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had held good。
What looked like a miracle was no more than the same beautifully
simple process which Nature enacts every day； when she changes an
awkward and dirt…colored cygnet into a glorious swan or a leggily gawky
colt into a superb Derby…winner。 But Bruce's metamorphosis seemed none
the less wonderful in the eyes of the two people who had learned to love
him。
Somewhere in the hideous wreck of Dr。 Halding's motorcar the dog
had found a souland the rest had followed as a natural course of growth。
At the autumn dog…show； in Hampton； a 〃dark…sable…and…white〃 collie
of unwonted size and beauty walked proudly into the ring close to the
Mistress's side； when the puppy class was calleda class that includes all
dogs under twelve months old。 Six minutes later the Mistress was
gleesomely accepting the first…prize blue ribbon； for 〃best puppy；〃 from
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Judge Symonds' own gnarled hand。
Then came the other classes for collies〃Novice；〃 〃Open；〃 〃Limit；〃
〃Local；〃 〃American Bred。〃 And as Bruce paced majestically out of the
ring at last； he was the possessor of five more blue ribbonsas well as the
blue Winner's rosette； for 〃best collie in the show。〃
〃Great dog you've got there； madam！〃 commented Symonds in solemn
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
indeedNOW！〃
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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 pleasant to steal another few hours at
this back…country House of Peace before returning to the humdrum duties
of camp。 And the guest yielded to the temptation。
〃I'm mighty glad you can stay over till morning；〃 said the Master。 〃I'll
send word to Roberts not to bring up the car。〃
As he spoke； he scrawled a penciled line on an envelope…back； then he
whistled。
From a cool lounging…place beneath the wistaria…vines arose a huge
colliestately of form； dark brown and white of coat； deep… set of eye and
with a head that somehow reminded one of a Landseer engraving。 The
collie trotted up the steps of the veranda and stood expectant before the
Master。 The latter had been folding the envelope lengthwise。 Now he
slipped it through the ring in the dog's collar。
〃Give it to Roberts；〃 he said。
The big collie turned and set off at a hand…gallop。
〃Good！〃 approved the guest。 〃Bruce didn't seem to be in any doubt as
to what you wanted him to do。 He knows where Roberts is likely to be？〃
〃No；〃 said the Master。 〃But he can track him and find him； if Roberts
is anywhere within a mile or so from here。 That was one of the first things
we taught himto carry messages。 All we do is to slip the paper into his
collar…ring and tell him the name of the person to take it to。 Naturally； he
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Bruce
knows us all by name。 So it is easy enough for him to do it。 We look on
the trick as tremendously clever。 But that's because we love Bruce。 Almost
any dog can be taught to do it； I suppose。 We〃
〃You're mistaken！〃 corrected the guest。 〃Almost any dog CAN'T be
taught to。 Some dogs can； of course； but they are the exception。 I ought to
know； for I've been where dog…couriers are a decidedly important feature
of trench…warfare。 I stopped at one of the dog… training schools in England；
too； on my way back from Picardy； and watched the teaching of the dogs
that are sent to France and Flanders。 Not one in ten can be trained to carry
messages； and not one in thirty can be counted on to do it reliably。 You
ought to be proud of Bruce。〃
〃We are；〃 replied the Mistress。 〃He is one of the family。 We think
everything of him。 He was such a stupid and awkward puppy； too！ Then；
in just a few months； he shaped up； as he is now。 And his brain woke。〃
Bruce interrupted the talk by reappearing on the veranda。 The folded
envelope was still in the ring on his collar。 The guest glanced furtively at
the Master； expecting some sign of chagrin at the collie's failure。
Instead； the Master took the envelope； unfolded it and glanced at a
word or two that had been written beneath his own scrawl； then he made
another penciled addition to the envelope's writing； stuck the twisted paper
back into the ring and said
〃Roberts。〃
Off trotted Bruce on his second trip。
〃I had forgotten to say which train you'll have to take in the morning；〃
explained the Master。 〃So Roberts wrote； asking what time he was to have
the car at the door after breakfast。 It was careless of me。〃
The guest did not answer。 But when Bruce presently returned； this
time with no paper in his collar…ring；the officer passed his hand
appraisingly through the dog's heavy coat and looked keenly down into his
dark eyes。
〃Gun…shy？〃 asked the guest。 〃Or perhaps he's never heard a gun
fired？〃
〃He's heard hundreds of guns fired；〃 said the Master。 〃I never allow a
gun to be fired on The Place； of course； because we've made it a bird
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refuge。 But Bruce went with us in the car to the testing of the Lewis
machineguns； up at Haskell。 They made a most ungodly racket。 But
somehow it didn't seem to bother the Big Dog at all。〃
〃H'm！〃 mused the guest； his professional interest vehemently roused。
〃He would be worth a fortune over there。 There are a lot of collies in the
service； in one capacity or anotheralmost as many as the Airedales and
the police dogs。 And they are doing grand work。 But I never saw one that
was better fitted for it than Bruce。 It's a pity he lives on the wrong side of
the Atlantic。 He could do his bit； to more effect than the average human。
There are hundreds of thousands of men for the ranks； but pitifully few
perfect courier…dogs。〃
The Mistress was listening with a tensity which momentarily grew
more painful。 The Master's forehead； too； was creased with a new thought
that seemed to hurt him。 To break the brief silence that followed the
guest's words； he asked：
〃Are the dogs； over there； really doing such great work as the papers
say they are？ I read； the other day〃
〃 'Great work！'〃 repeated the guest。 〃I should say so。 Not only in
finding the wounded and acting as guards on listening posts； and all that；
but most of all as couriers。 There are plenty of times when the wireless
can't be used for sending messages from one point to another； and where
there is no telephone connection； and where the firing is too hot for a
human courier to get through。 That is where is the war dogs have proved
their weight in radium。 Collies； mostly。 There are a； million true stories of
their prowess told； at camp…fires。 Here