Part 25 (1/2)

But no dog with a full set of brains is ever past learning new things which are actually needful for hi, on his own account, picks up odd new accomplishments--exploits which would never have occurred to him in his early prime nobody knohy But it has happened, numberless times

And so it ith Sunnybank Lad

Laddie had passed his twelfth birthday; when, by soht hohroad, on his way back to the Place after a sedate rareat collie to findto the Mistress or to the Master Every now and then he would lay at their feet a tobacco pouch or a handkerchief or a bunch of keys that had been dropped, carelessly, sonized, by scent, as belonging to one of the two huhted in finding and restoring

Yes, and--though those who had never seen him do this were prone to doubt it--he was certain to lay the recovered object at the feet of whichever of the two had lost it For instance, it never occurred to him to drop a filmy square of lace-and-cambric at the muddied feet of the Master; or a smelly old tobacco-pouch at the Mistress's little feet

There was nothing , every human of his acquaintance has a distinctive scent; which cannot be htful owner any article he chanced to find on lawn or on veranda

But the lace parasol was different That, presu motor-car, bound for Tuxedo or for the Berkshi+res It did not belong at the Place

Lad happened to see it, lying there in the highway And he brought it, forthwith, to the house; carrying it daintily between his -room floor in front of the astonished Mistress Probably, he laid it before her, instead of before the Master, because she was the first of the thom he happened to encounter It is doubtful if he realized that a parasol is a purely feh the Mistress always declared he did

She picked up the gift and looked it over with real ad; whose ivory handle was deftly carven and set with several uncut stones; and whose deep fringe of lace was true Venetian Point

”Why, Laddie!” she exclaiet this? Look!” she went on, as her husband cahtin his mouth But I had no idea what it was Isn't it a beauty? Where do you suppose he--?”

”As long as o around curves at fortytheir piled-up valuables are likely to be jostled out of the tonneau I found a satchel, last week, at the curve, up there, you re to do about this thing?”

”Oh,” said the Mistress, with a sigh of renunciation, ”I suppose we'll have to advertise it; and watch the 'Lost and Found' colulorious if nobody should see our advertisement or--or ever advertise for it? It's so lovely! I hate to think itto somebody who can't appreciate it as I do”

Now, Laddie had lived on the Place for many more years than he could re the faces and the voices and the moods of these two people whoence that is not given to s,--even to collies--and a queer psychic twist to his brain that had puzzled his owners asthe Mistress, noith his classic head on one side and his deep-set dark eyes fixed on her eager face, he saw that his roadway gift hadhand on his head showed pride in what he had done And this, as ever, thrilled the old dog, to the very soul

He wagged his pluladness, and thrust his nose into her palleeful treble To none but the Mistress and the Master would Lad deign to ”talk” And, none listening to hi to copy the hus

”Dear old Laddie!” praised the Mistress, running her fingers through his lion-like ruff ”GOOD Laddie! Thank you, ever so much! nobody but a very, VERY wonderful collie named Lad could have had the perfect taste to pick out such a parasol And noe're going to have a whole handful of anily sweet voice, the petting, the gift of anihted Lad beyond measure

And they confir most laudable

What he had done was to pick up a stray object, away fro it to the Mistress He knew that And that was all he knew But, having won high praise for the deed, he resolved then and there to repeat it

Which proves that old dogs can be taught new tricks And which started all the trouble

That afternoon, the Mistress and the Master went for a five-h the woods and over the mountains, back of the Place With theravely between thenificent dark sable collie of kingly look and demeanor; as second only to Lad in hu anilorious to look upon In physique and in character he had not a flaw There was a strange sweetness to his disposition that I have found in no other dog

With Lad and Bruce, on this walk, raced Lad's fiery little golden son, Wolf

Of old, Lad had led such runs Now, advancing age and increased weight had begun to ies

Wherefore, he walked between his two deities; and let the two younger dogs do the galloping and rabbit chasing

And he had his reward For, as they neared the highroad on the way home, Wolf and Bruce chanced to tree a squirrel Thus, Lad was first to reach the road with the two humans Suddenly, he darted ahead of them; and snatched up from the wayside the someorn case of a thermos bottle which had been discarded there or had fallen from a car-seat