at he had returned to the chateau. It was not unwillingly that the
girl accompanied the countess.

It was some distance around the great building to the rear. They came
upon the excited Dolge and the big dog, the latter lapping water out of
a pan near the well house.

"_Non_! _non_!" cried the countess warningly. "Not that, Dolge. He
must not be allowed too much cold water after his so-exciting run. It
is not good for him."

The gardener stooped to take the pan away, and the greyhound growled.
"Oh, la, la!" mumbled Dolge. "Name of a mouse! Would you butcher me,
you of bloody mind?"

Ruth noticed that the barrel of the greyhound was almost white, which
assisted in giving him that ghostly appearance at night.

The countess left Ruth and hurried forward. She did not stoop, but
with her foot she straightway overturned the pan, sending the water out
on the stones.

The dog looked up at her, wide-mouthed and with tongue hanging. But he
did not offer to molest her. He only dropped his head again, and with
his pink tongue sought to lap up the moisture from the stones.

"The collar, Dolge," commanded Madame la Countess.

The old man hobbled forward with the wide leather strap attached to the
chain. The strap was decorated with big brass rivet heads. She
buckled it around the neck of the panting dog. He lapped her hands.

"Ah, naughty one," she murmured, "would you run the fields like a wild
dog? The blanket, Dolge. He may take cold."

Already the gardener was bringing the covering. They fastened it about
Bubu, who finally shook himself and would have lain down had not the
countess said sharply:

"Nay, nay! All is not yet finished, Bubu. Open thy mouth--so!"

She forced open the big dog's jaws. Rather, at a touch he allowed her
to hold his dripping jaws apart.

"Dolge!" she demanded decisively, "can you see?"

"_Oui, oui, Madame_!" the old man chattered, shaking his head
vigorously. "But not for me will he keep his jaws apart. I am not to
be made into sausage-meat, I hope?"

The countess laughed at him. "Hold his mouth open, then. He would not
desire to bite; but----"

Ruth, amazed, saw her white fingers fumble inside the dog's open maw.
She pulled what seemed to be a white rubber cap from one of his
grinders. Quickly and skilfully, with a fine knitting needle, the
countess ripped from this rubber casing what the girl thought looked
like a twist of oiled paper.

"All right, my good Do