tempted to follow the creeping body and the fascinatingly
swinging bag indoors. But his one effort to enter the house,--with
muddy paws,--by way of an open window, had been rebuked by the
Lawgivers. He had been led to understand that really well-bred little
dogs come in by way of the door; and then only on permission.

So he waited, doubtfully, at the veranda edge; in the hope that his new
friend might reappear or that the Master might perhaps want to show off
his pup to the caller, as so often the Master was wont to do.

Head cocked to one side, tulip ears alert, Laddie stood listening. To
the keenest human ears the thief's soft progress across the wide living
room to the wall-safe would have been all but inaudible. But Lad could
follow every phase of it; the cautious skirting of each chair; the
hesitant pause as a bit of ancient furniture creaked; the halt in front
of the safe; the queer grinding noise, muffled but persevering, at the
lock; then the faint creak of the swinging iron door, and the deft
groping of fingers.

Soon, the man started back toward the pale oblong of gloom which marked
the window's outlines from the surrounding black. Lad's tail began to
wag again. Apparently, this eccentric person was coming out, after all,
to keep him company. Now, the man was kneeling on the window-seat. Now,
in gingerly fashion, he reached forward and set the small bag down on
the veranda; before negotiating the climb across the broad seat,--a
climb that might well call for the use of both his hands.

Lad was entranced. Here was a game he understood. Thus, more than once,
had the Mistress tossed out to him his flannel doll, as he had stood in
pathetic invitation on the porch, looking in at her as she read or
talked. She had laughed at his wild tossings and other maltreatments of
the limp doll. He had felt he was scoring a real hit. And this hit he
decided to repeat.

Snatching up the swollen little satchel, almost before it left the
intruder's hand, Lad shook it, joyously, reveling in the faint clink
and jingle of the contents. He backed playfully away; the bag-handle
swinging in his jaws. Crouching low, he wagged his tail in ardent
invitation to the stranger to chase him and get back the satchel. Thus
did the Master romp with Lad, when the flannel doll was the prize of
their game. And Lad loved such races.

Yes, the stranger was accepting the invitation. The moment he had
crawled out on the veranda he reached down fo