ble, did not see his pet's performance. He
took up the thread of speech where Wefers dropped it.

"I don't know what the law does or doesn't empower you to do, in such
cases," he said, trying to force his way back to the earlier semblance
of calm. "But I doubt if it permits you to trespass on my land, without
a warrant or a court order of some sort; or to shoot a dog of mine.
And, until I find out the law in the matter, you'll get off this place
and keep off of it. As for the dog, I'll be legally responsible for
him; and I'll guarantee he'll do no damage. So--"

Like Wefers, the Master came to an abrupt halt in his harangue.

For Lad was cantering gleefully toward him, carrying something dark and
heavy between his jaws. Straight to the Master came Lad. Carefully, at
the Master's feet, he laid the rusty pistol.

Then, stepping back a pace, he looked up, eagerly, into the dumfounded
man's face, tail waving, dark eyes aglint with expectation. It had been
hard to locate the weapon, in all that tangle of lilac-stems. It had
been harder to carry the awkwardly heavy thing all the way back, in his
mouth, without dropping it. But, if this was the plaything the Master
had chosen, Lad was only too willing to continue the game.

A little choking sound made the collie shift his gaze suddenly to the
Mistress's troubled face. And the light of fun in his eyes was
quenched. The sight of her splendid dog retrieving so joyously the
weapon designed for his death, was almost too much for the Mistress's
self-control.

The effect on the Master was different.

As Wefers made as though to jump forward and grab the pistol, the
Master said sharply:

"WATCH it, Laddie!"

Instantly, Lad was on the alert. The game, it seemed, had begun again,
and along sterner lines. He was to guard this plaything;--particularly
from the bearded intruder who was snatching so avidly for it.

There was a sharp growl, a flash of fierce white teeth, a bound. One of
Lad's snowy little forepaws was on the fallen pistol. And the rest of
Lad's sinewy body was crouching above it, fangs aglint, eyes blazing
with hot menace.

Wefers jerked back his protruding arm, with extreme quickness; barely
avoiding a deep slash from the collie's shearing eye-teeth. And Lad,
continued to "watch" the pistol.

The dog was having a lovely time. Seldom had he been happier. All good
collies respond in semi-psychic fashion to the moods of their masters.
And, to Lad, the very atmos