bruce-第5章

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proceeded　to　gallop　homeward　through　the　snow。



Ten　seconds　later；　Lass；　drawn　by　the　lights　and　by　the　scent　of

the　other　dog；　came　to　the　crate。　She　looked　in。　There；　made　to

order　for　her；　was　a　nice　bed。　There；　too；　were　food　and　drink　to

appease　the　ever…present　appetite　of　a　puppy。　Lass　writhed　her

way　in　through　the　gap　as　easily　as　the　former　occupant　had

crawled　out。



After　doing　due　justice　to　the　broken　puppy　biscuits　in　the

inset…trough；　she　curled　herself　up　for　a　nap。



The　clangor　and　glare　of　the　oncoming　express　awakened　her。　She

cowered　in　one　corner　of　the　crate。　Just　then　two　station…hands

began　to　move　the　express　packages　out　to　the　edge　of　the

platform。　One　of　them　noticed　the　displaced　board　of　the　crate。

He　drove　home　its　loosened　nails　with　two　sharp　taps　from　a

monkey…wrench；　glanced　inside　to　make　certain　the　dog　had　not

gotten　out；　and　presently　hoisted　the　crate　aboard　the　express…

car。



Two　hours　later　the　crate　was　unloaded　at　a　waystation。　At　seven

in　the　morning　an　expressman　drove　two　miles　with　it　to　a

country…home；　a　mile　or　so　from　the　village　where　Lass　had　been

disembarked　from　the　train。



An　eager　knot　of　peoplethe　Mistress；　the　Master　and　two

gardenerscrowded　expectantly　around　the　crate　as　it　was　set

down　on　the　lawn　in　front　of　The　Place's　veranda。　The　latch　was

unfastened；　and　the　crate's　top　was　lifted　back　on　its　hinges。



Out　stepped　Lass；tired；　confused；　a　little　frightened；　but

eagerly　willing　to　make　friends　with　a　world　which　she　still

insisted　on　believing　was　friendly。　It　is　hard　to　shake　a　collie

pup's　inborn　faith　in　the　friendliness　of　mankind；　but　once

shaken；　it　is　more　than　shaken。　It　is　shattered　beyond　hope　of

complete　mending。



For　an　instant　she　stood　thus；　looking　in　timid　appeal　from　one

to　another　of　the　faces　about　her。　These　faces　were　blank　enough

as　they　returned　her　gaze。　The　glad　expectancy　was　wiped　from

them　as　with　a　sponge。　It　was　the　Master　who　first　found　voice。



〃And　THAT'S　Rothsay　Princess！〃　he　snorted　indignantly。　〃That's

the　pup　worth　two　hundred　dollars　at　eight　months；　'because　she

has　every　single　good　point　of　Champion　Rothsay　Chief　and　not　a

flaw　from　nostril　to　tail…tip'！　Rothsay　wrote　those　very　words

about　her；　you　remember。　And　he's　supposed　to　be　the　most

dependable　man　in　the　collie　business！　Lord！　She's　undersizedno

bigger　than　a　five　monther　！　And　she's　prick…eared　and　apple…

domed；　and　her　head's　as　wide　as　a　church　door！〃



Apparently　these　humans　were　not　glad　to　see　her。　Lass　was

grieved　at　their　cold　appraisal　and　a　little　frightened　by　the

Master's　tone　of　disgust。　Yet　she　was　eager；　as　ever；　to　make　a

good　impression　and　to　lure　people　into　liking　her。　Shyly　she

walked　up　to　the　Mistress　and　laid　one　white　little　paw　on　her

knee。



Handshaking　was　Lass's　one　accomplishment。　It　had　been　taught　her

by　Dick。　It　had　pleased　the　boy。　He　had　been　proud　of　her　ability

to　do　it。　Perhaps　it　might　also　please　these　strangers。　And　after

the　odd　fashion　of　all　new　arrivals　who　came　to　The　Place；　Lass

picked　out　the　Mistress；　rather　than　any　one　else；　as　a　potential

friend。



The　Mistress　had　ever　roused　the　impatience　of　collie　experts　by

looking　past　the　showier　〃points〃　of　a　dog　and　into　the　soul　and

brain　and　disposition　that　lay　behind　them。　So　now　she　looked；

and　what　she　saw　in　Lass's　darkly　wistful　eyes　established　the

intruder's　status　at　The　Place。



〃Let　her　stay！〃　pleaded　the　Mistress　as　the　Master　growled

something　about　bundling　the　dog　into　her　crate　again　and　sending

her　back　to　the　Rothsay　Kennels。　〃Let　her　stay；　please！　She's　a

dear。〃



〃But　we're　not　breeding　'dears；'〃　observed　the　Master。　〃We

planned　to　breed　a　strain　of　perfect　collies。　And　this　is　a

mutt！〃



〃Her　pedigree　says　there's　no　better　collie　blood　in　America；〃

denied　the　Mistress。　〃And　even　if　she　happens　to　be　a　'second；'

