Part 8 (2/2)

There, quivering with hard-held exciterandstand seat for soloves As he had discarded the linen duster which he had worn during the dyeing process, there was no betraying splash of color on his severely correct garb

People were trooping out froha number of spectators to his rare coasp

Out through the doorway, and onto the veranda, strolled Colonel Osbourne, owner of the Lochaber Collie Kennels With him walked the Mistress and the Master

At the Mistress's side paced Lad

”It was so careless of us to leave the suitcase at ho ”I don't knoe could have groo that kit bag's heaven-sent contents over to us Besides, it gave us the excuse to bring Laddie up into the house; instead of leaving him all alone in that black stall

He hates thunderstorms, and--”

A yell, froed into a hter The Mistress saw a hundred faces all turned in one direction, The faces were convulsed withShe ran to the veranda rail and looked down

Across the patch of greensward, fro The e and fairly dancing with rage

But it was the dog, and not he, that caused the Ho chorus of a was a collie; noble of aspect, massive of coat

But that saarish brilliancy of hue Never since the birth of time, had such a beast been seen by mortals From the tip of his aristocratic nose to the pluly vivid hts His coat et and it hung stickily to his lean sides, as if he had just come from a swim And it was tinted like a chro un a reply to the Mistress's half-finished speech of gratitude for his hospitality

”I was only too glad to be of service,” said he ”That's a grand dog you have It was a real pleasure to help in his groo was quartered in a muddy corner under the veranda So I took the liberty of tellingstall of Lad's I aainer by the--”

His courtly speech becaly advancing Rice And, by deduction, he recognized the cri

Before the apoplectic Colonel could speak, Lad created a diversion on his own account He had been sniffing the air, reminiscently, for a few seconds Now, his eyes verified what his nostrils had told hiainst the veranda rail for support, had an oddly familiar scent and appearance to Laddie

The collie stepped forward to investigate The nerve-sloved hand in frightened rebuff

The flicking gesture was unpleasantly like a blow As the ht at it, in wary self-defense

He recalled this man, now He remembered he had been bidden to ”watch”

hi snap answered the frenzied thrust of the hand His teeth closed lightly on the glove-fingers, just as Highalove ca about to deer, beheld a bare hand as vividly cri's ruined coat

”Laddie,” observed the Mistress, that evening, as she placed on the top trophy-shelf an eh, and stood back pride fully, to note the effect ”Laddie, I know--I just KNOW,--you'd have won it, even if poor Lochaber King had competed

But,--oh, I wish I could s that have happened, today! How do you suppose it all started, anyhow, dear?”

she asked, turning to her husband for help in the riddle