bruce(布鲁斯)-第5部分
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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。
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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。
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〃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！
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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
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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 lig