that's　no　sign　her　puppies　will　be　seconds。　See　how　pretty　and

loving　and　wise　she　is。　DO　keep　her！〃



Which　of　course　settled　the　matter。



Up　the　lawn；　from　his　morning　swim　in　the　lake；　strolled　a　great

mahogany…and…white　collie。　At　sight　of　Lass　he　lowered　his　head

for　a　charge。　He　was　king　of　The　Place's　dogs；　this　mighty

thoroughbred；　Sunnybank　Lad。　And　he　did　not　welcome　canine

intruders。



But　he　halted　midway　in　his　dash　toward　the　puppy　who　frisked

forth　so　gayly　to　meet　him。　For　he　recognized　her　as　a　female。

And　man　is　the　only　animal　that　will　molest　the　female　of　his

species。



The　fiercely　silent　charge　was　changed　in　a　trice　to　a　coldly

civil　touching　of　noses；　and　the　majestic　wagging　of　a　plumy

tail。　After　which；　side　by　side；　the　two　colliesbig　and　little…

…old　and　newwalked　up　to　the　veranda；　to　be　petted　by　the

humans　who　had　so　amusedly　watched　their　encounter。



〃See！〃　exclaimed　the　Mistress；　in　triumph。　〃Lad　has　accepted　her。

He　vouches　for　her。　That　ought　to　be　enough　for　any　one！〃



Thus　it　was　that　Lass　found　a　home。



As　she　never　yet　had　been　taught　to　know　her　name；　she　learned

readily　to　respond　to　the　title　of　〃Princess。〃　And　for　several

months　life　went　on　evenly　and　happily　for　her。



Indeed；　life　was　always　wondrous　pleasant；　there　at　The　Place；

for　humans　and　for　animals　alike。　A　fire…blue　lake　bordered　the

grounds　on　two　sides。　Behind　stretched　the　forest。　And　on　every

side　arose　the　soft　green　mountains；　hemming　in　and　brooding　over

The　Place　as　though　they　loved　it。　In　the　winter　evenings　there

was　the　huge　library　hearth　with　its　blaze　and　warmth；　and　a

disreputable　fur　rug　in　front　of　it　that　might　have　been　ordained

expressly　for　tired　dogs　to　drowse　on。　And　there　were　the

Mistress　and　the　Master。　Especially　the　Mistress！　The　Mistress

somehow　had　a　way　of　making　all　the　world　seem　worth　while。



Then；　of　a　morning；　when　Lass　was　just　eleven　months　old；　two

things　happened。



The　Mistress　and　the　Master　went　down　to　her　kennel　after

breakfast。　Lass　did　not　run　forth　to　greet　them　as　usual。　She　lay

still；　wagging　her　tail　in　feeble　welcome　as　they　drew　near。　But

she　did　not　get　up。



Crowding　close　to　her　tawny　side　was　a　tiny；　shapeless　creature

that　looked　more　like　a　fat　blind　rat　than　like　anything　else。　It

was　a　ten…hour…old　collie　pupa　male；　and　yellowish　brown　of

hue。



〃That's　the　climax！〃　complained　the　Master；　breaking　in　on　the

Mistress's　rhapsodies。　〃Here　we've　been　planning　to　start　a

kennel　of　home…bred　collies！　And　see　what　results　we　get！　One

solitary　puppy！　Not　once　in　ten　times　are　there　less　than　six　in

a　collie…litter。　Sometimes　there　are　a　dozen。　And　here　the　dog

you　wheedled　me　into　keeping　has　just　one！　I　expected　at　least

seven。〃



〃If　it's　a　freak　to　be　the　only　puppy　in　a　litter；〃　answered　the

Mistress；　refusing　to　part　with　her　enthusiasm　over　the　miracle；

〃then　this　one　ought　to　bring　us　luck。　Let's　call　him　'Bruce。'

You　remember；　the　original　Bruce　won　because　of　the　mystic

number；　seven。　This　Bruce　has　got　to　make　up　to　us　for　the　seven

puppies　that　weren't　born。　See　how　proud　she　is　of　him！　Isn't　she

a　sweet　little　mother？〃



The　second　of　the　morning's　events　was　a　visit　from　the　foreman

of　the　Rothsay　Kennels；　who　motored　across　to　The　Place；　intent

on　clearing　up　a　mystery。



〃The　Boss　found　a　collie　yesterday；　tied　in　the　front　yard　of　a

negro　cabin　a　mile　or　two　from　our　kennels；〃　he　told　the　Master。

〃He　recognized　her　right　away　as　Rothsay　Princess。　The　negro

claims　to　have　found　her　wandering　around　near　the　railroad

tracks；　one　night；　six　months　ago。　Now；　what's　the　answer？〃



〃The　answer；〃　said　the　Master；　〃is　that　your　boss　is　mistaken。

I've　had　Rothsay　Princess　for　the　past　six　months。　And　she's　the

last　dog　I'll　ever　get　from　the　Rothsay　Kennels。　I　was　stung；

good　and　plenty；　on　that　deal。



〃My　wife　wanted　to　keep　her；　or　I'd　have　made　a　kick　in　the

courts　for　having　to　pay　two　hundred