as he was
all-wise, with the eerie wisdom of the highest type of collie, there
can be scant doubt he knew just what that plan entailed.

It was suicide. But, oh, it was a glorious suicide! Compared to it the
love-sacrifices of a host of Antonys and Abelards and Romeos are but
petty things. Indeed, its nearest approach in real life was perhaps
Moore's idiotically beautiful boast:

Through the fiery furnace your steps I'll pursue;
To find you and save you:--or perish there, too!

The great dog gathered himself for the insane hero-deed. His shaggy
body whizzed across the scarlet pattern of embers; then shot into the
air. Straight as a flung spear he flew; hurtling through the
flame-fringed billows of smoke.

Against the shut window he crashed, with the speed of a catapult.
Against it he crashed; and clean through it, into the hell of smoke and
fire and strangulation inside the shack.

His head had smashed the strong cross-piece of wood and dried putty and
had crumpled it like so much wet paper. His giant shoulders had ripped
the window-frame clean of its screws. Into the burning room spun Lad,
amid a hail of broken glass and splintered wood.

To the fire-eaten floor he was hurled, close to his cowering and
whimpering mate. He reeled to his feet, and stood there, shoulder to
shoulder with Lady. His work was done.

And, yet, it was not in Sunnybank Lad's nature to be such a fool as is
the usual melodrama hero. True, he had come to share Lady's fate, if he
could not rescue her. Yet, he would not submit tamely to death, until
every resource had been tried.

He glanced at the door. Already he had found by harsh experience that
his strength availed nothing in the battering down of those strong
panels. And he peered up, through the swirling red smoke, toward the
oblong of window, whereby he had made his tumultuous entrance to the
death-trap.

Again, he must have known how hopeless of achievement was the feat he
was about to try. But, as ever, mere obstacles were not permitted to
stand in Lad's way.

Wheeling, he seized Lady by the nape of the neck. With a mighty heave,
he swung her clear of the hot floor. Gathering all his fierce strength
into one sublime effort, he sprang upward toward the window; his mate
hanging from his iron jaws.

Yes, it was a ridiculous thing to attempt. No dog, with thrice Lad's
muscular strength, could have accomplished the impossibility of
springing out through that high, narrow windo