s recounting the adventure to Mrs. Harmon, their host drew
the Master to one side.
"Say, old man," began Harmon, with visible discomfort, "please don't
misunderstand me or anything. But I'm a little bothered about just what
to do. This is the idea: There was a mad dog scare here in Daylight
Park, last month, when a Pom puppy snapped at some kids that were
teasing it. Then, a day or so later, a Persian cat had fits and chased
old Mrs. Cratchitt across a lawn and gave her a spell of palpitation of
the heart. And the next day an Angora goat that the Varian children had
as a pet got loose and chewed up several hundred dollars' worth of
lingerie off a line. Then the Clives' spaniel took to barking under
Rutherford Garretse's study window. And--"
"You needn't be afraid of Lad's doing any of those fool things,"
bragged the Master. "He behaves as well as any human. Better than most
of them. He--"
"That isn't the point," said his host, with growing uneasiness. "You
see, Daylight Park is run as a club. Home government and all that sort
of thing. Well, these livestock fracases raised such a row that the
club's Board of Governors has passed an ordinance, forbidding the
keeping of any pet animals in the whole park. Nothing bigger than a
canary bird can be harbored here. It's a hard-and-fast rule. It seemed
the only way to save our whole summer colony from disruption. You know
a livestock squabble can cause more ructions in a small community
than--"
"I see," mused the Master, staring glumly after Lad who was just
vanishing into the house in the wake of the Mistress and the unhappy
Mrs. Harmon. "I see. H'm!"
He pondered for an instant, while his host shifted from foot to foot
and looked apologetic. Then the Master spoke again.
"The only way out, that I see," he hazarded, "is for me to drive back
home with Lad; and leave him there and come on here, tomorrow. I can--"
"Nothing of the sort!" protested Harmon, "There's an easier way than
that. Wittsville is only a mile or so from the Park gates. They've got
a fine boarding kennel there. Several of the Park's dogs were exiled to
it, when our ordinance went into effect. Jump into the car, and we'll
take your collie there in ten minutes. He'll be well treated. And you
and your wife can go to see him, every day you're here. Come along.
I--I hate to seem inhospitable about this thing. But you see for
yourself how it is. We--"
"Certainly," assented the Master. "I'll go in and
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