　eyes　were　bloodshot。　From　the　mouth　and　the　hanging　dewlaps；　flecks　of　foam　dropped　now　and　then　to　the　ground。

The　big　mongrel　was　sick　of　mind　and　of　body。　He　craved　only　to　get　out　of　that　abode　of　men　and　to　find　solitude　in　the　forests　and　hills　beyond　the　village。

For　this　is　the　considerate　way　of　dogs；　and　of　cats　as　well。　When　dire　sickness　smites　them；　they　do　not　hang　about；　craving　sympathy　and　calling　for　endless　attention。　All　they　want　is　to　get　out　of　the　way；well　out　of　the　way；　into　the　woods　and　swamps　and　mountains；　where　they　may　wrestle　with　their　life…or…death　problem　in　their　own　primitive　manner；　and　where；　if　need　be；　they　may　die　alone　and　peacefully；　without　troubling　anyone　else。

Especially　is　this　true　with　dogs。　If　their　malady　is　likely　to　affect　the　brain　and　to　turn　them　savage；　they　make　every　possible　attempt　to　escape　from　home　and　to　be　as　far　away　from　their　masters　as　may　be；　before　the　crisis　shall　goad　them　into　attacking　those　they　love。

And；　when　some　such　suffering　beast　is　seen；　on　his　way　to　solitude；　we　humans　prove　our　humanity　by　raising　the　idiotic　bellow　of　〃Mad　dog！〃　and　by　chasing　and　torturing　the　victim。　All　this；　despite　proof　that　not　one　sick　dog　in　a　thousand；　thus　assailed；　has　any　disease　which　is　even　remotely　akin　to　rabies。

Next　to　vivisection；　no　crime　against　helpless　animals　is　so　needlessly　and　foolishly　cruel　as　the　average　mad…dog　chase。

Which　is　a　digression；　but　which　may　or　may　not　enable　you　to　keep　your　head；　next　time　a　mad…dog　scare　sweeps　your　own　neighborhood。

Down　the　middle　of　the　dusty　street　trotted　the　sick　mongrel。　Five　minutes　earlier；　he　had　escaped　from　the　damp　cellar　in　which　his　owner　had　imprisoned　him　when　first　he　fell　ill。　And　now；　his　one　purpose　was　to　leave　the　village　behind　him　and　to　gain　the　leafy　refuge　of　the　foothills　beyond。

Out　from　a　door…yard；　flashed　a　bumptious　little　fox　terrier。　Into　the　roadwa