approval as he handed the Winner's rosette to the Mistress. "Fine
dog in every way. Fine promise. He will go far. One of the best
types I've--"

"Do you really think so?" sweetly replied the Mistress. "Why, one
of the foremost collie judges in America has gone on record as
calling him a 'measly St. Bernard monstrosity.'"

"No?" snorted Symonds, incredulous. "You don't say so! A judge
who would speak so, of that dog, doesn't understand his business.
He--"

"Oh, yes, he does!" contradicted the Mistress, glancing lovingly
at her handful of blue ribbons. "I think he understands his
business very well indeed--NOW!"



CHAPTER III. The War Dog

The guest had decided to wait until next morning, before leaving
The Place, instead of following his first plan of taking a night
train to New York. He was a captain in our regular army and had
newly come back from France to forget an assortment of shrapnel-
bites and to teach practical tactics to rookies.

He reached his decision to remain over night at The Place while
he and the Mistress and the Master were sitting on the vine-hung
west veranda after dinner, watching the flood of sunset change
the lake to molten gold and the sky to pink fire. It would be