dly. "No, he is up again, and here he
comes."

"Then perhaps it is not so bad as I thought, boy. Yes, here he comes as
hard as he can pelt. He can't be very bad, unless this is his last
struggle to get to your side."

"And yours, Serge," said Marcus, mournfully.

"No, boy; it's you that he wants to reach," said the old soldier, with a
grim smile. "He likes me, but you need not talk--he loves you; and if
he's very badly hurt he is putting all the strength he has left in him
to get here to you."

"Oh, Serge," cried Marcus, as the ponies tore on, with the dog in full
pursuit, "it can't be so bad as you think!"

"Well, boy, I'm beginning to think you're right. He can't be so very
bad, or he wouldn't be able to stretch himself out like that and come
over the ground faster than the horses are going, and that isn't slow.
Look at the brave old fellow; that's just the stride he takes--"

"Stride!" cried Marcus, proudly. "He's coming on in bounds."

"So he is, boy, and as I was going to say, that's just his way when he
wants to overtake a pack of ravaging wolves who have been after our
sheep. Well done, dog! Talk about muscles in his legs! I don't call
them muscles; he has legs like springs."

The chariot horses still tore on at a fast gallop, the sturdy little
driver guiding them with admirable skill as they neared obstructions;
but fast as they swept over the open ground, with the heavy chariot
leaping and bounding behind, their speed was far out-paced by the great
dog which stretched out like a greyhound of modern times, and lessened
the distance between them more and more, till he was so near that Marcus
uttered a cry of horror upon making out as he did that the dog's flank
was marked by a great patch of blood.

"Yes," said Serge, gravely, "I see, boy, and I could find it in my heart
to stop the ponies and take him into the chariot; but there is no need
for it. Can't be a serious wound, and he'll be close up to us in
another minute."

"To reach us exhausted," cried Marcus, bitterly; "and I shall always
feel that we might have saved his life."

Serge made no reply, but, frowning heavily, he watched the final efforts
the gallant animal was making. For gathering himself together for every
spring and putting all his strength in his efforts, Lupe bounded on till
he was close behind the chariot, and Marcus uttered an encouraging shout
as he went down on one knee, while the next minute Lupe made a
tremendous