outward. His loins were well arched, his
chest deep, like an Arab stallion's, his neck long, arched, and
very strong, like the massy muscles of his fore-arms. It was
difficult to say that he had grown much since his fifteenth month,
and yet he looked a very much bigger dog, and, above all, he looked
and was very much stronger. There was no longer anything immature
or unformed about Finn. During his next year he might possibly add
half a score of pounds to his already great weight; but on his
second birthday he was set and furnished, a superb specimen of pure
breeding and perfect rearing in Irish Wolfhounds.

For almost six months now Finn's only companion of his own kind had
been Tara. He had not seen Kathleen's departure from the cottage
beside the Downs, and for some days he was greatly puzzled by her
absence. He even stood by the orchard gate and growled fiercely,
with the hair on his shoulders standing almost erect, because the
thought was in his mind that Matey may have had something to do
with this disappearance. The Master saw him engaged in this way,
and was greatly puzzled by it. He said to the Mistress of the
Kennels afterwards--

"I really think old Finn must have gone mad for five minutes this
morning. I never saw a more fearsome-looking creature than he was
when he stood and growled beside the orchard gate. I assure you he
was terrible. He looked about six feet high, and as fierce as any
tiger. It made me think of his ancient godfather, or namesake, the
Finn of fifteen hundred years ago, who kept King Cormac's three
hundred Irish Wolfhounds in fighting trim, as the most awe-inspiring
and death-dealing portion of his master's army. I must
read over those 'Tales of the Cycle of Finn' again; they are fine,
stirring things. But in these worrying days I hardly seem to get
time for sleep, let alone for reading about old Finn. But I wish
you had seen Finn--our Finn--this morning. He was very terrible,
but I never saw a dog look more magnificent. Upon my word, I
believe there are very few living things that Finn could not
implant fear in, if he set his mind to it; yes, and pull down, to
boot--a hundred and fifty pounds of muscle and bone, and teeth and
fire and spirit!"

But Finn need not have worried for Kathleen's sake. She had gone to
a good home, and lives there to-day in honoured old age. Her owner
paid a hundred guineas for her, and would not sell her for ten
times the figure. But there was no way of te