bruce-第4章

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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　dollars　for　a　cheeky；　apple…

…domed；　prick　eared〃



〃Prick…eared！〃　exclaimed　the　foreman；　aghast　at　the　volleyed

sacrilege。　〃Rothsay　Princess　has　the　best　ears　of　any　pup　we've

bred　since　Champion　Rothsay　Chief。　Not　a　flaw　in　that　pup。　She〃



〃Not　a　flaw；　hey！〃　sniffed　the　Master。　〃Come　down　to　the　kennel

and　take　a　look　at　her。　She　has　as　many　flaws　as　a　street…cur　has

fleas。〃



He　led　the　way　to　the　kennel。　At　sight　of　the　stranger　Lass

growled　and　showed　her　teeth。　For　a　collie　mother　will　let　nobody

but　proven　friends　come　near　to　her　newborn　brood。



The　foreman　stared　at　the　hostile　young　mother　for　a　half…minute；

whistling　bewilderedly　between　his　teeth。　Then　he　laughed　aloud。



〃That's　no　more　Rothsay　Princess　than　I　am！〃　he　declared。　〃I　know

who　she　IS；　though。　I'd　remember　that　funny　mask　among　a　million。

That's　Rothsay　Lass！　Though　how　she　got　HERE！



〃We　couldn't　have　shipped　her　by　mistake；　either；〃　he　went　on；

confused。　〃For　we'd　sold　her；　that　same　day；　to　a　kid　in　our

town。　I　ought　to　know。　Because　the　kid　kept　on　pestering　us　every

day　for　a　month　afterward；　to　find　if　she　had　come　back　to　us。　He

said　she　ran　away　in　the　night。　He　still　comes　around；　once　a

week　or　so；　to　ask。　A　spindly；　weak；　sick…looking　little　chap；　he

is。　I　don't　get　the　point　of　this　thing；　from　any　angle。　But　we

run　our　kennels　on　the　square。　And　I　can　promise　the　boss'll

either　send　back　your　check　or　send　Rothsay　Princess　to　you　and

take　Lass　back。〃



Two　days　later；　while　all　The　Place　was　still　mulling　over　the

mystery；　a　letter　came　for　the　Master　from　Lass's　home　town。　It

was　signed　〃Edw'd　Hazen；〃　and　it　was　written　on　the　cheap

stationery　of　his　employer's　bottling　works。　It　read：



Dear　Sir：



〃Six　months　ago；　my　son　bought　a　dog　from　the　Rothsay　Kennels。　It

was　a　she…dog；　and　his　ma　and　I　didn't　want　one　around。　So　I　put

it　aboard　a　freight…car　on　the　sly。　My　boy　went　sick　over　losing

his　dog。　He　has　never　rightly　got　over　it；　but　he　peaks　and　mopes

and　gets　thinner　all　the　time。　If　I　had　known　how　hard　he　was

going　to　take　it；　I　would　of　cut　off　my　hand　before　I　would　of

done　such　a　thing。　And　my　wife　feels　just　like　I　do　about　it。　We

would　both　of　us　have　given　a　hundred　dollars　to　get　the　dog　back

for　him；　when　we　saw　how　bad　he　felt。　But　it　was　too　late。

Somehow　or　other　it　is　most　generally　too　late　when　a　rotten

thing　has　been　done。



〃To…day　he　went　again　to　the　Rothsay　Kennels　to　ask　if　she　had

come　back。　He　has　always　been　hoping　she　would。　And　they　told　him

you　have　her。　Now；　sir；　I　am　a　poor　man；　but　if　one　hundred

dollars　will　make　you　sell　me　that　dog；　I'll　send　it　to　you　in　a

money　order　by　return　mail。　It　will　be　worth　ten　times　that　much；

to　my　wife　and　me；　to　have　Dick　happy　again。　I　inclose　a　stamp。

Will　you　let　me　know？〃



Six　weeks　afterward　The　Place's　car　brought　Dick　Hazen　across　to

receive　his　long…lost　pet。



The　boy　was　thinner　and　shakier　and　whiter　than　when　he　had　gone

to　sleep　with　his　cherished　puppy　curled　against　his　narrow

chest。　But　there　was　a　light　in　his　eyes　and　an　eagerness　in　his

heart　that　had　not　been　there　in　many　a　long　week。



Lass　was　on　the　veranda　to　welcome　him。　And　as　Dick　scrambled　out

of　the　car　and　ran　to　pick　her　up；　she　came　more　than　half…way　to

meet　him。　With　a　flurry　of　fast…pattering　steps　and　a　bark　of

eager　welcome；　she　flung　herself　upon　her　long…vanished　master。

For　a　highbred　collie　does　not　forget。　And　at　first　glimpse　of

the　boy　Lass　remembered　him。



Dick　caught　her　up　in　his　armsa　harder　feat　than　of　yore；

because　of　her　greater　weight　and　his　own　sapped　strength；and

hugged　her　tight　to　his　breast。　Winking　very　fast　indeed　to

disperse　tears　that　had　no　place　in　the　eyes　of　a　self…contained

man　of　twelve；　he　sputtered　rapturously：



〃I　KNEW　I'd　find　you；　LassieI　knew　it　all　the　time；even　th