mparatively
easy, and it was found that the train could proceed, since the
running gear of the baggage car was intact.

The train was almost ready to go on again, when a woman, flashily
dressed, and wearing many diamonds, came bustling up from the parlor
car.

"Is my dog safe?" she inquired of the baggageman. "Is he hurt?"

"No'm, he's all right; or he was a little while ago," the man
answered. "He was tied in the corner, just where you told me to put
him. I guess he's there yet. His end of the car wasn't hit. But he
howled a lot."

"Poor Rex! Let me see him." The lady went to the open door of the
baggage car, and looked in. "Why, he's gone!" she cried. "My dog--my
darling dog--is gone!"

"Can't be!" exclaimed the trainman. "He was tied right there a minute
ago."

He jumped into the shattered car and looked about.

"Is he there?" cried the woman.

"No, ma'am, he's gone," was the answer. "But I don't see how it could
be."

"Did he break loose?" the lady asked, with much eagerness.

"No, the strap is gone, and he couldn't possibly untie the knot I
put in it. Someone has taken him, ma'am."

"Then this company is responsible, and I shall sue it!" the lady
cried, bristling with what might be righteous anger. "My dog was a
valuable one. Rex III has taken prize after prize, and I was on my
way with him to a dog show now. Oh, Rex! Who could have taken you?"
and she seemed genuinely distressed.

"What kind of a dog was he?" asked Alice, for she loved animals.

"A collie--a most beautiful collie. He had a pink bow on, and here it
is! Oh, how I loved him! We were inseparable! And now he is gone!"
and tears filled the lady's eyes.

CHAPTER III

ON TO THE FARM

Despite the excitement and hard work caused by the wreck, many of the
trainmen had time to look for the missing dog. This was after the
conductor had been appealed to by Mrs. Delamont, the owner of the
prize animal.

And it appeared, from the deferential attitude of the conductor, that
Mrs. Delamont was a person of some importance. Her husband was one of
the directors of the railroad, and she was much interested in prize
dogs.

But a careful search failed to disclose the missing Rex III. An
examination of the car revealed nothing, and the baggage man was sure
he had tied such a knot in the dog's leash that the animal could not
have worked it loose.

"Besides," said Mrs. Delamont, "Rex would not leave me. Someone must
have taken him."

"T